KoreanWaveNewYorkTimes2010 2011

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l'hrough the Pages of


1~hc New Yo1~k Ti1nes
i11 2010 & 2011

KOREAN CULJURAl SE.AV!(( NY


'/'11/s booklet /\ r1 collec1io11 q/lf3 m'ltdes
selected~)' Korea11 C111!11ml Serv/ce Ne<V York
.fio111 m11des 011 Korean c11l111re
~r 7'/1e iVfw York 7i'111es /11 2010 cL 2011.
First edition, November 20 12

Ed ited & Published by Korean C ul rural Service New York


460 Park Avenue, 6 1h Floor, New York, NY I 0022
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Copyright 2012 by Korean C ul tural Service New York

All rights reserved . No part of th is book may be reproduced in any fo rm o r


by a ny means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recovering, or
by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing
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From T he New York Times 2012 2012 The New York Times. All rights
reserved. Used by permission and protected by the Copyrigh t Laws of rhe Un ired
Stares. The printing, copying, redistribution, or retransmission of this Content
without express written permission is prohibited.

Cover & Text Design by Jisook Byun


Printing & Binding by PRINTING & AD Ex rRESS, I NC.

Printed in New York


THE

IE KOHEAN \\~\\'Er\S \'IEWl~DT l-IHOCCH TllE PACES OFTllE .\'E\\'YO HK Tl.\I ES IN 20'!0 l\ 20 11 Tll E KO Hi'::\.\' \\

As Viewed
Through the Pages of
The New York Times
in2010 & 2011

Korea n C u It u ra I Service New Yo rk


CONTENTS
FORE\VORD
T he Korean Wave is Here to Stay 0l0

JVIUSIC&PERFORJVIANC E
A Violinist's Bells and W histles 0l5
Instrumentalists ac an Exhi bition 0l7
H am let as Eager Korean Prince 0 l8
South Korea Forgets its amnesia and rediscovers its rock 'n' roll soul 0 19
W hen Bach Laid Bare His Own Soul 022
Korean Pop Machi ne, Ru nning o n Innocence and H air Gel 024

FOOD
Backyard Bulgogi 027
Feel Free to G raze, but Just Be Q uick 029
H eat by the H andful 03 1
A 300-Duck Day and Cabbages by th e Thousands 034
Korean Barbecue In a Smoke-Filled Room 037

FASH ION
She Wants More Than H er MTV 041
Traditional Korean Style Gets a Forward Spin 043
Esther Kim and Joseph Va ret 046
A Wh ite Ho use Debut for Doo.Ri 049

A RTS
A Korean Artist's O rigins, by Parachute 05 1
Sheep in T imes Square 053
Vessels of C lay, Cenruries Old, That Speak co Modernity 054
A Fine Line: Style or Philosophy? 056
Squeezing Essence From a Stone 058
FILIVIS
W here W it and Genre Filmmaking Collide 061
Fierce Love: Better Not Make This Mo m Angry 063
Festival Moves co Fancier Base but Keeps Its Genre-Bending Fare 065
A Fine Balance: The Quiet Life Of a Star Actress 068
Consider an Apple, Consider rhe World 070
Through a film make r's lens, views of Korea 072
A Rogue Film Festival Earns Respect (Sort Of) 073

SPORTS
Kirn Raises Bar, Delighting Fans 077
Korean Is First Woman to Scale 14 Highest Peaks 079
Making Their Own National Noise, bur Losing Anyway 081
Soccer offers lesson in how to get rough 083
I.O.C. Awards 20 18 Winrer Garnes co a South Korean Resort 086

TOURISM
Youth Program Inspires Dreams of Korean Uni ry 089
1l1e Place 'Fir Li ke a Jacker' 092
Korean Tradition, Italian Style 094
Seoul 096
A G razing Tour of Koreatown 100

socrETY&LlTERATURE
D eath Pursues H er 103
Exacting Teaching Mach ine Sticks to the Scrip t in South Korea 105
Korean Isle Looks Abroad For an Education at Home 107
In a Land of the Aging, Children Counrer Alzheimer's 109
As Koreans Pour In, A Town Is Remade 113
Lost in Tra nsit 115

TIIE LIST OF 20 I 0 The New Yo rk Times a rticles o n Korean Cu ltu re 116

THE LIST OF 20 I l The New Yo rk Times articles on Ko1ea n Cu ltu1e 122


The Korean Wave is
Here to Stay
By Chal'l cs K. A l'm SLl'o ng

Ch arles K. Armstr ong is the Korea Foundat ion Associat e Professo r o f Kor ean St udies in t he So cial Sciences
and t he D irect o r o f t he Center for Korean Research at Columbia University. A specialist in t he modern history
of Korea and East Asia, Professor Armstr ong has published several books on contemporary Korea, including
most recently The Koreas (Rout ledge, 2007).
T
he "Korea n Wave" has been w it h us fo r well a nd Korea n cul ture is ha rd ly a newcom er to places li ke
over a decade. I nvented by C hinese jou rnalises New York C ity. Still, the visibility of Korea in "main-
at the end of rhe 1990s, the term HalLyu or st rea m" America n cultu re has increased expo nentia lly
" Korean Wave" originally descri bed rhe sudden and in the lase several yea rs. Korean movies are no longer
extraordi nary rise in popula rity of Korea n pop music, li m ited rn rhe a rt house fringe bur a re reviewed regu-
TV dram as, fashion, f ilm a nd food in C hina a nd else- la rly in rhe N ew York Times; New Yorkers consume
whe re in As ia. T h roughout t he 2000s, Ko rea n culture Korea n food with gusto, whether traditional food in
d rew an enthusias tic a nd ever-growing following all Queens, fusion fa re in tonier parts of Manhattan, or
over the Asia n continent, fro m midd le-aged ho use- ba rbecued beef and rice fro m rhe wandering "Korilla"
wives in Japa n add icted to Korea n melodramas, to trucks. Americans who spea k nor a word of Korean
you ng men in Bh uta n sporti ng haircuts modeled after rune in regula rly to Korean T V dra mas, and m any
their favo rire K-pop sta rs. Europe and t he Americas fa natica l followers of K-pop can be found among col-
were a bit slower to catch rhe Korean wave, bur in re- lege srudents of a ll ethnicities. In rhe second decade of
cent years Korean c ultu re has fo u nd a significant niche the rwenty-fi rsr century, Korea is pan of rhe American
in France, A rgenti na, C a nada a nd the United Scares, as culrural la ndscape. The Korea n Wave is here to stay.
wel l as in other Western countries. Of cou rse, Koreans
have been im migrat ing to rhe US for over a century,
Forl'\\ ord

T
he ra nge and impact of Korea n culture in decade of mass popul arity in As ia, K-pop has made
American life is reflected in the diverse ar- serious inroads into t he A merican market in rhe last
ticles on Korea in rhe T imes. Food was a big few years. Korea's SM Enterta in me nt pro duced a series
story, and nor just in restaurants: as a sign of how far of sold-our concerts ar M ad ison Square Ga rden, and
Korea n food has good mainstrea m , rhe Times ra n two rhe T imes covered in derail rhe combination of intense
articles on how to cook beef bulgogi - one rhe tradi- competition, savvy marketing a nd sheer ta lent and
tional grilled way, the other in a slider. T ravel articles hard work that have made K-pop a global phenom-
on Korea d escribed rhe local food wirh enthusiasm, enon. On rhe classical e nd of rhe spectru m, Korea n
and fo r rhose wanting to sray close to home, the Ti mes musicia ns like Jennifer Lin a nd H ahn- Bin m ade rhe
ran a useful article on where to ear in Ma nharra n's news for their arti stry (as well as, in Hahn-Bin's case,
Koreatown. New York-based celebrity chefs like David provocative fash ion statements).
C hang and Jea n-George Vongerichren have helped to
Korea n fi lms, from Bong Joon-ho's thri ller "Mother"
boost rhe visibiliry of Korean food, at the sa me ri me
ro Lee C hang-dong's quiet and co ntemplative "Poetry,"
rhar rhey made rheir own unique versions of rhe cui-
received rave reviews. Shin Kyung-sook's novel "Please
sine. Along with his Korea n-born wife Marja, chef
Look After My Mom" was reviewed prominently in
Vongerichten brought Korea n cooking to America n
the N ew York T imes book review, a nd became the
living rooms wirh The Kimchi Chronicles, a hir food
first work of Korean fi ction (by Korea's most popular
and travel show on PBS. Perhaps the on ly question
novelise) ro become a besrscller in t he US. Sports were
about rhe newfound popularity of Korea n food in
a lso in rhe news, as the Korean city of Pyeo ngchang
America is: why d id ir ra ke so long? O ne might have
won rhe right ro host the 20 18 W inter Olympics, after
thought that rhe American palate wou ld naturally
two previous failed bids. There were ind ividual sport
gravitate rowa rd spicy gri lled beef over cold raw fish
achievements as well, especia lly by women: a Korean
and rice, bur after rhe long reign of sushi, ir looks li ke
woman beca me the first female climber to scale che
Americans may be raking ro bulgogi as t heir favorite
world's fourtee n highest mountains, and fig ure skater
Asia n d ish.
Kim Yu-na was rhe srar of the W inter O lympics in
Music, borh Western classical music a nd pop, was Va ncouver.
also a n imporra nt Korean story. After more th an a
The "o n a11 \\'an is I l1rc to S ta.'

Korea n clorhi ng, arr, arch itecture a nd design have Korea is becoming a n increasingly fam iliar place for
been receiving some belated appreciation in rhe West, America ns, bu r Korea is no lon ger a place "over there,"
as a n a rricle on rhe a rt of rhe ha nbok showed. Korean- exotic a nd stra nge. It is becom ing increasingly pa rr of
influenced clothi ng design even reached rhe White the A merican cul rura l fabric, a place as famil iar ro rhe
H ouse, when First Lady M ichelle O bama wore a dress readers of the Times as the resta ura nt down the block.
by t he Korea n-American designer Ooo-ri C hung fo r Ar t h is poinc, it may no longer be useful to describe rhe
a srate d inner with P resident Lee Myung-bak, a d in- Korea n cul ru ral im pact as a "wave." Korea n culrure is
ner where rhe Korea n-America n sisters the Ahn Trio now a major triburary of the America n mainstream.
perfo rmed. T he revival and modernization in con-
temporary Korea of the hanok, o r rrad it ional Korea n
house, made the news as well. Back in New York,
rhe Merropoliran Museu m of Arr held a beaut iful
exhi bit ion of t rad itional Korea n ceramics, a nd Lee
Ufan's insta llation "Marking Infin ity" occupied rhe
Guggenh eim Museum.

Korea's well-known obsession w ith child ren's educa-


rion, and Korea ns' a m birious innovarions in the ed-
ucation field, ga ined some attention with arricles on
Jeju Island 's planned "G lobal Education Ciry" and
the "Engkey" English-reaching robot invented at the
Korea lnsrirure of Science a nd Tech nology. The Ti mes
travel section fearu re a guide ro "36 Hours in Seoul,"
coveri ng restau ra nts, museums, shopping, a nd even
the jjimjilbnng or bath house.
THE NEW YORK TIMES, THURSD.dl~ FEBRUARY 24, 2011 El, ES

A VIOLINIST'S BELLS
AND WHISTLES
BY ALEX I IA\VGOOD

en [he young violinis[ Hahn-Bin ap-

A Violinist's Bells and Whistles


Uy Al.EX llAWGOOI)
ll EN the young \'iolln
W: peared onsrage for a recent ma[inee at
he Morgan Library and Museum, a gasp
trickled through the audience, which consisted mosdy

W lst llnhnBm ap1>eared


onS1agc for :. f"'l'ttfll
matintt :u the Mora.an
Ubcu)' 11nd Museum, a psp 1ridtkd
throu&h the audJmce. ,.hkh consist
of silver-ha ired classical-music enthusiasts. C lad in a
black sleeveless kimono, dark raccoon-eye makeup
c<I mostly (I( Slhtt..-t\a!rt."d cb~
mUSK wlhuSJ.3.Sts. Ct.1d tn a bbt:k
and a high mohawk, the soloisr resembled an apoca-
sft\eloess kimono, c.brt me~
m.lkeup and a high moh."11tt k, t he ~ lyptic Kewpie doll.
kxst rtst>mblcd M apornl)'Plic Kew
p1edoll
1111.hn-Uin (who uses only lu f1n t
name) slunk B(rQSS 1he stnge vmh Hah n-Bin (who uses only his first name) slunk across
the srage with his instrument, propped himself atop a
Ha hn-Bin, equally
a l home on piano a nd whipped his bow toward the crowd, more
the ru nway and onslagc. ringmaster than concertmas[er. He then tore into works
his ln.s1rumen1, propped hnnself ntop
by C hopin, Pablo de Sarasa[e and Debussy, with some
a ptllflO ;md whipped hti bow 1cw.ard
the ct0\1t:d, ~ nna.master ttwl
concu-tmasrn. Ht' thm tllf'C into
enhancements: At one point the pia nist John Blacklow
1ttwks b)' Chop.n, Pablo de Sarasatc
:md Ddlussy, -.,rn
somt ~ placed Hahn-Bin's bow inm the violinist's mouth,
mmu: At ooc poin11hc pi."Uli.51 Jcohn
Blx .lrSow pbCftl Hahn-Bin's bow lnio
lhc \iohmst's rnooth, 111hlle llaJtn-Bln whi le Hahn-Bin plucked his violi n like a ukulele.
plucked Ins vlOlm hke a ukulele.
- 11iwe you t'\'tr Sttn nn)'thl ng hl!;t
It?" one fem.:ilc audirn<'t m~ mber
wh15pert'd to a fr~nd. "Have you ever seen anything like it?" one female au-
No, she n:plkd.. "l'\e IH:\'tr
l~.i.nJ anyth ing l1kt ii, est her.'"
l>Mpite s.hanng a ~ at Uncoln dience mem ber w hispered to a friend.
Ccntrr, lhc cL.u.SK:mU)K' and lash
90t1 lndUSll"K'S tend 10 be mulu.ill)' U
TRl.NDSCTTIHC
duswc. But for lfahn-Bin. a 22)'t:U
Ho.hnBin
perform ing a l 1he
'
old pro<~&~ lhc tmme1ll \iobnist
lllhak Perlman v.hO hokh Moun
"No," she replied. "I've never hea rd anything like it,
Louis Vu illon
store d uring
:lnd Warhol intqu3ltstttm, 111ey :u-c
ron1plcmem~.ry.
either."
Fnshion's Nighl " Wh :1t I c~ 10 v. c:ir or how I
Out las t yir:11r. Contin uf'don J-'O.l>'t8
Despite sha ring a lease at Lincoln Center, the classical-
music and fashion industries tend ro be mutually ex-
A Violinist's Bells a nd Whistles
clusive. But for Hahn-Bin, a 22-year-old protege of the
eminent violinis[ ltzhak Perlman who holds M ozart
and Wa rhol in equal esteem , [hey are complementary.

"W hat l choose ro wear or how I choose ro express


myself visua lly is equally important as the music it-
self," he said in a recent interview at Le Pain Quotid ien
on G rand Street. " Fashion teaches spiri tua l lessons. lr
has taught me who I am and showed me what I didn't
know about myself."

H ahn- Bin is a rare bridge be[ween Ca rnegie Ha ll,


where he wi ll make his mainsrage debur on Ma rch
13, and [he Boom Boom Room , where he performed
a[ a party hosted by V Magazine during New York
Fashion Week. He is [he latest in a series of classic-
musica l provoca[eurs who have included [he German
virtuoso Anne-Sophie Muner, fa mous for her strap-
less ball gowns; and Nigel Kennedy, a genre-bending,
hard-partying Brit.
' ' The classical-music world need s co be shak- rice rhe violin , then sneak o ff ro see perfo rmances by
en up a li ttle bit," sa id V icki M argulies, Ms. Anderson or rhe avanr-garde playwright Robert
artist manager fo r Young Concert Arrisrs Wilson. H e moved ro New York in 2004 after being
Inc., which selecred H a h n-Bin to perfo rm ar t he accepred into Juillia rd , where he q uickly felt like "a
Morgan. ''A nd he's the one to do it." strange fruit," he said. His classmates d idn't u ndersta nd
why he studied rhe work of the m usician Bjork and
Hahn-Bi n credits Mr. Perl man a nd the star architect
rhe photographer N ick Kn ight along wirh Kreisler and
Perer M ari no, who fina nced his New York concert de-
D vorak. "They would tease me endlessly," he said .
but in 2009 ar Za nkel H a ll, pa rt of Ca rnegie H all,
for teaching him how to straddle rwo c ultural worlds. Between classes, he'd shop ar downtown boutiques like
"The on ly person char unde rstood that I was a gen re Seven N ew York and Yohj i Yamamoto, rhen return ro
of my ow n was M r. Perl man," he said. "H e gers char class decked our in Bern ha rd Will helm a nd M artin
I have always been a perform ance a rtist who sings Ma rgiela. "Everyone's jaws would just d rop," he said.
through the violin." "I fo ught wirh rhe deans co nstantly abou t what I could
wear. T hey finally cold me I can wea r someth ing all
In a phone interview, Mr. Perlma n said: "H e is a n ex-
black. Natura lly, I went onstage wea ri ng a top rhar
tremely ta lented violinist who is very, very individual.
had a very deep V-neck. I will never forge r when the
He combines music wirh dra ma and a visual element.
orchestra manager ra n to me backstage with a safety
Ir's very personal to him. W hen an a rtist feels it th at
pin in horror."
personally, the aud ience does, too."
H ahn-Bin said char his use of fas hion is pa n of a n ar-
Hahn-Bin's diverse group of fa ns also incl udes the
rempr ro make classical music ("the new u nderground
fas hion personaliry And re Leon Talley, rhe art maven
genre," he said) relevant to a group of young people
Shala M onroque, the magazine edi tor Stephen Ga n
who may have been d ragged ro concerts by rheir
and the gallerist Ba rbara G ladstone. "In the contex t
grandparents. H e also posrs relentlessly on his Web
of classically t rained musicia ns, he is q uire sta rtling,
sire, Twitter, YouTube a nd Facebook. "He is speaking
as they a re hardly given ro personal cheater," Ms.
directly ro h is generation," Ms. M argulies said. "This
Gladstone said.
is his world."
H e collaborated wirh the video art ist Rya n M cNa mara
W ith these bells a nd whistles comes t he occasio nal
on "Producrion," a perfo rmance at the Louis Vuitton
accusation rhar his persona d isrracrs fro m rhe music.
score during Fash ion's N ighr O ur last year, a nd he
"T here are many people in my field who have rried ro
walked rhe runway for the designer Elise O verland last
tell me what I should a nd shou ldn't do w ith M oza rt or
September. T his month , he perfo rmed ar rhe Sco ne, a n
Beethoven, even to th is day," he said .
art space in rhe East Village, in a show curated by t he
musicia ns Lou Reed and Lau rie A nderson; and played But M r. Perlman dismissed a ny idea char Hahn-Bin's
soliloquies inspi red by the ex h ibit ion "Andy Wa rhol: self-stylization is gimmick ry. "It's nor like he is follow-
Mot ion Pictures" at t he Museum of Modern Art. ing a trend in classical music right now," he said. "H e
is setti ng rhe rrend."
'The movement, his body, h is clot hes, his style, his
dramaturgy a nd the music, of course, fo rm one strong, Ar the Morgan, rh is trendsetting included three cos-
complex, mu lrilayered audio-visual image," said Klaus tume cha nges from the k imono: a Ka rl Lagerfeld-esque
Biesenbach, chief curato r at large fo r rhe museum. ruxedo with an oversize flower pin; a n asym met rical
sh irt dress with a n eye mask made from feat hers; and
H a hn-Bin said chat d efying genres in t his ma nner is
a boxy red blouse with a plunging V-neck line, acces-
an intrinsic part of his persona lity. "] have never iden-
sorized wirh a pair of Jeremy Scott sunglasses a nd
tified as Asian or American, b oy or girl, classical or
thigh-high Rick O wens boors.
pop," he said.
"H onestly, ro ger onsrage a nd balance in my shoes is
H e was born in Seoul, South Korea; h is fami ly moved
a lifetime achievement in of itself," H ahn-Bi n said .
ro Los Angeles when he was 10 so he could study ar
"D ancers have arms ro help fi nd their balance, bur
rhe Colburn School of Perfo rming Arts. As a teenager,
one of my a rms, you see, is doing the most ridicu lous
he would tell his mother he was going t here to prac-
things wirh rhe violin."

Dt-M Copyright 2001 1by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
" 7"'" ..,..,.- .-_..~r ""l.rl..'l!'\!o._'" :;.,~-~--,.,-:-"7""~~~~/y-"T'"1'""!"""""'""-=.-.-.,.-

THENEWl'ORK TIMES, FRJDAY,JUNE 3, 2011 C4

INSTRU MENTA LISTS


AT AN EXHIBIT ION
13' Z \ C l IABY \\'OOLF I ~

BillMI and Dana Angtla.far lt/1,


Instrumentalists at an Exhibition and Jtn111ftr Oum, s1.srcrs, pu
/omung on \\'tdnnday nq:hr 01
In lht lefl p.antl oCSanM>n Dm who are smcn. and the planlSl "Dall.ld nnd 030Ce- alterlheli lht Tfnn C'ullurol fnMll~lt
ncrsum's p.'.lmttng -nte Ful- ""..-edenc Ouu. T'My :stttn."d In th!olnJhort Ligl11 work lortwo
bnghl Tnptych a woman J.llS spired byilSterit mixture of vtol.ms ~on RomanillJl folk
songs.. But Mr. Oliu w:is the rt'C1lal's
wnh a child on htt Llp. In 1he knife and la.ndsca~. aggression
ngh1 panel a rnanalsosu.~ 111 a and ld)ll. Tilt rct1tn.l opt~~ Ith some qtlf, bnngang exqu1<1tt ~ou'
~lral posture. All The Chuns m pamc:ubr es- of oariok's4 1 V.ottn Duos ness toG:w:> Ping's pc>1ent'3lly
gi.mmac.ky Two So\~l Lo\'t'
ZACHARY lhrrrnarebL1nkly chev.cd simple. folksy nostalgia (around 1933) 1n1ersJ)(.'f'Std wuh
~~ions from Prokol1e,s F11 Soogs for Voc3hzmg Psami!i:I"
innprogrnmmflmM ~1tht ht-
~.'~~~~~i!~.1 ..
00
WOOLfE 1angy harmonies and dancing g1t1\e V1s.t0ns"' tor solo pa no (200J). ~work had some ol
- dominated by a Utble- rh)'lhmsof Eastern EurOJ)(':tn (1915-17). Mr. Onu'ssua\"e play the 1mprrssaonist feel of the Pro-
kofaev, \\ith Mr. Ol1u softlyv.ln"I
:'~~ :~:~~~~-
muslC. Their 1merpremuons and In :ind subtle touch - those del
t one er~cutu~and se-,er-e. :.c: IC.lit high notes' - acted hkc a thn& a.nd humming O\"U Cl')'$l!ll
tn1tu.1ung the slr.lngrness ot tank 10 the \10hmst.s' 1n1cn~. hne fllagree work at the' cry top
'"' pnnters' 1mp~mem,_ TWo
pteture v.1ndows ~hind 11 show the v.uks and emphasizing their bncmgduos. olpuno's rangc. lnsptred ~n pMI
:in Idyllic,,ewdo\11-n tht> ro.:NJ ol modernism. TM1r Chum' '"tnngent St)'lc by vxSfO ol Glenn Gould 1inaina
to hunseU as he pbyfd, the work
:1 coumry tov.-n. Theynnd Mr.Ch1unrcokl Jml "'as dfcctwe m the BMtol.. but
Al a recital on WednestL1y In lurd class!ll.ltes.. All three ""'' '"-'so m ~takO\'K'h's rhap. h;w! the same quality ttu.11;wc
lht> g.i.lle~of theTmn Cullur rtcord on the lfarmoru.l Mund1 Wlic "'Thrtt ~.sfor'TWoVM> Mre II WM too much. Tht:)' ~C'rt' btukhngm ~a\tsolflOUnd,and Gould's pttfonnanCH so much
Ill lns111u1e. the p;amt mg huna bbcl. and tht're was a !i.trlSt of hns a.od Piano." They seemed m morecon,'lncmg m l\&tg Yun, M1tn111u's pl3)1ul,ek'gMt Son:\ oftht'lrpower: thcscnscof"'PY
next 101he players: 1ht v1ohn sh!lrcd h1"'lory, .:in <'3-"I)' m1imnc:y, 1en1 on nddmg r.tWRt'.SS and edge Son:uma forl\l.o V1obns (1983), lln.'l for Tuo Vtobns nnd Piano mg. of w::i.1chmg something )-OU
1sts Angela Md Jennifer Chun, in 1ht program, whtt.h was t:a.llcd 10 thtse Ingratiating pit('it.5, bu1 It\ otuSptndtd ht'lmlOnk:S slO\\ ly (1930). wc:ren' t supposed to Stt

n the left panel of Si mon Dinnerstein's painting The recita l opened w ith some of Barrok's 44 Violin

I "The Fulbright Triptych " a woman sits w ith a


child on her lap. In the rig ht pa nel a ma n a lso sits
in a neutra l posture. A ll three stare bla nk ly out at the
Duos (around 1933) interspersed w irh selections from
Prokofiev's " Fugitive V isions" for solo pia no (1915- 17).
Mr. C hiu's suave playi ng and subtle rouch - those
viewer. delicate hig h nores! - acted like a ronic ro the viol in-
ists' intense, bracing d uos.
T he center pa nel is dom inated by a table covered with
sha rp, a lmost surgical-looking printers' implements. Their Chuns' astringent style was effective in rhe
Two picture wi ndows behind it show an idyllic view Barrok, bur less so in Shosta kovich's rhapsodic "Three
down the road of a country rown. D uets for Two Violins and Piano." They seemed intent
on adding rawn ess and ed ge ro rhese ingratiating piec-
At a recital o n Wednesday in the ga lleries of the Tenri
es, bur here ir was roo muc h. They were more convinc-
C ultura l I nsti tu te, the painting hung next to the play-
ing in !sa ng Yun's Sonatina fo r Two Violins (1983),
ers: the violinists Angela and Jennifer C hun, who are
its suspended harmonics slowly bui lding in waves of
sisters, and the pianis t Frederic C hiu. They see med
sound, and Marrinu's play ful, eleganc Sonatina for
inspired by its eerie mixture of knife a nd landscape,
Two Violins a nd Pia no (1930).
aggression and idyll.
But Mr. C hiu was rhe recita l's star, bri nging exquisite
T he C huns in particul ar eschewed simple, folksy nos-
serious ness ro Gao Ping's potentially gimm icky "Two
talgia in a prog ra m inflected w ith the ta ngy harmo-
Soviet Love Songs for Vocalizing Pian ist" (2003).
nies a nd da ncing rhythms of Eastern Europea n music.
The work had some of rhe impress ionist feel of rhe
Thei r interprerarions and rone were curring a nd severe,
Prokofiev, w it h Mr. C hiu softly whistling a nd hum-
accentuating the stra ngeness of rhe works and empha-
mi ng over crysta lli ne fi ligree work at rhe very rop
sizi ng rheir modernism .
of piano's range. Inspired in pa rt by video of Glenn
T hey and Mr. C hiu a re old Jui ll iard classmates. A ll Gould sin ging ro h imself as he played , rhe work had
rh ree now record on rhe Harmonia Mundi label, a nd t he same qua lity rhar gave Gould's perfo rmances so
there was a sense of sha red hisrory, an easy intimacy, much of rhe ir power: the sense of spyi ng, of watchi ng
in the program, which was called " Ballad and D ance" somethin g you weren't supposed ro see.
after rhe ride of a short Ligeti work for two violins
based o n Roman ian folk songs.

Copyright 20011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with perm1ss1on
THE NEW YORK TIMES, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2011 CJ

HAMLE T AS EAGER
KOREAN PRINCE
BY KEN .IJ\\VO HO\VSK I

Melancholy? More like bloodthirsty.

There's not much indecision from Shakespeare's prince


in "Hamyul/ Ham le t," a Korea n-la ng uage adaptat ion
of the play at La MaMa. Bu t boy, is there intensit y. In a
show that runs just 90 mi nutes, t his is a Ham let quic k
to rage and eager for revenge, one w ho jettisons h is
infamous uncertainty long before the final scenes.

" H a myu l/ H am let" finds the prince draped in shad-


ows, mourn ing t he deat h of his fat her. W ith in min-
utes he's spurred to action by the g host, a nd fewer
Hamlet as Eager Korean Prince th an 100 lines later he's holding a sword to his own
Melancholy? More like blood- throat, delivering a "To be or not to be" soli loquy rhat's
thirsty.
There's not much indecision trimmed to about a t h ird of t he original. It's a sta rk
from Shakespeare's prince in production, one that retains o n ly the sparest plot a nd
" Hamyul/Hamlet ," a Korean-lan-
guage adaptation the strongest emotio ns. Extended pauses carry g reat
KEN or the play at La
weight here, and t he play-wit hin-a-play scene is severe
MaMa. But boy, is
JAWOROWSKI there in tensity. In
and frig hten ing.
a show that runs
r:E~~~ just 90 m inutes,
this is a Hamlet As Ham let, You ng Kun Song hand les the fury well,
quick to r age and eager for r e-
venge, one who jettisons his infa- pacing the stage whi le his mind seems to plot far
mous uncertainty long befor e the
final scenes. ahead. ll kyu Park as C laudius a nd Youn Jung Kim as
" Hamyul/ Hamlet" finds the Gertrude are deft actors, rig htly wa ry of t h is prince,
prince dr aped in shadows,
mourning the death or his fath er. wh ile Man Ho Ki m's Polonius provides the rare, wel-
Within minutes he's spur red to
action by the ghost, and fewer lllUN I~ ('f1A1'C come moments oflevity. T he d irector, Byu ngkoo Ahn ,
than 100 lines l ater he's holding a
sword to his own thr oat, deliver-
Hamyul/llamlet, with.from left, adapted the work from his fat her's version, w hich first
ing a " To be or not to be" solilo- /lkyu Park, Mi11gi I Jong a11d Youn
Jung K im, at L a Ma Ma. appeared at La M aMa in 1977.
quy that 's trimmed to about a
third of the original. It's a stark
production, one that retains only director, Byungkoo Ahn, adapted Using ominous percussion, a bit of da nce and a stage
the sparest pl ot and the strongest the work from his father 's ver-
emotions. Extended pauses carr y sion, which first appeared a1 La
t hat's never more tha n d im ly lighted, "Hamyu l/
great weigh t here, and the pl ay- MaMa in 1977. Hamlet" creates a delic ious mood of menace. It comes
within-a-play scene i s sever e and Using om inous per cussion, a
frightening. bit of dance and a stage that's at a hig h price, however. You may find yourself an-
As Hamlet, Young Kun Song never more than dimly lighted,
handles the fury well, pacing the "Hamyul/ Hamlet" creates a deli- ticipati ng lines that never arrive (English superritles
stage while his mind seems to cious mood of menace. It comes
plot far ahead. llky u Park as are projected above the stage) a nd longing for scenes
at a high price, however. You may
Claudius and Youn Jung Kim as find your self anticipating lines that have been re moved; this is a loose adaptat ion of
Gertrude are deft actors, rightly that never arri ve (English super-
wary of this prince, w hile Man Ho titles ar e project ed above the Shakespea re's work, not a srric t tran slatio n. Still, the
Kim's Polonius provides the rare, stage) and longing for scenes
welcome momen ts of levity. The that have been r emoved; this is a
play is beguiling to warch, a re interpretation with a
loose adaptation of Shake- da rk mind a ll its own .
"Hamyuf/Hamlet" co11 ti11ues spear e's work, not a strict trans-
through July JO at La Ma Ma, 74A lation. Still, the play is beguiling
East Fourth Street, East Village; to watch, a r ein terpretation w ith "Ha111y11!/Hn111let" continues through July JO at Ln Mn Mn,
(212) '115-7710, lamama.org. a dark mind all its own. 74A Enst Founh Street, East Vi/Inge; (212) 475-7710, ln-
mnmn.org.

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with pcrmrssron.
- .
THE GLOBAL EDITION OF THE NEWl'ORKTIMES , FRID.Al: OCTOBER21, 2011 8, 9

SOUT H KOREA FORG ETS


ITS AMNESIA AND
REDI SCOV ERS ITS
ROCK 'N' ROLL SOUL
tn ~L.\RK HUSSELL

South Korea forgets its amnesia and rediscovers its rock 'n' roll soul
rnlitMJ buts &I "'W
lllOlldl .. U.S. llt l\u ..,. caDtd tbl god1a1hcf ol u1u htrt lNn tvtr, rtlfMcuwd and r.-
New generation connects South Korta.-.;s bte "'Gu&ar Boop South Kffn roct.. Moio ma,p.Jb
Stp;tmbtr bslltd fWO mrotS*U"t' of
Mr.Shin's ml.ISie. lnttrpttted by a MW pntntlonolfans.
to music suppressed Shuft\e," " 40 Miln ol Bad Rold'" and liktntd him to Phil Sptetorfhbabl). A~ cntkOown "1 lt?"S. Kltn J.lin-joon.knownuDJSoubc.tpr,

_.,._._.
CW'I
" Rock AroWld the Cock" - the ruit ()' 10 di.KOYtt laknl and ante IOUnds. nd musk. nwijuan.l and lht <Ow1ltr ls such fanolthl South Kattan mlWccl
by the military in 1975
-... . -... .... .....,, ......
IOl1J Mr. Shln s&na. lntltad et fust pU).. Mt. Shln't tound WU low..f\ and ps)'theo C\IZturein~puc.nabruptrndlO

_.., ..............,._..
the ll70s and '10t: thaC he put IQ&ethtt I
Ing guhu. "The aok2Jen lttrntd to Ulle ckk, lfftl y milnc Fft'es and. u time Mr. Shin's C#ftf. Chan&ll'lc wu:s mb: CD calkd .. MOR Sound ot Seoul."
IV MAU a.USSUl.. my guitar ~" bt recallfd. "'They
.......
puMd. k iv..- evtt mott -rid. ms bUUnrdtbtpublc'l....-forhlsnt-
u.a.ity,.......
_
wa'ert'allJ'~tk:andolt.a lk.Mdbe~'**oftbenot,..,..rn ten fl.d. and cllcGU.U. (Adl'ltnta:ta
Sbm~rtllWtllb'ltblar. ubdb'mcn-.... ontbeA&Xk.~Uk8wulor Nt.Sl&lin h aUllk dub. His CCIP)'rircbclP. ~.mtlNbtCllll'I
timitbtud.the .... ,,,,_.. . . tn Bands l.blll pt lbd' --1 rod:q ml .w:tlheblftd.lieal. . . ~- ab-.~btpllltobea.ll'donCD ~lh'e:..,.,.tbeCXIDKdon.aotldlk.)
SNu&. , _ l&.t. bad P9*d~ 00 U.S. AnlJt/ * - btcMlit tbt YD- ~.,-nrmnm:n-., lndll:md-11111&,butebtn .... lltdil: tk IC:Dftld ~Kor-. hlttq an
b' tbt US. apdl N'JftJ ..S WU -"ct pll'dd. nrw-tc'~Scuh ~ ..,,. ........ rndlrtic:IGlirJwtao
td ID pi.I)' tap Amitricm IW 10 tbt tR10PL
"I WMCOO)'OlmllObetcert'd.'" lbt?).
._ ....._
ru. Mr. SWn .... _..,......,.
dw-., d ll,auz- mlud Wnun ...ac: IUCb a nia.
-.11.IMldfolkwDtbesou:ndolttd-
mliaarnm ........ tSIM~

popwwil)'nlPJ~
mrtm~totddm~
m cdlecticn ot l.)00 o1c1 WQt albamt
thlll.n-elhtlclandMJaalarmanyol
)"Hf'<lldrodtn'...,ln1f'kophanens- many ol the nlOM memonbk rodt SCS1P liOnal Kornn musk,.. uid N att s-im. Bue now, af\er Oetadts of bdrw bis ~... Mr. Kim b mthustd
ritw..... . JG uitd lOdo aood)ob."
Soon., he wupi.ytna20tol0da1na ....... ..,,_
rta:lf'OtodlnSouth ""'npocia!lytn::m n.n, found d lJ&bt In lhe Attk Rec-
onh.anAmtrk:an boi.11ique labd lhal In
KIM N I~ 1k1 DJ s-i.c.,t, IJ. &..
ef KlftMwicot U.ltlO.ud"IOI.
mostly forp:iuen. dw mu.U: from South
Kotfa'srodc"n'roll ~bmorpop-
dut lmttat In old KorHn musk Is Oft
ltOO:,fACU

hin Joong-hyun re members rhe firsr rime he

_ __ _
rook rhe srage 55 yea rs ago in Seoul. Just 18,
South Korea rediscovers its rock 'n' roll soul
,....."-"""' ......,.................
...................
......... -......_
..,_ ...... ...
. ......
___ .. ___ r-.u. .... ___ ..,._.. "" .................
........................
.,,.....,.._., ... he had passed a n audi t ion for rhe U .S. Eighth
..................................
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..... .........
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Army and was selected to play top A merican hits ro
- n
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UiiWll1r ........

........
.....
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"'Otolf~-

rhe t roops. "I was coo young to be scared ," rhe 73-yea r-
--.a..---.-
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.... -...._
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~ ...,,
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~
a.it . . .~ ... ......_. .....
,.... ........ lfoellllt*,- - old rocker said in a telephone interview, "so I jusr rried
..__......._,_II
""",__._..,11___
.._. ..... _(DJ_,,_ ............
~ - -_,,
___ ,... ........,,_....._
.,.. ...
...___
_,,,... to do a good job."
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~ .... - .. ,...~r.:r..... - -- ----.
~-.-
................. llC-a. ... -
Soon, he was playing 20 ro 30 d ates a month ar U. S.
/ '
m ilirary bases a ll over Sourh Korea, songs like "Guitar

"""'..._..............
- ......... -------
_______ ""'..
~----.-

~
., ..
--......
....... _.... ,..i...~-
~"'
Boogie Shuffle," "4 0 M iles of Bad Road " a nd "Rock
Around rhe C lock " - rhe first song Mr. Shi n sang,

......-----..--..
~- ... a..---. insread of jusr play ing gu ira r. "The soldiers seemed to
......___...........___
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- - t . '1.... . ~

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~

.,...._ .......
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like my guirar playing," he recalled . "They were really
enthusiasric a nd ofren asked fo r more solos."
___ _ __
........ ............
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.,.. ____ _
..........., ...,.........., __
....
.. --.a..,. ..... _.. __..
_
Ba nds rh ar gor t heir sta rt rocking o ur on U.S. Army
_.,.., ..
-..m.--...111. .co-

-....--...,,............-.-......
~..,_.. _.._
bases beca me rhe va ngua rd of a new music scene in
=.:::::::::i.i.t.:1.=.
~._,..
Sourh Korea. M r. Shin was ar rhe heart of ir, creating
-----..
.........,~-.u..

.,.. ..... ,........ ...


_.,._ ...............
_._.__..._
Ml._ _ _ _ _

.....................
...... ...
~.--

.,
_ bands, find ing singers and w riri ng many of rhe mosr
_,.. ,.....,._,__.... memorable rock songs recorded in South Korea, espe-
- -
\ l.,___ _ __
_
.
.
,
.
_
.
.
,
~
... ...... cia lly from 1968 to 1975.
H
e has been called the godfather of South Sato Yukie is a lso a fan of the era. A Japanese musi-
Korea n rock . Mojo magazine likened him to cia n who fel l in love wit h vintage South Korean music
Phil Spector for his abili ty to discover talent during a 1995 vacation to Seoul, he formed a Korean
and create sounds. M r. Sh in's sound was low-fi and classic-rock cover band called Kopcha ngjeongol
psychedelic, freely mixing genres and, as rime passed , (named for a spicy beef-inna rds soup) and moved t here
it grew ever more wild.His albums typically had short, in 1999. His band has released two records of covers.
poppy songs, on the Aside, bur side B was for M r. Shin "There's defin itely a boom in the old songs goi ng on
and the band, featuring free-flowing instrumentals up now," he said.
to 22 minutes long.
Mr. Sato's bandmate, Yohei H asegawa, is a guitarist
"The man was a revolutionary who mixed Western a nd producer in South Korea, and had a hand in pro-
music such as rock, soul, a nd folk with the sound of ducing t he latest album by o ne of rhe mosr imporrant
traditional Korean music," sa id Matt Sullivan , fo under acts in the retro-reviva l, Cha ng Kiha and the Faces, a
of Light in the Attic Records, an American boutique group that ca me from nowhere a couple of yea rs ago to
label that in September issued two retrospectives of become one of the biggest bands in the country.
Mr. Shin's music.
South Korea's indie scene has long been tiny, but it be-
A government crackdown in 1975, on rock music, ga n to change about 10 years ago w hen several young
marijuana and the countercu lrure in general, pur an musicians, Mr. Chang a mong them, got together at
abrupt end to Mr. Shin's ca reer. C han gi ng tastes has- rhe student music clubs at Seoul National U niversity.
tened the public's amnesia for his music, and he spent
They formed a variety of minor bands, a nd, after grad-
most of the next years in obscurity running a live music
uating, four of t hem c reated BGBG Records in 2005.
club. His a lbums finally began to be issued on C D in
The label's president, Go Geon, wasn't in terested in the
the m id-1990s, bur there was lit tle mainstrea m inter-
music at first, but one of his bands int rod uced him to
est at a time domi nated musically by teenage-oriented
the old sounds, like Sanull im and Shi n Joong-hyun.
dance-pop a nd syrupy ballads.
"I didn't like Sanullim's unique a mateuri sm," Mr. Go
But now, after decades of being mostly forgotten, the
said, "bur I was impressed by their attempts at differe nt
music from South Korea's rock 'n' roll heyday is more
genres, especially psychedelic rock." It was a n interest
popular h ere than ever, reimagined and re-interpreted
shared by seve ral BG BG bands, such as Broccoli You
by a new generation of fans.
Too?, Nine and the Numbers- who were co-founde rs
Park M in-joon, k nown as DJ Soul scape, is such a of the label and fellow Seoul Nationa l students - and
fa n of rhe South Korean music of the 1970s and '80s C hang Kiha.
that he put together a mix CD called "More Sound
By then, rhe Internet had ravaged rhe South Korean
of Seoul," featuri ng 40 obscure and mostly forgotten
music ma rker, leaving indie labels with less money
funk and disco tracks. (Ad heri ng to copyright law,
than ever. BGBG's first two releases did so poorly the
however, mea ns he ca n only give away the collection,
label nea rly shut down, but by 2007 ir managed to re-
nor sell it.)
lease a few more records. To save money, they burned
H e scoured South Korea, hitting fl ea markers every- their own C Ds and printed their own packaging.
where to build an impressive collection of 1,500 old vi-
C hang Kih a and the Face's EP, released in July 2008,
nyl albums that serve as rhe foundation for many of his
was the ninth boutique release fo r BGBG, b ut it was
retro-mixes. Mr. Park is enthused that inte rest in old
by far t heir biggest hit, t ha nks to a surprise explosion
Korea n music is on t he ri se and said that more reissues
of Web interest and word of mouth. It was q uirky, with
were in the works. 'Tm surprised at how much young
witty lyrics and a folksy sound like something from
people are into this music," he sa id . "Bur for them, it's
the late 1970s. People loved it, pa rticu larly the single
nor old music, it's li ke something new."
"Cheap Coffee," with its e lectric guitar hook that
It's not only Koreans who a re interested in the sound. quickly transitioned into a bossa nova-esque acoustic
Mr. Park sa id D.j.s all over the world enjoy rhe genre- bounce. By Februa ry, w it hout a ny marketing budget,
bending albums. H e has spun his retro set in Los BGBG sold 10,000 copies, a ll ha nd-burned.
Angeles and New York.
C
han g Kiha's first full-length a lbum, "Living
a Nothi ng Specia l Life," sold 52,000 copies
- big numbers for a n ind ie release in South
Korea these days - and his second ful l-length a lbum,
released in July, is gerring his bes t reviews yer.

"Chang's combination of in telligent lyrics and a fresh


sound oozes authenticity," sa id Bernie C ho, the presi-
dent of DFSB Kollecrive, a di gital music distributor.
"Plus he put together rwo of the bes t videos of the year.
Low budget , bur very clever."

Then there a re ba nds li ke Jambina i, which uses a mix


of tradi tional instrumenrs a nd f/x pedals to create a
so und that is ancient but tota lly modern.

The Internet also helped Shi n Joong-hyu n find new


audiences. Mr. Sullivan of Light in the Attic Records
discovered M r. Shi n when a friend sent him a Yourube
link of Kim Jung-mi playing her haunti ngly beautiful
song "The Sun." "To say I was immediately mesmerized
would be a massive understatement," Mr. Sull iva n said.

l r was nor easy to pull together rhe collection. Ma ny


of Mr. Shi n's master recordings had been lost over rhe
yea rs, even, ru mor has it, d eliberately destroyed by the
government in its sweeping 1975 c rackdown. Most of
t he C D re-issues of Mr. Shin's old caralog were done
poorly, even at rhe wrong speed. So Mr. Sulli va n mad e
new transfers off old LPs, crying to bring M r. Sh in's
music to life. Another America n label, Lion Records,
has rwo more releases comi ng this yea r.

"Ar first, I could n't believe it when an America n label


approached me, bur then we sca rred working toge ther
and we bui lt our trust ," Mr. Shin sa id. "] don't know
much about these new bands, bur I'm happy to th in k I
might be making an infl uence still."

This article has been revised to reflect the followi11g correction:

Correction: O ctober 24, 2011

A previous version of this article gave an incorrect 11am e for


the man k11ow11 as DJ Soulscape. His name is Park Min -joon,
not Kim Mi11 -joo11. A photograph accompanying the article
was erroneously credited to NAK The correct credit is Asto11
"Husumu" H wang.

Copyright 20 11 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.


THE Nfif!YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2011 AR20

WHEN BACH LAID BARE


HIS OWN SOUL
BY V IV IEN S C ll \VEITZEH

When Bach Laid Bare His Own Soul


Oy VIV lf..1""JSCllWEITZER would hav~ dnvcn me out of my mind.
N the CO\'tr of hll rt0.--n1 record mg The Chaconnt "11 1hc 1no:s:t human part

O ot Bach's p.-.rt1135 and son.ua.s fa< ol the se1, Ms. Koh said, adding. 11 feeb
unaccompanied \'tOlin Ser gcy hkc lhtJ con~1an 1 s1n1ggle 10 reach tr.'ln
Khxha1ry:u1 as shrouded in s.ccndcnce; The 1r.msl1lo11 into the Ad.ag10
d>lrkn"U. head 111ted b3ck. C)'CS raised pi of the Sona1n No. l an C, ronung directly af
ouJfy nnd handJ prt!Std 1ogc1her abo\e tcrwar..t it the \l,Ofks are played m ordcr, tS
his lnstrumt-nL Tht: image is an apt r<>pre-- n kind ol 3teeptruK'e of humamt); she
scntl'llk>n ot the rcvertnce that musicians. s.rud. She descnbtd che h l"5t rno.. ement of
scholars and Ustcnoen often bfin&to 3 d1.s- 1tmc sona1.J M 1he rnost tragic C m.'\)Or
tuSS10n of 1hese monumttt- l '\ eC'\Crhtard."
taJ works. OtllC'n Of 11.ach"s t)'tlts for solo mstru
INTO THC B.ich wrocc the 1hree so- ments, h"-e the six partJt.ls ror kC'yboard.
MUSIC 031~ :inJ l hrtt pannas, :m~ ~omeumts pl.l)'C'd nnd rl'C'Ol'dC'd in
whkh were prob.'lbty llC'\"'tr \'tlr)'UI& Ofdt...-s. Hut lf l hC' SIX v1ohn sona.tM
perf0tmtd an public dunng hlJ hfetlnlt. and p.'\rtll4' nre 10 be performed (Ompleu\
over n sp.1n of some 17 )'Cars m the early 1t "virnl 10 pcrrorm them In 1hc sequence
1~ 1 h C'cntury. The set "almost SC'ems hke n Dach specified. M ~. Koh Mid, cnlbng 1he
pm)'U book," J.'lid the viohmst Jennifer set "on lncn..<hblc mu."Slc;tl '1rc:
t\oh. Ms. Koh heard Nnthan Mibteln, who
" There Is some1hlng 111cred1bly IX'l"SOMI died In 1992, perform 1he D minor parrna
nbout II," she :\ddl'd. " ll feels hke n hfe- when she w;is 9. nn<l she clescribcs i1 M a
tunc's journ('y." formative ex1>ericncc. M1ls1cin's searing
Ms. t\oh will play an she work.s on Sun 1975 DeutJChe Gr runmophon rt..'COrdmg of
d:ty ~flernoon in a redt;\I ::u the ArnC'ncan 1he set rcmnlns n benchmark. along w11h
Af'Memy or Arts and Leners. p~nt<'d by oi her :?Oth-cC'n1ury f\."COrdings hkc Anhur
the M1JIC'r The;itt r. Dr.we v1ohmsu \lolth Cnim1Jux's bcau11fully swttt loncd. soar
UCC'ptaoru.I stanun.J occasaon.ally \'fnturt in& lnl trprttalions for Ph1hpJ in 1961 and
lhtJ ft'JI. a daunting chJ.llengc. gl\~ the Jascha llC'lfttz"s mttMdy expresSl\"C rtn-
muuc's emoc.MJl'l!ll dtpeh and technd hur dnion for RCA Vtceor In 1952. Mr. Kh.xh3
dl'"- try:m. J u ha Fa1dK'r. Rachel Podger, Cxion
B.xh. a keyboard and organ \ 1rtuoso. 0

Krmltt and Chnsuan Ttuwr ~ :unon1


Jbo pb)"td lM '1ohn profCU1on:ally a1 the ,.u,..,_,.. ,,.,,.._,_. lhe )'OUnger &t'fltrution ..., ho ha\'e t'Qntnb-
WC'11l\3r coun 3S a young 1nan. and luC'r m u1ed dlSUnct1\'C rtt0rdmgs.
h11 arttr he ottC'n pttformed as n ohnut J ennifer Koh will pt:rform &ch"s p.'lrtit;u n.nd son:tilas forunnccompanicd violin MJ. Koh woold ljke to record 1he son:1t3S
with th~ ensC"mbJts he led. lle p1a)'td the o n Sunday. 111e 1.cl of works atmosl 1ttm likc n prtl)Cr book," she "3id . and pat11t.:lS. nut 11151C'3d ot prestntmg
1o1olm clC'Olnly and ~etr.umg.ly," accord them llS n compk1e C)'t'le. ihc v.1U p rob-
1ng 10 has son CMI Ph1lJpp Em3.nut:l lbch. ably pJ1r individual \lt'OrkJ wllh contempo-
ment 1n10 ooe p;1r1. wn1ing mul11plf-, 1ndc- \lt'OUtd prC>Mbly be hvd 10 fmd a \Wlinist
Cennan \"M>hmi t<omposers brgan wm- ....-ho h.1Sn'l grnppltd w11h 1he music.s pro- rary rmaces,
. as she h.'\S tJccn doing in her
lng polyphonic v.orks for soto \'10lm In the
pendrm \'Olet 1h..11 unfold lnmlt3.nC'OU5ly.
m u.l-17th cent ury. Hach is t hou&IU to have The four-vom~ fugues in the sonatas round spm1Uah1y. solo rtd tal.$ In 1he M1Uer Thc::uers Bach
bttn lnfluenctd by musicians inchtd1n,; should !toOuml as 1r they v.cre bcing playfil f OI' M\.. Koh, who huerprets the six and Be)oml serlcs. M:'lny prominent In
Joh.111n Paul 1oon Westhoff. a prommenl by d1ffere111 vlohnlst.s. 1>1eces ~"a brooder spintuJI sense ms1ead stnm\Cnln.hst, nc\lcr 11L'\y Dnch's music,
Wennar Yioli11is1 and favonte of Louis Some have suqes1ed 1h:\t 1he q-.: \\orks ol tip.1f1ca.lly rcl1gt0us terms, 1he migluy v.hkh 1$ nm c-r..ckmgly cic1>0S<:d. for nn
XI V; ht' published a kl of solov1ohn jXlrt1 cocwey tt rehglout n arrnu \t. v.11h the C Chxonne - n senes ot 64 \ana11ons on a nudiencc. MJ. Koh, "ho has per formed the
tas In 1696. Westhoff mcorporated 1ech minor Sonarn reprc.stnUng. say, 1he stately fourbJr. mplc-me1er d:tnce theme sonauu nnd 1)Jrdtas sep.unttly on variow&
nkluH like banobge, a fast allemadon t>e-- Chri~1 mas story and the C major Sonatn - Is the henn ot the cycle." The fl\O\~ OCf.asion~ 5.'\ld cite \l.Orks nre so n.:iked.
tv.ttn Sl311c: Md Ch.Jnglng notts, y, h k h the R~urruon. Oc.hm h lW'f 111tt'fpre1C'd ment 1s thougln 10 have bttn Bach"s me- visctral und personal 1hat she hCSJuncd
Bnch "150 usOO to creJte contrapuntal tex 1hc monumtntnl Ch.'\Coon e, the approx n'a0f1,.'\I to h1.s hrst v. 1fe:, Man:i Barbat:J for a Jong ume ~fore decKSm1 10 pl.ay any
turn. Out Bach's stt fJr surp.used any m:uely !).minute mcwnncnt 1hat con Bach, whodtfd in rno. ot them In public.
Pft\'lOUS auempu in the genre m terms of elude! lhe l~rl l1:\ No. 2: In 0 minor, Man The Chaconne h:is transfixed hsteners She finds It po1gna111. she said, th.11 83ch
hna,gmat1on.complcx11y and protunduy. expression ot 1he lloly Tr inhy, Yo11h the for ce111u11es. In a. leuer 10 Cbra Schu didn't wrhe lhc set for n particular corn
Struc1urnlly 1he pieces adhere 10 Utt opt"ning 0 mlrlOt setdon rcp~ntlng the m!llln, llmhms v.-roce: "On on<: srnff, for n m~.u1on or pcrtornmnce. M an nnls1, she
ro<1ue nomts. Bnch's fourmo\'tmcnt IOn<.'1 F:uhC'r, the tnsumg 0 mn)Or sec1ion the ~mall ms1rumen1. the nun 'ATiies 3 whole ndded, )'0\1nffd 1ocrea1eand compose.
tn.J renec1 lhe fourmovement church 5()o son iimt 1ht conclmhng D minor Stttlon world ot the deepest 1hough1 s and most "II doesn't m:mcr If 11 p.1)'3," she s.'lld.
nata ( son.Un du ch1cs.i) . nnd his 11artll:t1 1he lloly Splri1. IX>'t'Crful feelings. If I Imagined 1ht11 I could At the end )'OU doh bcc::'IUSC )"OU love It Ill
ofter the St)lizcxl d:ince mo1o-em<:nl.5 ot the Wtule 1101 on perforiner1 m1<1 K:holars ha\'t cre:ued, C\'tll conceived the piece, I every fiber of )'our berng. There is some-
cha111bcr sonarn (sonntn da camera). Uad1 :malyzc the set in light of Uach's religious am quhc ccnnl n thJI the excess of ex 1hl11g 50 beautiful to me thBI Uach j u.s1
blrndcd the solo lmt nnd 1he ncco1111Janl- bchcfs (he: W:\$ n pmc1lcmg Lutheran), 11 c1teme111 and e:1r1h-sha11cring <'Xpcn enec needed 10 wri 1c thi s."

n the cover of his recent recording of Bach 's "There is so me thing incredibly personal abo ut it," she

0 parritas a nd sonatas for unaccompa nied vio-


lin Sergey Khachatryan is shrouded in dark-
ness, head tilted back, eyes ra ised pio usly and hands
added . " It feels like a lifetime's journey."

Ms. Ko h wi ll play all six wo rks o n Sunday a fternoon in


a recita l at the A merican Academy of Arts and Letters,
pressed roget her above hi s instrument. T he image is
presented by the Mi ller Theater. Brave violinists with
an a pt representatio n of the reverence char musicians,
exceptio nal sta mina occasiona lly venture this feat, a
scholars a nd listeners often bring ro a discussio n of
dauntin g cha llenge, given the music's emo tio na l depth
these monumenta l works.
a nd tech n ical hurd les.
Bach wrote rhe three sonatas and three parritas, which
Bach, a keyboa rd a nd o rga n virtuoso, a lso played the
were probably never performed in public durin g his
violin professio nally at rhe Weim ar court as a young
li fetime, over a span of some 17 years in the early 18rh
man, and lace r in his ca reer he ofte n performed as vio-
century. The set "almost seems like a prayer book,"
linist with the ensembles he led . H e "played the vio lin
said the violinist Je nn ifer Koh .
clea nly and pene trat ingly,'' accord ing ro hi s son Ca rl
Philipp Ema nuel Bach.
\.

G
erman violinist-composers began writing conceived the piece, I a m quire certain char rhe excess
polyphonic works for solo violin in che mid- of excitement a nd earth-shattering experience wou ld
i 7rh cenrury. Bach is rhou ghr ro have been have dri ven me out of my mind."
influenced by musicians including Johann Pau l von
The C haconne " is the most human" part of rhe set,
Westhoff, a prominent Weimar violinist a nd favo rice
Ms. Koh said , add ing, " Lt feels li ke this constant
of Louis X IV; he published a set of solo violin par-
struggle ro reach tra nscendence." The tra nsition inro
citas in 1696. Westhoff incorpo rated tech niques like
the Adagio of rhe Sonata No. 3 in C, coming directly
bariolage, a fast alternation between static a nd chang-
afrerward if rhe works are played in order, is a " kind of
ing notes, wh ich Bach also used ro c reate contrapuntal
accepta nce of huma nity," she said . She described rhe
tex tures. But Bach 's set fa r surpassed any previous at-
first movement of that sonata as "rhe most tragic C
tempts in the genre in terms of imaginat io n, complex-
major I've ever hea rd."
ity a nd profundity.
Others of Bach 's cycles fo r solo instruments, li ke rhe
Structurally che p ieces adhere ro Baroque norm s.
six parciras fo r keyboa rd , a re somet imes played and re-
Bach 's fo ur-movement sonatas reflect rhe fou r-move-
corded in varying orders. Bur if rhe six viol in sonatas
ment church sonata (sonata da chiesa}, and hi s pa rciras
and parriras are to be perfo rmed complete, it is viral
offer rhe stylized dance movements of the chamber
ro perform chem in rhe sequence Bach specified , M s.
sonata (sonara da ca mera}. Bach blended che solo line
Koh said, calling the set "an incredi ble m usical a rc."
and the accompan iment in ro o ne pa rt, w ri ting mul-
t iple, independenr voices that unfold simul taneously. Ms. Koh hea rd N atha n Mi lstei n, who died in 1992,
T he fo ur-voice fugues in t he sonatas should sound as if perform rhe D minor parrira when she was 9, and she
t hey were being played by different violi ni sts. descri bes it as a fo rmative experience. M ilsrein's sear-
ing 1975 D eutsche Grammophon reco rding of rhe set
Some have suggested char the six works co nvey a reli-
rema ins a bench ma rk, along w ith other 20rh-century
gious na rrative, with the G minor Sonata representing,
recordings like A rthur Grumiaux's beautifully sweec-
say, the C hri stmas srory a nd the C major So nata t he
roned , soaring inrerprerarions fo r Phi li ps in 196 1 and
Resurrection. Others have interpreted the monumen-
Jascha H eifctz's intensely express ive rendition for RCA
ta l C haco nne, che approx imately 15-minu re move-
Vicror in 1952. Mr. Khachatrya n, Ju lia Fischer, Rachel
ment that concludes the Partita No. 2 in D mi no r, as
Podger, G idon Kre mer and C hristia n Terzlaff a re
an ex pression of the Ho ly Trinity, with the openi ng
a mo ng rhe younger generatio n w ho have contributed
D minor section representing rhe Father, the ensuing
clisrincrive recordings.
D major section t he Son a nd the co ncludin g D minor
section the Holy Spirit. M s. Koh would like to record rhe sonatas a nd pa rticas.
Bur instead of presenting che m as a complete cycle, she
W hile not a ll perfo rmers a nd scholars a na lyze t he sec
w ill probably pa ir indi vidua l works w ith contempo-
in light of Bach 's religio us beliefs (he was a pracricing
rary pieces, as she has been doing in her solo recitals
Lutheran}, it would probably be hard ro find a vio-
in rhe Mi ller Theacer's Bach a nd Beyond series. Ma ny
lin ist w ho hasn't g rappled w ith the music's profound
promine nt instrumenta lists never play Bach 's music,
spi rituality.
which is nerve-rackingly ex posed, for an audience. M s.
For M s. Koh, who interprets the six pieces in a broader Koh, who has performed the so natas and parci tas sepa-
spiritual sense instead of specifica lly religio us terms, rately on va rio us occasio ns, sa id rhe works a re so na-
the mig hty Chaconne - a series of 64 variations on ked , viscera l and persona l char she hesitated for a lo ng
a stately four-bar, tri ple-mere r d ance theme - is "rhe rime before d eciding ro play a ny of chem in public.
heart of rhe cycle." The movement is rhoughr ro have
She fi nds ir poigna nt, she sa id, char Bach d idn't write rhe
been Bach 's me mo rial co his first w ife, Ma ria Barbara
set fo r a particular com mi ssio n or perfo rmance. As a n
Bach, who died in 1720.
artist, she add ed, "yo u need to create a nd compose."
The C haconne has t ransfixed listeners for centuries. In
" fr doesn't matter if it pays," she said. "Ac rhe encl you
a letter ro C lara Schumann, Brahm s wrote: "On one
do it because you love it in every fi ber of your being.
staff, for a small instrument, rhe man writes a whole
T here is somethi ng so beauti fu l ro me char Bach just
world of rhe deepest tho ug hts a nd most powerfu l feel-
needed ro write this."
in gs. If I imagined char I could have created, even

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with perm1ss1on.
THENEWYORKTIMES, TUESDAY, OCTOBER25,2011 Cl, C7

KOREAN POP MACHINE,


RUNNIN G ON INNOCE NCE
AND HAIR GEL
In .J O J\ CABA \I A \ ICA

T
hink of rhework requi red to m ake jusroneJusrin
Korean Pop Machine, Running on Innocence and Hair Gel
~
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... Bieber. The producrion, rhe m anagement, the
vocal trai n ing, rhe choreography, rhe swagger
to., :.::.::==-~-=-
W.lllW :.=-=..-:.:.::=., coaching - all rhar effort to create one reen-pop star
..,.. .--......
........._""'...........
- ,__,,_.....,...iolM
.......,. in a country that's sti ll starving fo r them. South Korea

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has no such d rought, thanks ro several companies char
specialize in ma nu facru ring a steady scream of teenage

---
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ido ls, in groups of various configurations. O ne of rhe lon-


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--_ __ .
_._.,_....._. gest-ru n ning of these com panies is SM E nterra in ment,
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which o n Su nday night hosted SM Town Live, a sold-
, _ , , .. Np,
our showcase at Mad ison Squa re Garden for several of
irs acts, any o ne of which a ny American rea liry-TV tal-
South Korea's Prolific Pop Mad1ine Runs on Innocence and Hair Gel

------
----
----
ent show or m ajor-label A&R deparrmenc worth irs sale

...--....---
---- would be th rilled to have discovered.
__ ---_
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------- Am erica n teen-pop at irs peak has never been this pro-
d uctive. K-pop - short for Korean pop - is a n en-
viron m ent of relentless newness, both in participants
a nd in sryle; even irs veteran acts are scill relatively

I ====- ~~fi;~
~ts :ii~i;~~ ~=-~ :::::==:..
-- you ng, a nd they m ake you ng music. Srill, rhere were
subtle d iffere nces a m ong rhe vererans, like BoA and
TVXQ a nd the newe r- m inced aces like Super J u n io r,
G irl s' Generatio n a nd S HINee.

Mem bers of rhe younger set a re less concerned wirh


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bounda ries, d rawing from rhe spectrum o f pop of rhe
last decade in rheir m usic: posr-Timbaland hip-hop
ru m bles, trance-in fl uenced chu m p, dance m usic d riven
by arena-rock guitars, stra ight fo rwa rd balladry.

Of rhese groups, rhe relative newcomer SH !Nee was rhe


most a m bitious. From rhe looks of ir, rhe group's m en
are powered by b rig htly colored leather, Dr. Martens
boors and ha ir mo usse. Their m usic, especia lly "Replay,"
" Ring Ding D ong" a nd "Ju liette," felt rhc riskiest, even
if it on ly slig htly rweaked rhar polyglot K-pop fo rmu la;
these voca lises were among rhe night's srrongesr.
B
ur SHI Nee came in a recogn izable format, rhe Un ired Srares. And in August Billboard inaugurated a
same size as America n groups like 'N Sync and K-Pop Hor 100 cha rt. Bur none of che aces on rhe SM
rhc Backstreet Boys. Bue what K-pop has excelled Town Live bill arc in rhe Top 20 of che current ed ition
ar in recent years are large groups char seem co defy logic of rhe fasr-moving chart. Th is is a scene chat breeds
and order. Super Junior, which at its maximum has 13 qu ickly.
members, was one of chis show's highl ights, appeari ng
several times throughout the night in different color Which means char some ideas rhac cycle in may soon
oucfics, shining on "M r. Simple" and che incense indus- cycle our. T hat would be advisable for some of the songs
trial dance-pop of "Bonamana." (K. R.Y., a sub-group of augmented with deeply goofy rapping: showing the
English rranslarion of the lyrics on screen didn't help.
Super Ju nior, delivered whac may have been che nighc's
besr performance on "Sorry Sorry Answer," a muscular The best rapping of rhe night came from Amber, rhe
tomboy of che lcasr polished group on the bill, f(x), who
R& B ballad.)
received frenzied screams each rime she stepped our in
Super Ju nior was complemented by rhc nine-woman from of her girly band maces.
Gi rls' Generation, wh ich offered a more polite rake on
K-pop, including on "The Boys," which is its debur If rhere was a direct American influence co be gleaned
American single. Gi rls' Generation gave perhaps the here, ic was, odd ly enough, Kesha who best approxi-
best representation of K-pop's coy, shiny values in keep- mates the exuberant and sometimes careless gcn reless-
ing wirh a chasre nighr char sarisfied demand, bur nor ness of K-pop in her own music; her songs "T ik Tok"
and "My First Kiss" (with 30H!3) were covered during
desire. (Ir was an inversion on the trad itional American
formula; in rhis country young fema le singers are often chis show.
more scxualized chan their male counterparts.) But while she is simpatico with chc newer K-pop modes,
Male and female performers shared che srage here only she had little co do with the more marure styles. Those
a couple of times, ra rely gercing even in che ballpark of were represented by rhe Josh Groban-esque crooning of
innuendo. In one set piece rwo lovers serenaded each Kangca, lead singer of the foundational, long-disbanded
Korean boy band H.O.T., who made a brief appea rance
other from across the stage, wirh microphones rhey
found in a mailbox (he) and a purse (she). In berween early in the night, and the duo TVXQ, a slimmed-down
acts the screens showed virginal com mercials about version of rhe long-running group by chat name, who
friendshi p and commi tment co performance; du ri ng at one point delved into an R&B slow jam reminiscent
che sers rhcy displayed fanrascically colored graphics, of Jodeci or early Usher. BoA, the night's only feat ured
sometimes childlike, sometimes Warholian, bur never solo artist, has been making albums for a decade, and
less rhan cheerful. her "Copy & Paste" sounded like a vintage 1993 Ja nee
Jackson song.
In che past few years K-pop has shown a creeping glob-
al influence. Many aces release albums in Ko rea n and She' ll also scar in "Cobu," a 3-0 dance film ro be re-
Japanese, a nod co che increasing fun gibilicy of Asian leased nexr year, previews of which induced shrieks be-
pop. And inroads, however slight, arc being made inro fore rhe concert began. T he crowd also screamed at an
rhe American marketplace. The aces here sang and lip ad for Super Jun ior Shake, an i Phone game app, and for
synced in borh Korean and English. Girls' Generation the SM Enrercainmenr global auditions, which will cake
recently signed wich lnccrscope co release music in rhe place early next year in several countries, and will keep
the machi ne oiled for years ro come.

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co Reprinted with permission.


IN THE NEW YORK TIM ES
--~,=.7 ..---r ~-:~\~~ .. - - ...

THE NEWYORKTJMESMAG.1JZl!'{E SUNDAY,JUNE5,2011


..... . . . 1
, . 48. 49

BACKYARD BULGOGI
BY MARK BI T T MAN

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n lookin g to create a men u fo r a n ea rly-seaso n T he exot ic ism and excitement derive from bot h rhe in-
barbecue t hat would appeal to everyone - meat g red ients and t he techniq ues. Ma ny of t he ing redients
!lovers, vegeta ri ans, culin ary thrill-seekers and you' ll need ca n be foun d at any halfway decenr grocery
whoever else might show up - I rea lized that such a store, bur there is one importa nt except ion: gochujang,
men u a lready exists. It's just that it is n't what we t hink o r Korea n chi li-bca n paste . T his co mbines t he salty,
of as "A merica n food ." co mplex rang of m iso w ith a mi ld fi re, a nd it's a n abso-
lu te mu st as a cond imenr fo r the beef. (If you've earen
Still, it is America n to not fuss abom the orig in of
Korean barbecue, you've been offered it.)
recipes, especia lly when the menu spotlights both in-
tensely fl avored g ri lled ma rinated meat and a bu nc h of Gochugaro, Korea n chi li powd er, w hich contributes
q ui rky, flavorful a nd mostly meatless side d is hes. heat ro the ki mchi a nd sca llion-salad recipes, is a lso
d ifficult ro find in most su perma rkets, but a su bst itute
In th is case, the so urce is Korea n . And w ith a lirtle
of red-pepper flakes o r nor-terribly fiery grou nd ch ili
pla nnin g a nd ad va nce work, yo u can make beef bul-
powder will give yo u a simila r effect. D epending on
gogi and banchan (t he na me fo r the li ttle tidbi ts ei-
w here you li ve, you may wel l be able to fi nd m u ng
ther served first or as accompan iments) at ho me. A nd
bea n sprouts (wh ich sta r in a si m ple salad), daikon rad-
you' ll make them as well as o r better t ha n you've eaten
is h (pickled along w ith cabbage in kimchi) a nd hijiki
them on 32nd St reet in Manh atta n o r w herever your
(whi ch is soaked and then srir-fr ied in w ha t is quite
local joinr m ight be. In other words, you' ll kick off the
possibly the besr seaweed prepa rat ion I've ever had) in
grilling season w ith a n appea ling, exotic, even exciting
your local superma rket.
menu t hat w ill make most others seem d u ll.
T
he insta ntly recognizable profile of Ko rea n
food, however, comes nor from obscure in- the meat wrapped in lettuce leaves. with gochujang
for dipping.
gredients bur from the relatively mainst ream
ones: sesame (both seeds a nd oi l), ga rl ic, soy sauce, Serves 4 to 6.
garlic, rice vinegar, garl ic, suga r and sca ll ions. And gar- Sesame Spinach and Tofu
lic. I've more than once ca lled Korean food "Japanese Cook I tablespoon minced garlic in 2 tablespoons
foo d with guts," nor as a slight against Japa nese food sesame oil over medium-high heat for I minute; add
(wonde rful i n its own rig ht) bur as an e ndorsem ent of I pound chopped spinach and cook. stirring occa-
sionally, until it begins to wilt. C rumble in 1/2 pound
Korean c u isine's vigorous, muscular, co mple tely un-
extra-firm tofu and st ir until warmed through. Stir
subtle flavor profile. Korean food's aggressive season- in I tablespoon soy sauce, a pinch of sugar and I
ing is really just right fo r grilling, whe re attempts at tablespoon sesame seeds. Serve hot or warm.
nuance are usua lly in va in. Korean Potato Salad
So m e elements of th is barbecue are fami liar bur Cook I pound julienned or shredded potatoes and
tweaked. (Some of char fam iliarity com es from 1/2 pound julienned o r shredded carrots in salted
boiling water unt il barely tender, about 5 minutes;
t he A merica n presence in Korea, now going o n 60
add I/2 cup fresh or frozen peas for the last minute
years.) Korean poraro sa lad , for instance, is s imi lar to of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water. Whisk
American poraro sa lad in that its dressing is mayon- together 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 3 tablespoons rice
naise-based, bur the Korea n vers ion sometimes uses vinegar; toss with the vegetables, 1/2 cup chopped
chives and 1/4 cup chopped scallions. Garnish with
julie nned rather than c hunked potatoes a nd a lso con-
more chopped scallions and chives. season with salt
ta ins carrots, peas, scall ion s and chives. It's fa r from and pepper to taste and serve.
conventional and far from bland.
Grilled-Scallion Salad
l will not (and ca nnot) claim char e ve ry element of th is Brush I pound untrimmed scallions with I table-
m e nu is legitimately Korean . ln fact one recipe, t he spoon sesame oil; grill over moderately high heat,
plum-and-herb cockta il, is plain made up: a sang ria- turning once, until charred and tender, 5 to I0 min-
utes. Roughly chop and toss with 1/3 cup rice vinegar,
like concoction of wh ite wine, gi n, rosema ry-infused
I to 2 tablespoons gochugaro (Korean chili powder)
simple syrup and fresh plums. I see it as a tribute ro o r less if using red-pepper flakes, I tablespoo n sesa-
the sweet plum wine so ofren served in Korean res- me seeds and 2 teaspoons sugar. Serve immediately.
taura nts . (If you want robe authentic, drink soju - it Kimchi
will ge t you drunk in a hurry - or beer.) But if my
Layer I small green or white cabbage (separated
cocktail isn't authentic , it is good and, like t he rest of into leaves) and I small-t o-medium daiko n radish
the m enu, very potent. (cut into I-inch cubes) with 1/2 cup coarse salt in a
large bowl. Let sit until the cabbage is wilted, about
2 hours. massaging and weighting it if needed to
Beef Bulgogi help soften. Rinse and d ry well. Roughly chop and
toss with 15 to 20 chopped scallions, 1/4 cup fish (or
Time: 45 to 150 minutes soy) sauce. 1/4 cup minced garlic. 2 to 4 tablespoons
I bunch scallions. roughly chopped sugar, 2 tablespoons minced ginger and I to 2
tablespoons gochugaro (Korean chili powder) or
8 or more garlic cloves. peeled and roughly less if using red-pepper flakes. Serve immediately or
chopped refrigerate fo r up to a week.
I tablespoon sugar or honey Fried Hi jiki
1/ 2 teaspoon black pepper Soak I ounce dried hijiki in 2 cups hot water. When
1/2 cup soy sauce it's tender, about 5 minutes later. drain, squeeze dry,
remove any hard bits and chop. Cook I tablespoon
I tablespoon sesame oil minced garlic and I/4 cup chopped scallions in I
2 pounds sirloin, rib-eye or skirt steak, thinly sliced, or tablespoon neutral oil (like grapeseed or corn) and
3 to 4 pounds beef short ribs. boned and thinly sliced I tablespoon sesame oil over medium-high heat
fo r I minute; add the hijiki and cook until browned
Boston or loose-leaf lettuce leaves for serving
and beginning to shrivel, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in I
Gochujang (Korean chili-bean paste) for serving. tablespoon each soy sauce and sesame seeds and a
pinch of sugar. Serve hot o r warm.
I. Combine the scallions, garlic, sugar, pepper, soy
sauce and oil in blender and puree, adding water as Plum-and-H erb Wine Cocktai l
needed to form a smooth mixture. Toss the meat
Cook 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup water and I sprig fresh
with the soy mixture and marinate for 15 minutes to
rosemary or thyme over medium-low heat until the
2 hours. Heat a grill with the rack 4 to 6 inches from
sugar dissolves; cool and remove the herb. Combine
t he flame; the fire should be as hot as possible.
I bottle not-too-d ry white wine (like Riesling). 1/4
2.Remove the meat from t he marinade, and grill until cup gin, the juice of I lemon, 2 to 4 chopped plums
browned outside but still rare inside. no more than a and I/4 cup of the rosemary syrup. Chill for at least 2
couple of minutes per side; do not overcook. Serve hours, taste and add more syrup if you like and serve.

Copyright 201 1 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
-- ...- -- ... ~ ~ ...
;;-...: - - ~'"""""' ~-,,,__.._.,-.,.-- ~~ -- -
THE NEW YORK TIMES, WEDNESDAY,AUGUST.17, 2011 D6

FEEL FREE TO GRAZE,


BUT JUST BE QUICK
13' SA1\I SI FTON

anji is a wee little restaurant on West 52nd stools along the ba r or at high tables in t he from of rhe

D Street, done up in whitewashed brick and


blond I kea stylings, naked bulbs, ex tension
cord s and a lot of wooden spoons artfu lly displayed , as
room, or wedge in to the few rabies in back. T here are
jusr 36 seats. It gets quite hot in t he dini ng room, as at
a crowded party in a small apartment.
if by David Rockwell o n a $200 budget. The crowds
Dinners proceed not as planned, leisu rely affairs, but
are fierce.
as fast-casual turn-a nd-burns: you get small, sha re-
There is a good reason. H ooni Kim , who opened this able plates a nd some d rinks, and rhen make room for
place in December as a new-s ryle Korea n take on a rhe next set of c ustomers. You would not wa nt to do
Japanese izakaya, is a terrific cook. T hose who rake rhe business ar D anji, unless your business in volves knees
time and ca re to ex plore his menu of both trad itional touchi ng a nd t he t hrill of discovery.
and modernized Korea n food will be rewarded .
So stipulated . (A cold O B beer or glass of soju may help.)
Some st ipulations before we ear. D a nji is nor a par- Now slide your menu out of the drawer rhat hides jusr
ticularly comfortable resrauram. C ustomers perch on below the surface of each rable. It is rime to graze.

Danji works best if you buck the trend and eat a g reat
R f.STAURANTS
deal as leisurely as you ca n, building a tasting menu
Feel Free to Graze, but Just Be Quick out of rhe rapas. (The plates run $6 to $ 18.)

D
A~ fl l,IWftllnJitfft
~- Wf't&Sllld
~doairup 111wtll(f'
~brit:.. lndblond
Start w it h a pa iring off the "traditional" list, of spicy
l l""'"'~MWo.1~ "1or>
'IClllC.unt.-ia loxof"ooJrn
~~~'td,Mtltlo)'
whelk salad a nd a sma ll pile of buckwheat noodles.
lMm ltoc:twtlo.aSlOOtMtrtt-
TM ft'OOlld:l.-htrfit

.
TIW:nt.apodr-. l klOG
Ka.tieGPflwdl.MlpiKelll
~- ......,_~
T h is ought to be protected by the Marriage Equality
Act. The tender li ttle whel ks are poached French-st yle
......-
uh~U'..uya,.ba
1nni.-~n.o....- 1&U u.

,.....,.an""'"
--bi:icll~#ld
~~
with a m irepoix cur through with lemongrass, gar-
~-
S-.c~~-
..... Dmlll - " pmunNrtJ'
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lic and ginger, and dressed in a sauce of gochujang,
tt\P'fdll&ooh.aan, 1twtw
otMOIUllllN;dlehnlfl
t.M 1oon..or~w.otbekW
a Korea n hot chile paste, thar has been mured wirh
1.lblnlnt..t..T!wttarr,.ucll
- U.. )l&fl\~l'Kll inlhtdift.
In& roe..., M Cf'O'fldN f*"IY
111 1 -aa~
rice vi nega r a nd m irin, grated garlic and ginger. Across
Dhlmlpl"OCtt\'lftOC M
~.~..iu,,,,.~ b
~<Mlill--9.f.ulu:~
from them sit fat noodles of the Japa nese soba va riety,
att wnal.WaarNbk~and
. . . . . . . . . . IMlll!Ult'
r~b'UWM:lltetof<-
cn , w..,.iJnoc..._todo
glossy with rhat sa me hot sauce, along with honey and
---~.wa,,_
~~lMll!t~
... tM Ulr1ll "'dDcony OWi Ma'dl..UW.ll&Wlfrtnt.... _,
. . . . pm:u,r. .,.!I ""'fll:.~
soy, some waterc ress, slivered red onions, chi ves. They
$o~ (A(d408bftl"

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a family reun ion table in Seoul, sweer and salty w ith
?~~?~
(TllirpWelr.NtotU.) MofT 11---..i ~ tJw.c~
Stan iDlpMvi,catl lbt wun l1n1'""sliollofthflda...
11adll10N11-111it,ofl(ll(Y~ rwi<l !IAICC S - - . . . M l lt.
Wol.adMld a-.aDP* of bld
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otlf'11-riP.llon1111Mlhofr-
sesa me oil and soy, with hi nts of ginger a nd garlic to
tialb'ltl)l:!N!bttfl DllvftOl'lftof
S'fl'lt<ltdtr)' lbto~t'f..qu.al Alilrlpil'M'.-W, IO)IWl<ll:"
"YMI Tlwk'l!dtri.11i. 11'hdb
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VXMtlft(UC\lmbn,olQl1.
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AW'Urf.A.All<Mw~
tllCJll'fprtMt14Nrf ,1!1wplfl
romance the accompanying julienne vegetables and
'"''"'' '~dWo&.,. w!lhat.,..andahrWdnco.I
~s-kandPlCf".Md
drftM'dlrftlloMICCof~
~<"*iwu.tNttw
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r n t - . w JC..F C."lt'wd-
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IMC1 famotqqaii.l~O~
tc.ebtd,ptarpwff) tl. Mr
ic... - 1111-b dlllltl"'*l,-
("""'~.,...1.1111.i..-it".......
a small mound of barbecued beef. Have a crisp little
--..,-spa~~
~"-UlirmLllt~
dlldM ......;UM~-..
---~-bltw
.....i.r-dn...a~~
-..~.U-t'uctfy pancake of scallions and Korea n peppers, or rhe sea-
.... -11o1_.. ......,.T'Wta.,..,.,....
-Sdlonm~a.r'fMl ~~'1Cl14llbln.
"""",...a
of\M~l!Obl...-.irQ'.
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MllA-..:lill~t"'4 . . .ll

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.......,......,.,,....
................. wp.
1-. h~~~.ptftupL food version if ir is avai lable as a special. You wi ll ben-
--
~*"9't!llm1-. BlllOl!lb'b-...~ IOCll-**fct-..~......,.

...
drllvft.TlwJ'llrt'.-Aldwr"t m17blaJIDo'.lftlllluwdllb""" dM\.kM'fJW-OIMt~-W NIMll~llO.,.I&.
cMr!;.-J;orrMtneddllil.lt'&
n...11on111 ........ 0..t.d.
tc-l!Md toJ.ptk..Pl'lt' L'ld
Ku-r't'd~Wllh~
tllfn-.darilldtlOf efit from some kimchi as wel l, m ade fo r t he restaura nt
.._..
OnliN-~JIC)(tt.lit. ~,~ -~
cMylllalif~otrr.., Cl"u.i~oaO..,..'t.....,... ofC.oh!Md1r. . . . . .ritpt-
....,__htft., r"'~
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l.lll)'U~Clll.cwlM11.
...Ot.lsdPICt'fMdprklO lbM~h~.- hl.ttMd
p6alntlrft1-.blleC.:111ttp1
ofW11Wlll.{.-.-hrr~~
..,~ ,~.tnfd<U
m.w'l-.11...... I M ) - I '
- - . . , , , . tsttp 10 1 W t ' -
by Mr. Kim's morher-in-law. T here is Napa cabbage,
,.,........,.~,..
~~ '""'.,...,~ IN l ~-Wc'bu.:D~Z
Uk~ Im" .. hom- 1lll
-~""'Jmloll
ftll)&lllddb&ft.n.d bttf.. lb1~
ru.tinctMntJw-.MdlM
bul&Oclslid.(1Uf1lt.1rdlt's.
mnl'*f'W. a ~Olltortan~
tilollnl~t hill~bltsol~
no<.......,Bnomtflll:
htftrt'.at~on~
of course, among other va rieties: cuc u mber, of late,
c"pWIU11f*'t&tt'of~i u1nu-1.0blrJtt.d W!UttM dot:Md~.r.o< k ~, llrtld11 And ....... d)'OUoull~w-q
a.rldJtornn~theM">
loodYt'l"lolOll" b1\JlllAbieUJ1
1 -l lll\lmalA.llMptatMd
lht~y bWllofwy_. h
anJramrnl!IDClJSnln11-pey throucfltMmorma.CM'Onll'f,I!
"'"l\t'lloflood.. ~ nw.a.IM IMf\11 and pony ra il radi shes.
~V. . .""*fA ffoin unolty-Olf-"'thoidft11.
Mt'dyu.Jlt' fl l!)..dbtt(.11~
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On tbt "ll'IOdttnu. of1he
-laJullcnar~~
~l!oJQ!MttQukll:ly Mt-Wt.

'/:=::..~~'?'~~":..
-U..:llllaswdl..madllof
IMl'I'_ _ .., M r ll:lm'a
~ t wrDffll-1114~11 Wf\1""11.h~Orft.t-.
mM!wf-1..tw'Tbtfth~ pd.)t'dNnlnlbf"lllld~ 11\&- ll kftUCIClil.Mr.JQrnroll IH
atltMp.d~.-.ochrr anlJ>tdta.'llonWw.""' 1~ol lrnll"1f-.111J'CIWO Nllt'Kt-('".O.
gnore for a moment the obvious sops to Western his fine dice and careful plating, ma kes the d ish seem

I palates a nd tapas-loving cocktail drin kers: the bul-


gogi sliders on the "modern" menu; the "K.F.C."
fried-chicken w ings; the k imchi, bacon and cho rizo
exactly as if ic might be served w ith a plate of fries at
Benoit or Balthazar. le could be colder, perhaps. Bue it
is preccy greac.
"paella" that reads li ke a midnight Tw itter posting
Noe char everything ac Danji is. There is no need for
from a chef in his cups.
gri lled corn with a cheese a ioli and spicy mayonnaise
Bur o nly fo r a moment! Sliders may be a goofba ll trend here or perhaps at any other restaurant; fried ca la mari
like cupca kes o r Korean fried chicken. T hat doesn't w ith wasabi mayonnaise is unnecessary except co ac-
make chem bad. (You can pass o n Danji's wi ngs, commodate chose for whom a menu with no cala mari
though: unremarkable, even a little pallid.) is no menu ac all; there is no real dessert on offer. And
even if you sta ll your way eh ro ugh che menu, o rde ri ng
That paella is nice, too: hot and weird below a fr ied
in waves of food, a meal ar Danji goes by quire q uickly.
Jidori hen egg, bright as the sun. And the bulgogi slid-
Meanwhile, che crowd waiting up by the ba r for cables
er, crisp at its edges, turns o ut to be packed w ith the
scares bullets if you linger.
sweet thrum of Asian pear and the sa lcy hush of soy
sauce, wich smoky sesa me oil and che deep, steely caste No reservations. Go.
of good beef. le provides excellent eating beneath irs
pickled cucumbers a nd mesclun-amped scallion salsa,
on a soft g rilled bun. A pork-belly version does, too,
cara melized and fiery with gochuja ng and a finishing Danji
oil made from che seeds of hot peppers.

Appetizers? Enrrees? A ll Danji 's dishes are small. O ne
346 West 52nd Street. Clinton: (212) 586-2880. d an-
exception o n rhe rradicional menu is che poached sa- jinyc.com.
blefish wich da ikon , which oughc to be eacen wich rice:
the luscious fish and c hopstick-render da ikon swim- ATMOSPHERE Part tapas bar. part Japanese izakaya, all
Ko rean, very we lcoming.
ming in a dark, lovely b ra ise of Mr. Kim's beloved soy,
ga rlic, ginger and Korean red pepper, w ith a splash of SOUND LEVEL Mo de rate.
d ashi and a fine ju lienne of ginger to lighten thin gs RECOMMENDED DI SHES W helk salad with buck-
up. le expla ins in a si ngle bite che concept of umami. wheat noodles, steak t artare, pancake, japchae, sable-
(Another big fellow: che rescauranc's class ic DMZ meat fish, DMZ stew, fried to fu. sliders. paella.
stew, a seapie of Korean rescaurancs char combines bits WINE LIST A t iny if serviceable list of w ines, sakes and
of hot dog and Spam, pork belly, kimchi and ramen sojus, and OB beer.
noodles in a spicy brot h.)
PRICE RANGE Small plat es. $6 to $18.
O n the "modern" side of che menu is a dish marked HOURS Monday to Friday. noon t o 3 p.m.: Monday t o
simply tofu with ginger-scallion dressing. le is magical. Thursday, 5:30 p.m. t o mid night; Friday and Saturday,
M r. Kim rolls recta ngles of fresh tofu in potato starch, 5:30 p.m. to I a.m.
rhen flash fries chem and tops rhe packages with crisp RESERVATIONS Accepted only for parties of six or
bits of fried tempura baccer and a few slices of hoe pep- more.
per along w ith the ginger and scallion. By the time che
CREDIT CARDS All major cards.
d ish reaches che cable, the sea rch has softened to cre-
ate a skin over che creamy tofu chat is elastic a nd nor WHEELCHAIR ACCESS The rest aurant is up o ne step
from street level and is quit e narrow. There is an acces-
dissimila r co mochi, che Japanese glutino us rice paste.
sible restroom in t he rear:
Two orders for four people seems correct.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN Ratings range fro m zero t o
More trad itio nal is t he sceak rarcare. It is a version fo ur stars and reflect the reviewer's reactio n t o food.
of the classic Korea n dish yook hwe, wh ich often ambience and service, with price t aken into consider-
marries long scrands of partially frozen beef co chi n ation. Menu listings and prices are subject to change.

ones of Asian pea r, sesame oil, soy sauce and gochu-


jang, copped w ith a raw egg yolk. All chose ingredi-
ents are present here, though in fa ncy form (a quail
egg, Creekstone beef, pear puree). Bur Mr. Kim, who
worked at Daniel, eschews freezing che meat a nd , with

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
HEAT BY THE HANDFUL
BY SAM Sll'TON

EAT
.uk.r~ .. -~Wft )Olclo-M.iunr0<rH'l')IO
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lllnll Jn11hn11Na.ta nd11 11
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T
here a re th ree ways co make t he recipe char ed Korean hot-pepper paste k now n as gochujang, they
follows here; th ree pathways co d innert ime can rise to higher pla nes.
n irvana. The d ish is the Korea n barbecue
Bulgogi sandwic hes are a caste of the sore of home
sta ndard known as bu lgogi - " fire meat," is the lit-
cooking that can lead to mo re home cooking. T hey
eral t ranslation - transformed into a sa ndwic h fill-
serve as fragrant hamburger crushers, elega nt van-
ing, a sloppy Joe for a more perfect union. (File u nder
quishers of pizza. They are a n enemy of cakeour.
"Blessin gs of Liberty.") Fed to chi ldren with a ra il glass
of milk, the sa ndw iches may inspire smiles and licked To cook chem, you ca n follow the instructions slavish-
plates, rapt attention and rhe request th at t he meal be ly, as if working for H ooni Ki m , che c hef and owner of
served at least monthly - they are not at a ll too spicy D anji, on the edge of the cheate r district in Manhattan.
for you nger palaces. Given to adults accompanied by Bulgogi "sliders" are a ha llma rk of his menu and by far
cold lager, cucumber kimchi and a pot of the fcrmenr- the restaurant's most popular dish. The recipe is his.
m , who grew up in New York and dropped o ur So does forgo ing t he sauce pans and precisio n. On this

K of med ical school ro become a chef (his morh-


r did nor speak ro him fo r a yea r), cooks w irh
careful precision, even deli cacy. For h im, as for mosr
second pat h, t he cook fires up a backyard grill to ap-
proximare rhe smoky flavor of traditional restaura nt
bulgogis, where diners cook rl1e mear rhemselves over
resrauranr chefs, the dish is made up of componenr rablerop braziers loaded w irh glow in g charcoa l. A ll
parrs rhat must be assembled sepa rarely beforehand else remains rhe sa me, incl ud ing rhe quali ry of the
and then put rogecher, in the sryle of French-trained sandw ich.
a
kitchens, expressly for eac h order: la m inute.
Bur here is a trurh ofKim's ma rinade, and of irs excel-
For this firsr exercise, rhen, you should do as he does, lence. If you do nor have rime or energy to spa re fo r
exacrly. W hi le making the ma ri nade in a large bowl, a rtfu lly dressed sca llions or elegantly pla red sa ndwic h-
you ch ill some brisker in your freezer, which makes ir es, all w ill be fo rgiven by a ll rhose who ear rhe resulr.
easier ro slice rhe beef rh in ly. You mix rhe sliced beef You can cur rhe beef into rhe ma rinade on a weekend
inro rhe marinade and place ir, well covered, in rhe re- and keep ir in rhe fridge for a few d ays, sofrl y absorb-
frigeraror. You make you r spicy mayonnaise and srore ing flavors, and rhen ross ir inro a pan some even ing
rhis in rhe refri geraror as well. You make your scall ion when rhe children begin ro whine.
d ressing, then ca refull y wash a nd dry your scallions
Toast a few hamburger buns a nd spread rhem with
and place them wrapped ca refully in a paper towel be-
burrer or spicy mayonn aise o r borh o r neirher. T hen
side the marinade and rhe mayonn a ise. You make your
rong some meat onto rhe bread, o r onto whi re rice if
cucu mber kimchi.
you li ke, wirh a side of stea med g reens. Scatrer some
T hen you go in sea rch of pro per bu ns: sofr and not fresh scallions over t he cop, and ler rhem have ar ir.
at a ll crust y, w irh enough srructure ro be able ro ab-
W hich merhod is besr? In marters of feeding, as 111
sorb a g rear deal of far a nd flavo r w ithout falli ng aparr.
meditarion a nd poetry, ir is besr nor ro consider rhe
Kim orders par-baked rolls from the Pa risi bakery on
question roo deeply. T he Buddhisr reacher C hogya m
Elizaberh Street near Lierle Ita ly but does not fi n ish
Tru ngpa R inpoche said ir, and A llen G insberg called
chem off in his ovens at work. "Almost finished is jusr
ir arr: "Firsr rho ughr, besr rho ug hr." In rhis bulgogi,
t he rig hr rexcure," he said in a telepho ne interview.
rhere is only joy.
"Koreans do nor like crust ar all." (A good-qu ali ry
challah bu n w i II suffice for ho me use.)

Finally, w hen you are ready ro cook, you do so quick-


ly a nd efficienrly, never crowd ing you r pan w ith coo
much meat, butreri ng che roasted rolls befo re apply-
ing a ny mayonnaise to chem, applying a large pinch of
scallions to each sandwich ar rhe very lasr minute and
t hen - and on ly then! - drizzling the thing with a
teaspoo n of d ress ing , so as not co w ilt rhe greens. This
resulrs in a superlarive sandwich.
Bu lgogi Sloppy Joes W it h Scallion Salsa 2. Meanwhile, in a small, nonreactive bowl. combine
the mayonnaise. soy sauce and hot chili sauce and
For the bulgogi:
stir to combine. Taste and adjust flavors. then cover
I cup soy sauce and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
2 tablespoons sugar 3. When you are ready to make the sandwiches. set
one very large saute pan (or two large ones) over
I tablespoon peeled and grated garlic
high heat. Using tongs. lift meat from mar inade in
I tablespoon sesame oil batches. allow to drain well. t hen cook. turning oc-
3 tablespoons sake casionally until the excess liquid has evaporated and
the edges of the beef have started to crisp.
2 tablespoons mirin
4. Meanwhile. combine all the ingredients for the salsa
I Asian pear. peeled. cored and pureed in a food except for the scallions. then stir to combine.
processor
5.Toast and butter the hamburger buns. Spread spicy
I small carrot peeled and sliced into julienne mayonnaise on the buns. and using tongs. cover one
I medium white onion peeled and sliced into side of each set of buns with bulgogi. Add a large
julienne pinch of scallions on top of each burger and drizzle
with the dressing. Serve with cucumber kimchi
I cup apple juice (recipe follows).
2 pounds beef brisket. chilled slightly and sliced thin Serves 6. Adopted (rom Hooni Kim, Donji restaurant,
For t he spicy mayonnaise: New York.
I cup mayonnaise Cucumber Ki mchi

I tablespoon soy sauce 3 small cucumbers. cut into 1/8-inch slices

3 tablespoons hot chili sauce, ideally Sriracha 2 tablespoons kosher salt

For the scallion salsa: I tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce I tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red-pepper flakes)

2 tablespoons water 1/4 cup mirin

1/4 cup sugar 6 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons gochugaru I teaspoon grated garlic


(Korean red-pepper flakes) I teaspoon fermented krill or baby shrimp
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (optional).

2 tablespoons sesame oil I. Place the cucumbers in a medium -size bowl, then
sprinkle with the salt. Let stand 20 minutes.
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2. Rinse cucumbers in cold water to remove salt. drain
2 tablespoons mirin
and pat dry.
I tablespoon sesame seeds
3. Return cucumbers to bowl. add other ingredients.
2 bunches scallions, cleaned. dried and sliced on the toss to combine. cover tightly and place in refrigera-
bias tor overnight or until ready to use.

Unsalted butter Serves 6. Adopted (rom Hooni Kim. Donji restaurant.


New York.
6 soft hamburger buns.

I. In a large. nonreactive bowl. combine the soy sauce.


sugar. garlic. sesame oil. sake. mirin. pear. carrot.
onion and apple juice. Add the sliced brisket. stir to
combine. cover tightly and place in the refrigerator
overnight or for at least six hours.

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Repnnted w1th permission.
THE NEW YORK Tli\1ES, W~DNES,DAY. NOT~Elv/BER 23, 2011
~ ... .. ~ '-.Ill'
,DJ

A 300-DUCK DAY AND


CABBAGES BY THE
THOUSANDS
BY ELA INE LOUIE

A 300-Duck Day and Cabbages by the Thousands


By El.A IN E LOUIE maltose. Tite duck dried ln front of n Inn
llE food cognosccmi like to for a halfhour, then was ro..1.swd ;n

T know 1he source of their vcgcl:i


blM, n1h nnd mea1. Is that le1-
wce org.'\nlt? Did thm chk:ken
range freely and mt>mly during its
Shon lirt?
about SOO degrees for SS minutes.
Just eigh1 blocks owny, on Nonhem
Boulevard near Union Strttt, Is Ko-Am
Food, which shnres a basement kite.hen
with its smer buSllll!'SS. Kum G:mg Snn
But consider dishes ~hose sources restaumnL Soon Bo l.tt,63, v.t)od1rt.'C1S
nre hnrd('f 10 find, 1ha1 nrc nOl farmed the cooking, learned how to nmke k 1111
or fis.hcd but m:tde from S<'rntch, and chi at age 16 111 Seoul
not m glgnnhc factories owned by OWe ~she learned from her mother. be-
or Gcnt'mJ Foods. Think of the Chinese cause a woman. before she's rnarned,
roasted dtKks at the East Occ.ln Paltsce must learn how 10 m.'lke kimchi ; S.'Ud
111 Forest llills, Qu~ns; klnKhi :n the Sang Jin Kun, Ko-Am's president, "'ho
Konll.J BBQ food truck; the lightly lay- interpreted for his cook.
ert'd 1orull:is ;n Dos Toros Thqucna in Mrs. Lee and a smH ol elgln men and
Mnnhatmn: and p.1o de qucijo, puffs or women make 10 types of klmclu, n'IOSlly
Br.mli."ln cheese bread. :ii Casa in from cabbage (2,700 pounds a dny) bu1
Greenwich Vilbgc. also from druko11 and cucumbers. The
None of these spcciallics arc made on s1aff cuts the vegetables by hand.
the premises. Despite their .lt1then11c "'We tried using n 1n.'\chlne, but the
fl<wors and ~lsnaturc pl:lcc on menus, machi ne broke up the c:1bb;ige," M r.
thcy nrc turnl'(I 0111 - by machinC', h:md Kim said. For nll 10 \'arletles , ~1rs. l..ec
or bo1h - In commercial kilchens m hns a mother S.'\ucc of nncho\'y, kcl1>.
Qu~ns rmd New Jersey that arc large radis h and onion, boiltt.l in w:ucr for two
but htilc k nown. hours.1hen cooled :md twenkc<I for each
Rcs1nur.m1s ou1source these foods varie1y.
because 1hcy nrc lnbor-lmcnsl\'C or re- The mos1 common vnrln1lo11 l$ brl1:111
quire spinl e<111lpmcn1 or sk ills. :lnd red and rt.>dolent of gnrlic. Mrs. Lee
because they nrc so popular lhey must mixes crushed red pepper, fish sauce,
be produced In bulk, hke the 1>!0 de sal1C!d shnmp sauce. fresh onions ond
QUCIJO. radish in a blender, 1hen :t.dds it 10 1he
vou ntt'd n m.idllne 10 beat 1he ttiolcd s.auce along wnh lrtthly sliced
dough; 11'1 really hnrd, nnd you,-e got green pepper, sliced mdis.h nn<I garlic.
10 really be;u i1.'" s.'Ud Jupira Lee. 1he Pog_i k11nch1. usmg napa cabbages sllti!d
owner of Cns.a. whkh sells JOO of the in half \'enic.111y. are d1ppN In the
golfb.."lllSllC breads ever)' week. lr )'OU
M
chunky marinadt, ~hich workm ntso
make n sn\311 b.11th for a home. hke a brush onto each leaf by hMd.
bo\\I of dough, you can make 11 yourself. The Korilla BBQ food truck. v.h1ch
nu1 if you're ma.king JOO or 400 plo de won a rettnl Vendy nward for rookie of
quet,o, 1t 's a lot ol labor.M t he year. sells bulgogi 1acos topped ~ith
pogi kim('hi, s.aid Edward Song. a

~
So Ms. Lee buys 1hem frozen from Ki
Othcaa, n brand of llr:uihan Spectall>' founder ol the 1ruck, which buys 2<10
Foods 111 Norlh Dffgcn. NJ. The compa pounds or Ko.Am's k1mch1 evtry week.
nys prrsidem. CetUho Santos, snid he l~M ....I WO'll"lll"" TUlll:TIWJ
When 1he Konll.n BBQ food 1ruck first
stlls 1he bread 10 15 of the 30 or so Brn s1-:mcd in October 2010, Kum Gane 5.r.m
i1han resttmr:ints in New York a1y. A LARCC ORDCR Hyuk Su l..t.'C mnkcs kimchi for reslnuran~ at the KoAm Food Corpomtion in Flushing, Queens. let J\lr. Song and his partners make
Making k1mchi is the pro\'ince of a 1hei r food in its kitchen. A few months
spcciahs1, hllld Yun 1-1. Park, the prMI la1cr 1he Konlla team started cookmg m
dt'nt of 1wo l chiumi restnuranls, ::t &00 n kitchen o f ils own In Brooklyn.
seo11 place m Monhamm nnd n 400 "They were so su111>0rti\e of our
semer In Edison, N.J.. 1ha1 serve Jnpa truck. and our go..'lls," said Mr. Song,
nc.se illltl Kori'nn food. Mr. Park buys who ate often at Ku m Gan~ $;in while
400 l>OUlldS o( !l08i kimchi, a lradilional growing up i n Oaysidc. "So it 's logical
\'Crston of kimchi. each wctk from the for us to buy their khnchl"
Ko-Am Food Corpormion in Flushing, Nol fnr a"ny, in Corona. Quc.'Cns, 1s
Queens, wht'rc a kilchcn prod~ccs 10 Tortillcria Nix1n..1m\I, ;1 rcstaumrll well
Ynrie11t.'S of lhl' fermcmed \ege1able known for tortillas made from mas.1. a
dish. dough of dried v.hi1c corn that has bttn
1f Mr. Park mes to make his own, " I boiled and soaked in slaked lime nnd
h.3\'C to hire 1wo prople to mnkc kimch1: water, which soliens the c:om and
I h..1\C 10 lure 1K>Ople who spcaah2e 111 makes 1t easier 10 peel - n process
khnch1,M he said. One !kllary is ""'II called nixtam.'\J1zntk>n. The com Is then
finely ground for 1ondL'\ dough.
O\'tr "a U.CC!k, nnd I hzwe 10 buy t~
rna1cna1s. In New York Clt)', most tOrlillM :trC
Wh::u ~1~ resu1ur.uns from roastinc made from a dncd, l)O'o'i"dered version
lheir own ducks 1s oftrn lhe nff'd !or OV called m.i.s.a harina. whkh h:l$ prcser
ens that ttrc ne3rly SIX fe-el high and get vatl\cs and lS less tasty, s:ud ZnreL'I
M hoe as ;50 dcgrttS. Eas1 Oc'tan Pal Martinez. the cookbook nuthor who
nee, \\hkh has ISO seats, ls one of a.half closed her M~nhauan resu111ra111, 7.Are--
dozco klc'al businesses tha1 buy ducks b, earher 1his year. When h eated, the
fro111 Corner ~. a Fluo;hmg restaurant N1x1amal 1omlL1s puff up and toute
1hnt roasts hundrC(ls daily, clearl)'. though subll)'. of com.
~Restm1mms pick up here, nnd 1hey Inside Thr'tilleria N1xtam.1l lrom 4 to
rche:n i1, said Alan Gao, the manager 10 a.m., the 1or11llns IK>P out of o ma
ofCorutr28. chine.
Al 9 one morning, two burnished Can ws 3,000 1omllas an hour, 6,000 to
IOllCS<! roast ducks - 1hc1r 11\Cnt IJlOISI 12,000 ionillas a dny, 7 days a week, :ws
:md deeply n:won:d - hung in the win days a year; snld Fernando Ruiz, a firt.
dow of Corner 2@:, a 1hree-s1ory es1ab fighter and nati\'C of Mexico who
lishmcnt on Mnln S1rc-e1 m 401h Rond. opened N i xtamal i n 2008 \\'ll h his s;irl
Oy II, Uc1i111gstylt: llucks, with cracker friend, Shauna Page. a Conner business
cn'iJ> skin, were at the takrout window consulmnL
as 1Kln of a snnc.k: a s1eamed bun. a "Ou r 11ucnt1on wns 10 be a 1on1Ucria
slice of meal. cmckhng skin, a drop of to New York's Corona, a growmg Mex
hoisln and a soncr o f sh\'Cretl scalhons. lean ne1ghborhood," Ms. Pnge sn1d.
In 1hc base.rnent kitchen, Wnng Wei Wll\llto-'l.1110.Tt<I; ,,....,,ulU.~ II is more th.'\n th:tt Akhtar Nawab.
ymg. the barbc<ue chef. O\'Crsee5 the BUSYOVCNS Hundreds of ducks MC roas1ed each day a t Corner 28 i n Flushing, which suppl ies rest<'lumnl~. 1hc cxecuuvc chef of L.'1 Esquma in
roasting: 2'40 to 2SO docks each wttk Solfo and Cafe de La Esquina In Brook
day, and 300 l)r1 S.'Uurd~ and Sundays. lyn, buys 1onillas from N1x1am.'\l.
The slx:md-.ahalfpound birds arm-c head would slide easily 1hrough n round clea\'tr C\'cry 15 minutes.. The birds wcc. A worker ma.ss.'\jted n cup of dry They're al"'zys hot nnd fresh. (\Jl{!
pl!Xkcd but noc C\'is'r.ucd. On thlS metal collar that h.1 a hook :machcd " ('t'e washed In cold water. mix into lhe duck's caVJt)'. t hen 3 half ther're ''Cry !!Oft,'" he S.'1id ~There's 3
d.'l)". u.orkers - all men - nnsed them Then 1he)' cut off the feet :i.nd dasc:trdcd Each d:i.y Mr. Wang nukes a df)' mix cup of the cooked sauce. lie sk~~rC'd h1tle chew. They"rt> rbky, hkt 3 fine
aod ht'3ptd nbou1 20 on a choppmg t3 the mnards. They worked easily and of aniseed. sugar and salt. and cooks a shut the 'km around 1hc ca\'lly, nnscd French pastry but n more 1>ea.s;int coo
bit. Af1cr rcmO\'mg the wmp, lhc men rhy1hmlcally, f:'\iSttmung a duck m "et m.innade of h01Sm sauce, minced the duck m cold V.'tlter and brusht'\1 11 stnm. and 1hey h~we pockets of mr. and
hacked ulf 1tw So"cr bc:lJc so 1hnt the three mmutes and sharpening the fr~h gmgcr. g.lrhc, coriander and let with a syrnp ot wwgar cooked \l.ith 1hcy smell of com.'"
T
he food cognoscenti like co know the source of Mr. Park buys 400 pou nds of pogi k imchi , a tradition-
their vegetables, fis h a nd meat. Is th at lettuce al version of k imchi , each week from rhe Ko-A m Food
organic? D id that chicken range freely and Corporation in Flus hi ng, Queens, w here a kitchen
merrily during its short life? produces 10 varieties of rhe fe rmented vegerable dish .

Bur consider dishes whose sources are harder to find, If Mr. Park tries to make his own, "I have ro hire two
that a re not farmed or fished but made from scratch, people ro make kimchi; I have to hire people who spe-
and not in gigantic factories owned by Dole or Genera l cial ize in k imchi," he said . "One sa la ry is well over
Foods. T hin k of the C hinese roasted ducks at the East $500 a week, a nd l have co buy the materia ls."
O cean Palace in Fo rest H ills, Q ueens; k imchi at the
What stops restaurants fro m roasting t heir own d ucks
Korilla BBQ food truck; the lightly layered torti llas at
is often rhe need fo r ovens that are nearly six fee r high
D os Toros Taqueria in Ma nhattan; and pfo de queijo,
and ger as hor as 750 degrees. East Ocean Palace,
puffs of Brazilia n c heese bread, at Casa in G reenwich
which has 150 sears, is one of a half-dozen local busi-
Village.
nesses that buy d ucks from Corner 28, a Flushing res-
None of these specialties a re made on the premises. tauranr char roasts hu ndreds d aily.
Despite their authentic flavors a nd signature place on
"Restaura nts pick up here, and they reheat it," said
menus, t hey are turned out - by machine, ha nd or
Alan Gao, the manager of Corner 28.
both - in commercia l kitche ns in Q ueens and New
Jersey that are large but little known . Ar 9 one morning, rwo burnished Ca ntonese roast
ducks - their meat moist a nd deeply flavored -
Restaurants outsource these foods because they are
hung in rhe window of Corner 28, a t h ree-story es-
labor-intensive or requ ire specia l equipment o r sk ills,
tablishment on Main Srreec ar 40th Road. By 11,
a nd because they a re so popu lar they must be pro-
Beijing-style duc ks, with cracker-c risp sk in, were at
duced in bulk, li ke the pfo de queijo.
rhe takeout window as part of a snack: a steamed bun,
"You need a machi ne to bea t the dough; it's rea lly a slice of meac, c rackli ng skin , a d rop of ho isin and a
hard, and you've got to really beat it," said Jup ira Lee, scatter of sli vered sca llions.
the owner of Casa, wh ich sel Is 3 00 of the gol f-ba II-size
In t he basement kitchen, Wa ng Weiying, che barbe-
breads every week. "If you make a sma ll batch for a
cue chef, oversees t he roasting: 240 to 280 d ucks each
home, like a bowl of dough, you ca n ma ke it yourself.
weekday, and 300 on Saturdays and Sund ays.
But if you're maki ng 300 or 400 pfo de queijo, it's a
lot of labor." T he six-a nd-a-ha lf-pound birds arrive pl ucked bur not
eviscerated. O n rhis day, workers - all men - rinsed
So Ms. Lee buys t hem fro zen from K i D elic ia, a bra nd
t hem and heaped about 20 on a c hopping cable. After
of Brazilian Specia lty Foods in North Bergen, N .J.
removing t he wings, rhe men hacked off rhe lower beak
The company's president, Gen'.dio Santos, sa id he sells
so that the head wo uld slide easily through a round
the bread to 15 of the 30 or so Brazilia n restaurants in
metal collar that has a hook attached. Then t hey cut
New York C ity.
off the feet and discarded the in nards. They worked
Ma king k imch i is the province of a specia list, sa id easily and rhythmically, evisce rating a cl uck in t hree
Yu n H. Park, rhe president of two Ichiumi restau- minu tes a nd sharpen ing t he cleaver every 15 m inu tes.
rants , a 600 -seac place in Ma nhatta n a nd a 400-searer The bi rds were washed in cold water.
in Ed ison, N.J., rhar serve Japa nese and Korean food.
W hen rhe Korilla BBQ food truck firsr sra rced in

E
ach day Mr. Wang ma kes a dry mix of an iseed,
sugar a nd salt, a nd cooks a wer mari nade of October 2010, Kum Gang San ler Mr. Song and his
hoisin sauce, minced fres h ginger, ga rlic, cori- parrners ma ke rheir food in irs kirchen. A few months
ander a nd lenuce. A wo rker massaged a cup of dry mi x lam rhe Korilla team started cooking ar a k itchen of
in to rhe duck 's caviry, rhen a ha lf-cup of the cooked its own in Brooklyn .
sauce. H e skewered shur the ski n around rhe cavity,
"They were so supportive of our truck, a nd our goals,"
rinsed rhe duck in cold water a nd brushed ir wirh a
said M r. Song, who ate often at Kum Ga ng San w hile
sy ru p of vinega r cooked wirh maltose. T he duck dried
growing up in Bayside. "So it's logical for us to buy
in front of a fan fo r a ha lf- hour, rhen was roasted at
their kimchi ."
about 500 degrees for 55 minutes.
Not far away, in Coro na, Queens, is Tortilleri a
Just eighr blocks away, on Northern Boulevard near
N ixta mal, a restaura nt well know n fo r tortillas made
Union Srreer, is Ko-Am Food , wh ich shares a base-
from masa, a dough of dried white corn that has been
mem k irchen with irs sisrer business, Ku m Gang San
boiled and soa ked in slaked lime and water, which soft-
restauram . Soon Bo Lee, 63, who directs the cooking,
ens the co rn and makes ir easier to peel - a process
lea rned how to make kimchi ar age 16 in Seoul.
called ni xtamalization. The corn is then fi nely ground
"She lea rned from he r mother, because a woman, be- for tortilla dough.
fore she's ma rried, musr lea rn how to make kimchi,"
In New York C ity, most tortillas a re made from a
said Sang Ji n Kim, Ko-A m's presidem, who interprer-
d ried , powdered version called masa harina, which has
ed fo r his cook.
prese rvatives and is less rasty, said Zarela Martinez,
M rs. Lee a nd a staff of eight men and women ma ke 10 rhe cookbook aurhor who closed her Manhatran res-
rypes of k imchi, mos tly from cabbage (2,70 0 pounds tauranr, Zarela, ea rlier th is yea r. W hen heared, the
a d ay) bur a lso fro m dai kon a nd cucumbers. T he staff N ixtam al torrillas puff up a nd taste clea rly, thou gh
curs rhe vegetables by ha nd. subtly, of corn.

"We rried using a machine, but the machine broke up Inside Torcilleria Nixrama l from 4 to 10 a. m., rhe tor-
the cabbage," M r. Ki m sa id. For all 10 varieties, Mr s. ti llas pop out of a machine.
Lee has a mother sauce of anchovy, kelp, radish and
"Ir's 3,000 torrill as an hour, 6,000 to 12,000 tortillas
onion, boiled in water for rwo hours, then cooled a nd
a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a yea r," said Fernando
tweaked fo r each variety.
Ruiz, a firefighrer a nd narive of Mexico who opened
The most common va riat ion is bright red a nd redo- Nixra ma l in 2008 w ith his girlfriend, Shauna Page, a
lent of ga rlic. Mrs. Lee mixes crushed red pepper, fish fo rmer business consul ta nt.
sauce, sa lted shrimp sauce, fresh on ions and rad ish in
"O ur intention was to be a torrilleria to New York's
a blender, rhen adds ir to rhe cooled sauce a long wirh
Coro na, a growing Mexican neighborhood," Ms. Page
freshly sliced green pepper, sliced radish and garl ic.
sa id .
Pogi kimc hi, using napa cabbages sliced in ha lf verti-
cally, a re d ipped in the chunky marinade, which work- It is more than rhat. Akhta r Nawab, the executive chef
ers also brush onto each leaf by hand. of La Esquin a in SoHo a nd Cafe de La Esquina in
Brooklyn, buys tortillas from Nixtamal.
T he Korilla BBQ food truck, which won a recent
Vendy awa rd fo r rookie of the year, sells bulgogi tacos "They're always hot a nd fresh, and they're very soft,"
topped wirh pogi kimchi, said Edward Song, a fou nd- he said. 'There's a li ttle chew. They're Oaky, like a fine
er of rhe rruck, wh ich buys 240 pounds of Ko-Am's French pastry but a more peasa nt construct, and they
kimchi every week . have pockers of a ir, and they smell of co rn."

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
.-.{",_~,~~'--i;;"T~~ ~~.......,.T- .. - ~ -

THENEWYORKTLMES, SUNDAY, DECEMBER4~ 2011 N}JJ


. ' -

KOREAN BARBECUE
IN A SMOKE -FILLED
ROOM
BY KA HLA COO K

NEW JERSE Y DINING I SOUTll Pli\INFI ELD

Korean Barbecue
In a Smoke-Filled Room

fly KAHL.A COOK uon (~ ::Wou1 that bu~r), every dlS.h TRADITIONAL Korean bn.rbecuc dish
I tnt'd was \'Ct)' good. from the liny ea arc grilltd in the table at Kimchi
TEP 1n10 1hc dining room of Kun

S rh1 Ilana Korc;m..Jap.-.nesc Res


1aumnt In South Plrunfield, and
rfil11 owny you no1ice the s moke.
A row or mas!lve Clth:tust rans seems
to provide more dm 1han ventll:ulon,
fntd ancho-.1cs in 1he beautiful concc-
llOn of Wde dashes (banch:in) served at
the sum of the meal to the l:un b soup
lkhh sesame ICa\'es.
Other rnble f:wontcs included ~
I la1u'I Korc:u1J1'1>anc.c Rcslaurant,
whc1 c Duk Ch1111 g. nrnking a scn
food 1:111akc hi righ1, is the chef.
/\ bov~ lc(1 is ~l~Mned monkli 1h.
but for dinrrs. the fnns l\rC ri good sign: food pancake (hne m ooJ J)3Jun), with
They ~gnlfy Krllhng cqu1pmen1 In Ul shnmp nnd scallions, and a bcauufully
bits below, where SCf"\'t'rs insert buck p~n lt'd rke-v~et!tble combin:i110n
othcrume.)
Cl.$ ot gk>-4 mg coals for gnlhng trad1 ina hoe. s1one pot (lopdol bibtm bap), A The <1uat11y of the food rests " '1th
11onal Korean b.vbKue The gnlts scp- fnm1lysi1c c.i.sserole of steamed monk ll)'OOK Chnnf(.. "hose sb1er opened the
ar:ue- the diners Imo hn\"M and have. fish with SO)'btan sprouts :tnd w:iter restn.ur.ml tn 1986 and sold 1t to htr 11
nots. b.-irbttue or reguh\r. The rqular crHS was alJO :a contender, 1hough the coupJe of years later Mrs. Chang, who
1abln mD\"e fasttt. fish "'+as bony. ( We left the J:ipanese rrune with her lanuly from South Korea
I rttomme:nd bo1h. \\'1th one excrp- mt".nu. Inducting the sushi bar, for an In 1950, SPl'nt hours ptrfecona the fb.
' 'on of each dash at hOmt. she s.bd in :in
interview allcr my VISllS. then s.hartd
1he rtdpn wUh Duk Chunc. the chef
Kimchi Hana TH( UR Brin& )OW own Wlfttor bttr.
f Ht a.&. Lunch hmH.. S9 lO SIL Dulnn"
W :md ~r husb.1nd hired.
Alter her husband's d<-:Hh 11 )~31'5
gra1e. then a ""''
conu:umng the SpM'C
nbs. whteh she arranged on the gnll.
1hwantd by a connoetltt or rules - a
two-item n11n11num pt'r p.vt) to JUSU!y
Korean-Japanese 1TU11:n duhn. S'J to '30. MastttCard. \1sa
:tnd Amtf1Qn Exprns acttpled.
ago, Mrs. Otam; came to value Mr. She rtt urntd OCCMt0nally 10 turn the occupying a b.trbecue table-, and no, t he
Restaurant WHAT wt.llkCO rkd mtatdumphngs.,
Chung'i hanl work and rch:ibdny, nnd meat, ~u u:tlly pronouncing the shrimp could not be cooktd in the km::h
now- p.l'IQ...t he bec;mM: a 1r1ner In 1he business ''h e n. I cnpi1ula1cd, ordenng lhe hot, SptC)'
..............
"01 lbGt)o "-!. .Uld..Dtw.r M4ll

(10l>nur.'7
Ith ptpptn and SC3.lllon~
Jnlood ~t. pnme bttf batbttut.
rmnn:t.ttdspartubb:u~~
1hrtt yean ago.
But back 10 the barbecue: Kunch1
piec~ ready for dressing
Chung's hou.stm3de
Mr.
docnpng (fer
menttd soy paste) :1nd wrnppmg m let
and swtt1 shrimp with g.vlic s.1uce rtt
ommended by the sener, ,,.,th prtdKt
brwbttuit.&Mnband "lkt~soup. llmn.-.deh tr"ttS. tuce~aves. able result.5: too m uch brtadlll&, 1nost ol
WORnt lT Slone pOfl t11bunb;tp. sttamtd rncN11'h our barbtt'Uc 1.:able "''M one m :1 llne She r~ttd the process " nh the 11 soggy,and \'ff)' liUle shnmp rtavor.
nc lf'ACt Nc>lnDl. l?knt Gr.in& room W1th ')'titan SprouU. 5Wttt net' dnnk, of them al the bark oi the bi& d1run1 bulaoga but, v.,th an "ye on thf- scrum of At dH.Sttt ume-. "e skJpped the ttcl
~wmt-pn\'altdonlnlr'OOIM. W' YOU COO Lunch Monday thn:Ju&h Fncby, room . ._,here tht a.moke wu p;inlCUbr bean and &rttn tc;a ttt Cl'TlrnJ. ordenng
repl.airlllbks end a.usbi tm_The~ wa.uJng diners, a.skcd "htther she coukl
lnCMtaftlqlttlaltunch IS'Wr.a.ll;JOa.m.. ly thick. Weonl<r<d bul&O&i (m:>nnAted cook the dUckcn m t.be bade.. We inst~ a s,_.eet dnnJ... Slkh)'t, m3de
r.w..t.\'.CC"pelorlhtpm-.Wtd.lmlclrtm. tol p.m. "1Mf nwm ~'Td llJOa.m. to bed), lbced bontlns chtc:ken and m;in-
Oft one ln"'d, a:.. the 'PK" IS tqbL lO p..m. tc'\'C'ft da)'1 Atmy cl Jhopp:nc ogreed. and $hortly she l>n>ulht the v.itb malt flour, nee and supr. The
n;ued lp.:t.rt nbt ias tntrttS. Just as we gmns ol sticky ntt Oolted amonc tin)'
' caowo ~And cnual. llh IU.n). " " ' " pubnc. Rtwo-.iom acttptd
Olli) b plrUd:of KXCI' marr. ~an our 1weuun - fntd pork
coolced duc:km, ttmO\'Ui the grate and
Cl.I.be$ ol ta!, combint.n.& 1th the ltq\Ud
~; ...."tf'lateOSrtmdyntrorrc, CO>ls and replOC<d the lid. and the t>ble
to make a k>'.ety ~1e deanser. We felt
~tn~wtltn~NJ
tomm. .......
IU.flHCS Dorn MM. Wonrt lt.0."- Don 1 dumphng.s and 1 P'fasa.ntly crunchy
f1ourbastd ~ncali.e 1;1uddcd '14ith hol
?<'PPtt' and sulhons - the server ap-
wa.s as bd0tt. Out knees grew cool
My plan 10 order the l.3rge marinatl'd
equally rcf~hed bier ,_..hen we leh the
smoke--hlk!d room for the de:i.r night rur,
peartd '14ilh the cool buckets :uK1 the shrimp ba.rbue on a second \ '\Sii was
ha\'inge.a1tnsowtll :u K1mch1 lt o.na.
rep into che d in ing room of Kimchi Hana Bur back to the barbecue: K imchi H ana delivers.

S Korean-Japa nese Restaurant in Sout h Pla infield,


and right away you notice the smoke.

A row of massive exhaust fa ns seems co provide more


O ur barbecue rable was one in a li ne of rhem ar rhe
back of rhe big d ining room, where rhe smoke was par-
ticu la rly rhick. We ordered bulgogi (ma rinared beef),
din t han ventilat ion, but for diners, t he fans a re a good sliced boneless chicken and ma rinated spare ribs as
sign: T hey signi fy grilling equipment in rabies below, enrrees. Jusr as we began our appetizers - fried pork
where servers insert buckets of glowing coals for grill- dumpli ngs and a pleasa nrly crunchy flour-based pan-
ing t radirional Korea n barbecue. The gri lls sepa rate cake srudded wirh hor peppers and scallions - rhe
rhe diners into haves and have-nors, barbecue or regu- server appeared wirh rhe coal buckers and rhe grace,
lar. The regular rabies move fasre r. rhen a bowl containing rhe spare ribs, which she ar-
ranged on rhe gri ll. She returned occasionally co rum
I recommend borh. Wirh one exception (more abour
rhe mear, eventua lly pronouncing rhe pieces ready for
rhat larer), every d ish I rried was very good, from rhe
dressing with Mr. C hung's housemade doenj ang (fer-
riny fried a nchovies in the beaut ifu l collecrion of side
mented soy paste) and wrappi ng in lercuce leaves.
dishes (banchan) served ar rhe start of t he meal ro the
lamb soup wirh sesame leaves. She repeated rhe process w irh che bulgogi but, with an
eye on rhe scru m of waiti ng di ners, asked whether she
Other rable favo rires included seafood panca ke (hae
could cook rhe chicken in rhe back. We agreed, and
mool pajun), with shrimp a nd scallions, and a beau-
shorrly she brought che cooked chicken, removed che
t ifu lly presented rice-vegerable combinarion in a hot
grare a nd coals and replaced rhe lid, a nd rhe rable was
scone por (gop dol bibim bap). A fami ly-size casserole
as before. Our knees grew cool.
of steamed monkfish wirh soybean sprours a nd water-
cress was a lso a contender, though rhe fish was bony. My plan ro order the la rge marinared shri mp barbecue
(We lefr the Japa nese m enu, includi ng rhe sush i bar, on a second visit was rhwarced by a confluence of rules
for a nor her ci me.) - a rwo-irem min imu m per parry co justify occupy-
ing a barbecue table, and no, rhe sh rimp could not be
The quali ty of rhe food rests with H yong C hang, whose
cooked in rhe kitchen. I capiculared, ordering t he hoe,
sisrer opened the restaurant in 1986 and sold ir co her a
spicy and sweet shrimp w irh ga rlic sauce recommended
couple of years larer. M rs. C hang, who ca me with her
by rhe server, with predicrable results: coo much bread-
family from Sourh Korea in 1980, spent hours perfect-
ing, most of it soggy, and very li trle shri m p flavor.
ing rhe flavors of each dish at home, she said in a n
interview afrer my visirs, t hen shared rhe recipes with Ac dessert time, we skipped che red bean a nd green
Duk Chung, rhe chef she and her husband hired. tea ice cream s, ordering instead a sweet drink, sikhye,
made with male flour, rice and sugar. The grains of
Afrer her husband 's death 11 years ago, Mrs. Chang came
sticky rice floared among ti ny cubes of ice, combining
co value Mr. C hung's hard work and reliabiliry, and he
wirh rhe liquid co make a lovely palare cleanser. We felr
became a parmer in rhe business rhree years ago.
equally refreshed later when we lefr t he smoke-filled
room for che clear nighr air, having earen so well at
Kimchi Hana.
Kimchi Hana
Korean-Japanese Restaurant

6101 Hadley Road. Middlesex Mall


South Plainfield
(908) 755-0777

WORTH IT

THE SPACE No-frills. 120-seat dining room encompass-


ing semi-private dining rooms. regular tables and a sushi
bar. The restaurant. except for the private dining areas, is
on one level. but the space is tight.

THE CROWD Noisy and casual. with many children;


servers are extremely efficient, headwaiters brusque
when seating customers.

THE BAR Bring your own wine or beer.

THE BILL Lunch items. $9 to $11. Dinner main dishes,


$9 to $30. MasterCard, Visa and American Express
accepted.

WHAT WE LIKED Fried meat dumplings. flour pan-


cake with peppers and scallions, seafood pancake. prime
beef barbecue. marinated spare rib barbecue, chicken
barbecue. lamb and wild sesame soup. stone pot bibim-
bap, steamed monkfish with soybean sprouts, sweet rice
drink.

IF YOU GO Lunch Monday through Friday. including a


special lunch menu. 11 :30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner menu
served 11 :30 a.m. to I 0 p.m. seven days. Plenty of shop-
ping-center parking. Reservations accepted only for par-
ties of six or more.

RATINGS Don't Miss. Worth It, O.K .. Don't Bother.

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
IN THE NEW YORK TIMES
THE NEW YORK TIMES, THURSDAY, JULY 8, 2010 E8

SHE WANTS
MORE THAN HER MTV
BY \IE LE \ :\ HYZ I K

' ' H ave you had a popsicle? T hey're sooo of aspha lr on the Lower East Side, helping sell designer
good," sa id SuChin Pak, known co a T-shirrs and rhose really good ice pops, wh ich come
generation of screa m ing teenagers as in arrisanal Mex ica n flavo rs like horchara and mango
the sweer and c hippe r on-a ir correspondent fo r MT V. con chili.
"Let me buy you one! "
No, Ms. Pak did nor lose her plu m job as a n MTV cor-
It was a sweltering Sunday, a nd Ms. Pak was nowhere respondenr. She still covers events like rhe earthquake
nea r the red ca rpets or green rooms, inrerviewing in H airi and every pop scar's laresr baby bump a nd
Taylor Swifr or spotlighting some d o-gooder youth. broken engagemenr. Bur these days, she has become
Instead , she was walking up and d own a small parch consumed by a side project, one t hat rakes her to every
corner of a newly tre ndy pocket a long the Lower East
Side-Chinatown border, foraging for indie designers
UpO...
a nd boutiques, a nd seeking new flavors like rruffled
She Wants More Than Her MTV pretzels and wild lobster rolls.

Ms. Pak li kes to give credit to her brother, Suhyun, bur


she is the creative fo rce behind the Heste r Srreer Fa ir,
this summer's newest desig ner flea ma rker, wedged
in a lot between a high school athletic field and the
three-acre Seward Park, one of the oldest city-bui lr
playgrou nds in the counrry. Starred in April and ser
ro run nearly yea r round, rhis modern incarnation of
a pedd ler's paradise has been billed as a downrown
_.. _____ __ ___"""'......_..,__._..,__
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vin tage jewelry and refurbished bicycles, plus a rorar-
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ing feast that might include banh mi, wild smoked

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34, said of the fa ir. "For me, right now, ir's rhe mosr
creative rhing that I do."
T
hat says a lot, considering her quirky, un likely T he Paks brought in Ron Castella no, a n architect who
ca reer path. The daughter of conservative, helped design Santos Party House and whose office
religious parents from Korea who spea k little overlooks t he Hester Street space, a nd Ada m Zeller, a
English, Ms. Pak was born in Seoul and moved to rhe TV marketing executive, as parrners. T hey now over-
suburbs of San Francisco at 5. She grew up in a pop see rhe fair's look and irs online promotion. Suhyun
culrure vacuum, fo rbidden to watch television or listen runs rhe d ay-to-day operations, whi le SuC hin, as he
to Western music. H er world was school, church and put it, "puts rhe little touches and rhe cool facto r."
her parents' cafe in downtow n Oakland.
Ms. Pak has been known to sell some of he r own de-
How she ended up on television, on MTV no less, is signer castoffs ar rhe market. She recruited other fas h-
not a story of typical teenage rebellion. Even befo re at- ion insiders to do the sa me.
tendi ng the University of California, Berkeley, where
"I always knew chat one d ay I wou ld ask for a favor
she studied political science, Ms. Pa k spent part of her
from my friends, who are a ll ex tremely well connected
high school years contributing to a n ABC affi liate as
and really too cool fo r school," M s. Pak said. "And
the host of a show called "Straight Talk N ' Teens."
now I'm call ing them li ke, ' Remem ber chat story I d id
("My hair," she said, "was very intense.")
rwo yea rs ago, remember that biog pose I posted? It's
After graduation, she moved to New York to lead a payback time.' " Sway, another MTV correspondent,
short-lived ta lk show, "Trackers," which she described is having his birthday party rhere on July 31, pa rt of a
as " less Bad Girl 's C lu b and more 1 A m Woman parade of fami liar televisio n faces a nd dow n town per-
H ea r Me Roa r," on the then newly launched Oxygen sonali ties who populace rhe fa ir.
network.
Ms. Pak's parents, meanwhile, didn't quite understand
W hen she was 24, MTV recruited her. She has been her des ire to run a flea ma rket. T hen aga in, they srill
there ever since, over the years co-hosting rhe Video watch her TV appearances with the sound off. Bur
Music Awards a nd developing a series about im mi- rhey ca n resr easy: Ms. Pa k does not intend to swap TV
grant li fe. Most recently she has been driving cross- for fu ll-time bazaaring. "We just wa nt to throw a really
country to cover the recipients of grants from Pepsi for great pa rry every weekend here," she said. "Ir's fun."
civic, environmental and arts projects.
Wa lking around the marker, appea ring preternaturally
"I love TV," Ms. Pak said. "I've done ir since I was 16. cool in a ru ffled a nd pleated skirt a nd blouse and flar
I don't have anothe r skill." C ha nel ga rdenia sanda ls, she blended in easily wit h
shoppers looking for vintage clutches or fancifu l ca ke-
But, she added, " It's not a creative game fo r me, it's
pops. She's usually recognized on ly by teenagers.
much more of a busi ness ga me." T he H ester Street Fair
is her outlet. "Every time l get caughr on t he subway around 3 or 4
during the school yea r, ir's definitely d icey," she said .
She and her brother conceived the fair in response to a
"I get a lor of like - yo, are you that girl? Then I have
request from the Seward Pa rk Cooperatives, the sprawl-
to go eight stops wirh them."
ing redbrick towers built by labor and trade un ions in
rhe 1960s, where Ms. Pak has shared a two-bedroom Not that she's complaining. "Ten m ill ion 16-year-old
unir wirh Su hyun , 32, for six years. The co-op wa nred girls would sell their right arm to live the life that I've
ideas fo r the empty lot, which it owns. had," she said.

"Everybody pur in these really lame pitches- dog park This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
or a reflection pond," Ms. Pak said . Having grown up Correction: )1161 25, 2010
going to swap meets in Northern California, she and
her brother im mediately suggested a flea market. T hey An ar1icle 011 July 8 about the Hester Street Fair on the Lower
fast Side misspelled the given name ofone ofthe organizers. He
also envisioned it as an a ntidote to the interchange-
is Suhyun Pak, not Suyhun.
able MozzArepas-a nd-tube-socks fa irs that plague ciry
streets every summer.

"The lase thing we want is a n outdoor mall," Ms.


Pak said. On any given weekend, there are art and
Green marker sta nds, com munity bulletin boa rds a nd
a misting rem. She and her partners have raken pains
to ma ke sure chat the vendors, most from the neigh-
borhood , fill a niche. Many are first-timers, trying our
a second ca reer or passion project. "Our hope is char
they move on to t heir own storefronrs a nd bakeries,"
Ms. Pak said. "We wou ld love to be a launching pad."

Copyright 2010 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted w1lh permission.
THE NEWYORKTIMES, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2010 WEB ONLY

TRADITIONAL
KOREAN STYLE
GETS A FORWARD SPIN
BY AUC E PF EI FFEH

SEOUL
ess mass-ma rketed th an the k imono, the han-

L bok is the trad itional Korean costume of com-


parable del icacy, bu r its centuries-old silhouette
is increasingly in dema nd around the world, from
Buckingha m Palace to Beverly Hills and a few places
in between .

Shore for Ha n-guk pokshik, or Korean attire, a han-


bok comprises two pieces: a bolero-st yle jacker, called
a jeogori, and a voluminous, wrapa round, floor-len gth
skirt, called a chima.

T he attire, predo minantly worn by wome n, also ex-


ists for men with baggy pants, although it is nor as
com mon. It lost some of irs popularity in the 1950s
and '60s in Sourh Korea, during rhe era of intense
America n-influenced mode rnizatio n that followed the
Korean War, fro m 1950 to 1953, when rhe hanbok was
considered old fash ioned.

Yer today, a new generation of upscale hanbok ta ilors,


mainly wome n, a re increasingly being acclaimed by
the med ia.

Lee Young Hee has been praised as Sou th Korea's most


signi fica nt, old-school ha nbok m aker. Since her first
snips in 1977, she has g ready encouraged the intro -
duction of rhe complex garments into a cosmopolita n
luxury markcL
F
irsr influenced by watching her mother work as The museum's di rector, Jong Suk-sun g, said these were
a n embroiderer, she later developed complex, belongi ngs "that she has acquired over a lifetime,"
natural dying techniques by obse rving Buddhist
"Most of her pieces are from the late Joseo n Dynasty,
monks.
covering the period from the 18th ro 20 rh century,"
Today, she has become t he leader in her field , her cus- Mr. Jong continued.
tomers ranging from Miuccia Prada to South Korea's
With its curved lines, loose fir, a mple sleeves and
firsr lady, Kim Yoon-ok. Mrs. Lee's hanboks are enrirely
abundant, flow ing fab ric, t he st yle of that period still
handmade and range in price from $ 1,000 to $5,000.
influences today's hanboks.
It's nor just a modern replica, because she applies
But a new generation of designe rs is reinventing the
Western haure couture tech niques like painting di-
hanbok by rethinking a ncient fo rms according ro
rectly onto fabric.
modern creative criteria.
"The t ime needed to make a hanbok va ries, depe nding
Lie Sang Bong, for example, mixes t hese traditional
o n the intricacy a nd the level of artistry required in the
silhouettes with contem pora ry fas hion twists like large
fina l piece," Mrs. Lee said. "Some of my most ambi-
leather belts and bare arms.
tious pieces h ave taken five years to construct, bur for
a n ordinary h a nbok, I spend 15 days to one month." H is work, which is m ainly in silk, cotton and wool,
ca n sell for as much as $2,000, and he occasiona lly
A lthough she primarily uses sil k, hand-woven ram ie
works on comm issions, like a dress fo r Kim Yu-na, the
known as mosi, sometimes incorporating cotton and
20 10 O lympic figure-skating champion, who is from
linen to create a contrast of textu res, she adm its ro be-
South Korea.
ing "always open ro trying new and unconventiona l
fab rics." Both traditiona l Korean designs a nd culture a re at the
core in Mr. Lie's refere nces: T he designer says he is
Indeed , she also experiments by weaving Hanji , local
inspired a nd moved by the tradit ional fabric, c utt ing,
paper handm ade our of the inner bark of the paper
silhouette, color and d erails bu t also " by the very tra-
mu lberry tree, into the fab ric.
ditiona l Korean elements," li ke the use of the colors
Mrs. Lee says she wants ro de monstrate "modern and red, yellow and blue, ancient Korea n calligraphy, a nd
elegant sensibil ity withi n the frame of the ha nbok 's flower emb roid ery.
fo rma l classicism."
"Korea is my mother country," Mr. Lie said. "I was born
"Today, it is much easier ro wear compa red ro yester- here a nd have lived so fa r, surrounded by this beautiful
year's garment," she said. ground , air, water. It is very natu ral chat my collection
has been natura lly inspired by Korea n elements."
O nce a costume worn on grand occasions, the han-
bok has become a fashion item, and therefo re liberated Yer he is seek ing ro discover " how well I ca n modern-
from ceremo nia l or symbolic constraints. Even fash- ize t he t raditiona l elements ro the Western world. That
ionisras like Pa ri s Hilto n and Britney Spears have been constitutes my endless quest."
attracted ro the it.
"A new generation of ha nbok designers a re comin g our
In 2004, Mrs. Lee fo unded the Lee Young Hee Korea with a n outfit t hat tra nslates modernity in a histori-
Museum in New York C ity, where she shows her per- cally co mprehensible manner," said Kihoh Sohn, fash-
sona l collection of traditiona l costumes, accessories ion editor at Vogue Korea.
a nd books.
T
he magazine wants to encourage these new de-
sig ns wh ile celebra ting nat iona l sartoria l iden-
t ity, M r. Sohn said , so it features a m ini mu m
of t wo stories a yea r entirely ded icated to ha nbok.

Simila rly, the Korea n Fashion Week, which celebrated


its IO th a nniversa ry in October, featured M rs. Lee,
Mr. Lie a nd ma ny other t rad itiona l ha nbok-influenced
designers.

Women grow up "appreciating the beauty of the ha n-


bok from ea rly on," M r. Soh n added.

But hanboks are appeali ng to Western women too be-


cause t hey have "an air of gra ndeur to t hem and ca n be
a great source of even ing wea r," he said .

"And eveni ng wea r is m uch more appreciated in


Western cu ltu re tha n in t he East," he said . As a re-
su lt, Mr. Sohn said, m a ny Eu ropea n d esigners have
a lso been influenced by ha nboks, including Ha ider
Ackermann.

Other ha nbok tailors include Bae Young-jin, who has


chosen to modern ize the ga rments by using mono-
chrome, black a nd whi te materia ls a nd dyes, an ap-
proach acknowledged in 2007 when Queen Elizabeth
II visited her in her boutique nea r Gyeongbokgun g
Palace in Seou l.

M eanwh ile, Kim Young-jin has reinvenced the classic


li nes by using taffeta, silk and lace, and Kim H ee-soo
has introduced da rk shades, hats and ve ils into t he
hanboks.

Mrs. Lee sums up the ha nbok's popularity t his way:


"It is a unique for m t hat is capable of blend ing Korean
trad itional for m s with modern aesthetics."

In other ways, she add ed , South Korea n cloth ing de-


sign is like any other.

" Fash ion is a lways movi ng fas t a nd ever-cha ngi ng,"


M rs. Lee sa id . "People get excited over new trends."

Copyright 20 10 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.


THE NEWYORKTIMES, SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2011 ST13

ESTHER KIM AND


JOSEPH VARET
BY KATE 1'1 HPJ IY

Esther Kim and Joseph Varet

I
t's fitting that Esther Jin Kim and Joseph

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motes the work of perform ing artists. After all, these
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_ been known to drive from farm sta nd to fa rm stand


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to find just the right produce for a picturesque beach
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designer jeans in a glass case rather than using some-
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Mr. Varet was captivated from the moment he first saw

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a nd was a busy Ph.D. ca nd idate in the history of art at
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",_ Columbia University a nd a part-time art dealer, didn't
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IOlllll notice him, despite caking the seat next to his.
' ' Wen I saw her ir was li ke I had been g rounds Escher," Dr. Chun said . "And I think she
working o n this puzzle and someone bri ngs him out of himself."
had suddenly given me rhe answer,"
A few weeks after they began seeing each other, he
said Mr. Varer, who the year before had sold the co m-
made a bold move.
pany he co-founded , LX.TV, to NBC Un iversa l for a
reported $10 millio n. (A broadba nd network and on- They were attendin g rhe Perform a benefit they had
line production compa ny, it is perhaps best known for helped pla n, a nd in midsentence he kissed her.
the programming rhar plays in the back of New York
"I d idn't know what t0 do," M s. K im sa id . "I was ta lk-
taxicabs.)
ing, and he kissed me, and then I continued ta lking
H e had been looki ng for a li ke-minded aesthete to where I left off."
share his life.
Mr. Ya rer said, "Eicher she was ignoring me or obl ivi-
"Joseph ach ieved professionally beyond h is w ildest ous, bur I wanted to make it clea r how I felt."
dreams a nd t hought, Now what?" said his younger
Up to t hat point, she did nor think of him as boyfriend
brother, David Varer. "I think he was final ly ready for
material, much less a potenti al husband , because her
love."
parents wanted her tO marry a Korea n. "I have always
T heir mother, Elizabeth Rosenwa ld Va rer, w ho is rhe been very sensit ive to pleasing my pa rents," she said.
chairwoman of A merican Securit ies Group and g rand-
The kiss, she said, began tO cha nge her attitude, as did
daughter of Jul ius Rosenwald, an ow ner and pres ident
rhe icons next to h is name as she read Gotha m maga-
of Sears, Roebuck & Company, agreed rhar her elder
zine's 2009 " 100 Hottest Bachelors" ran ki ngs. Alo ng
son was ready for love bur added dryly, "I have t h is
w ith a pi le-of-mo ney icon, wh ic h meant he was wealthy,
theory rhar people get ma rried to ger o ut of rhe agony
and a pile-of-books icon, which meant he was smart
of daring."
(he has an undergradu ate d egree from Ha rva rd a nd an
Mr. Varer's interest was piqued by rhe fac t rhar M s. M.B.A. from Columbia), he a lso had an apple-pie ico n,
K im, whose parents immig rated to D a ll as from Seoul wh ich mea nt he was good to rake ho me tO Mom.
shortly before she was born, is Korean. Mr. Va rer's
" l kn ow it sounds silly, bur that rea lly got me ch ink-
friends a nd fami ly said rhat he had lo ng had an affin-
ing," she said. "] rea lly starred wondering if my par-
ity for Asian a rt, cuisine a nd culture a nd had rraveled
e nts, a lthoug h he wasn't Ko rea n, would love h im, too,
extensively in Asia.
for t heir daughter."
Mr. Varer gor M s. Kim's e-mail address from group
Sensing he was making prog ress, a nd after several more
e-ma ils sent our by Performa and began inviting her to
dares, Mr. Ya rer invited himself to visit her in South
d inners in Koreatown as well as to the opera a nd arr
Korea, where she spem her sum mers. Her parents,
ga llery openings. She accepted h is invitations bur on ly
C hang and Susa n K im , have homes in Seoul, D al las
because she had a n ulterior motive.
and Kona, Hawa ii. Bur rwo d ays before Mr. Va rer was
"] t hought he was in tech nology a nd cou ld help se r up sched uled t0 leave fo r Sourh Korea, he had a biking
a Web site for my art deal ing," she said . W hen it be- accident on rhe H udson River bike path a nd fractured
ca me clea r he didn't know much about creating Web his left kneecap. His d ocror advised aga inst travel, but
sires, she tried to discou rage him by telling hi m she Mr. Va rer, in a leg brace, was determ ined .
had a boyfriend in Pa ris (a lthoug h she knew rhar rela-
"I wouldn't see her for eigh t o r nine weeks and knew
tion sh ip wasn't going anywhere). H e was nor deterred.
she'd forger all about me if I did n't go," he sa id.
"H e was pretty persistent," she said. "Bur in a patient
way, nor a n a n noying way." Ms. Kim pushed him arou nd Seoul in a wheelchair. "It
wasn't all t hat attract ive," she said. "My gra ndmother
Friends describe Mr. Yarer's a nd Ms. Kim's perso n-
who had had a stroke could get around better d1an he
a li ties as co mplementary: H e is calm a nd delibera-
cou ld."
tive wh ile she is passionate and sponta neous. "Joseph
B
ur her family was impressed. "They sa id he Mr. Varer gave Ms. Kim a $4 ri ng bought ar a beach
muse really li ke me to go to so much effo rr," she srand; he knew she would wa nt ro desig n her own
said. "H e worked so hard ro ger my arcention." ring.

W hen he rerurned to che Un ired Scares lacer rh ar sum- On April 9, rhe couple stood surrounded by 14 ausrere,
mer, he worked rirelessly co rehabi li tare his knee before plum-colored paintings by rhc abstract artist M a rk
M s. Kim joined him ar his renred summer house in Rorhko at the nondeno mi national Rorh ko C hapel in
the Hamprons. H ousto n. The Rev. Shawn Ka ng, a Presby rerian min-
ister, o fficiated with R abbi Monty Eliasov ta king part
" He was constantly exercising with a pursed brow a nd
in the ceremony. The bride's brother, Abra ha m Kim,
focused sta re - li ke Rocky," said Perc r Fried land, who
played rhe processional on his H awaiian u kulele.
shared the house with Mr. Va rer a nd who has known
him since high school. "This was a Joseph Varet I had After the re!igious ceremony, guests gathered fo r
never seen before. A Joseph in gym cloches. A Joseph a seared Korea n banquet at the Sheraton H ouston
in love." Brookhollow Hotel, owned by the bride's fat her. The
hotel's ballroom had been transformed into what
Everything the rwo of rhem did together chat August
looked like a mod nightcl ub: the floor covered with
was studied and a rtfu l, from rhe particular way they
iridescent white sy nthetic tur f, the wa lls draped with
ground a nd brewed coffee, ro the beach time they
folds of fro rhy, whire fab ric, accented w it h turquoise
spent not sunning or swimming bur painting warer-
and oran ge lighting.
colors to presenr to each orher.
The t rendy ambience contrasted wich rhe Korean pae-
T hey began to sec the beauty in their di fferences.
baek ceremony, during wh ich che couple wore cradi-
"H e's solid where I'm like water," M s. Kim sa id . "I cional silk robes, known as ha nboks, as he carried her
never caught him in a lie." piggyback around the room to symbolize his ability to
support her.
Lase year, rhe couple extended their reach fo r artistic
ex pression and perfec rio n by embarking on a four- The co uple will continue rheir quest fo r artisric adven-
month rrip to Sourheasr Asia to discover the best street rure, o nce back from an African safari honeymoon.
food , something both are passionate abour. They will live in Venice Beach , Cali f., where rhe bride-
groom boughr a rhree-story contemporary rown house.
"We wenr to a ll t he most obscure food carts to ear
Ms. Kim hopes to show and sell arr in a n ex hibition
some of the most bodacious food s imaginable," Ms.
space on the ground floor as she finishes her Ph.D. dis-
Kim said. "It was chat adventurous spirit, whether
sertation, which focuses on the influence of compu ter
we're in LA., Brooklyn, Seoul or Penang, th at pro-
technology on conceprua l a rt.
pelled us ro spend so much time toget her, to explore
and share experiences a nd th at will inspire us to keep She said that a rt, like street food , is a connect ion she
going tomorrow." and Mr. Varer share chat sustains a nd nourishes t heir
relario nship: "It's always changing form a nd creating
The couple concluded their travels w irh a visit during
challenges to old ways of thi nki ng, or savoring, the
rhe Thanksgiving holiday to M s. Kim's pa rents' home
world ."
in Hawaii, where Mr. Va rer proposed in front of sev-
era l family members, includ ing her parents. This rmicle has bew revised to reflect the following correction:

"Before I proposed , I had ro have a sir-down wirh her Correction: M ay 1, 2011

far her, who is very cradirional," Mr. Va rer sa id . " He The Vows column Inst Sunday, about the marriage of Esther
had to make me swear a little. He knew I hadn'r been Kim r111d Joseph Vnret, misspelled the name of a traditional
work ing a nd wa nted to know why." He passed musrer Korean gnrme111. ft is a hnnbok, not hmnbok.
by explaining rhar he was mak ing investments in Start-
up media companies.

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
THE NEWYORKTIMES, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011 WEB ONLY

A WHITE HOUSE
DEBUT FOR DOO.RI
BY EHI CWI LSON

ichelle Obama has nor been entirely co n-

M sistent when it comes to d ressing for state


dinners. Since t he considered choice of a
gold gown by N aeem Khan, a designe r with Indian
roots who is based in America, fo r t he first dinner fo r
rh e pri me m inister of India in N ovember of 2009, she
has mixed thi ngs up, wearing Peter Soronen to a din-
ner fo r the Mex ica n president, and that controversial
Alexander McQueen dress fo r the president of C hina.
She wore another dress by M r. Khan to a dinner for
the cha ncellor of Germ any.

T here is likely to be li t tle co mplaint about her lat-


est choice. For Thursday night's din ner fo r President
Lee Myung-Ba k of Sou th Korea at the W hite H ouse,
in the wake of the free-trade agreem ent approved by
C ongress, she wore a smashing plum one-shouldered
jersey d ress by the Korean-A merica n designer Doo-ri
C hung, which she accented w ith a turquoise beaded
belt. It looked like a colorful evening, with the Ahn
Trio in prima ry colo rs, though Janelle Monae stuc k
with her signatu re tuxedo. "I've always been a fa n of
pu rple, a nd I t hought it was fitting for her," M s. C hung
said in a phone interview Friday morning. "Purple is
rhe color of roya lty, and she wea rs it beaut ifully."

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted w ith permission.
IN THE NEW YORK TIMES
THE GLOBAL EDITION OF THE NEW YORK TIMES, TUESDAY, MARCH JO, 2010 11

A KOREAN
ARTIST 'S ORIGINS,
BY PARACH UTE
BY SO~ I ,\ KOLE \l lKOV-J ESSOP

SINGAPORE

ack in 2003 ac che lncernaciona l Istanbul

B Bienn ia l, th e Korea n a rcist Do-Ho Suh pre-


sented one of his large-sca le fab ric inscallacions
"Staircase (Insta llat ion fo r Poetic Justice)," a red ethe-
rea l fabric staircase suspended from the ceiling and
running t h rough two floors without quite reaching
the ground. T he a nise is now revisiting the idea on a
sma ller scale and in a d ifferent medium. Working in
residency at the Sin gapore Tyler Pri ne institute, Mr.
Suh is creating a staircase in red threads laid over pa-
per pulp.

"Almost a ll my fab ric pieces are suspended from t he


A Korean artist's origins, by parachute ceiling a nd this accentuates rhe sense of gravi ty," he
said . "So here, I've tried to fi nd a way to si mulate lines
th at would almos t be suspended in space, with thread
in pulp and water, because t he way t he water pushes
a nd pu lls the t hread on che pape r crea tes these beauti-
ful lines. The staircase connection is a litera l one, but
in my mind the connection and continuation w ith my
previous installation is d ealing with gravity in two-di-
mensional drawin gs," the artist, who is based in New
York, ex plai ned while recently in Singapore.

T h read , fabrics and sewing have played an important


role in Mr. Suh's sire-specific installations wh ich regu-
larly explore che issue of cultural displacement a nd che
relationsh ip between ind ividua lity a nd collectivism.
orn in Seou l in 1962, Mr. Suh grew up in an ar-

B
The arrisr is now preparing a fa bric insta llation fo r rhe
tistic family. His father, Suh Se-ok, was a pivotal Venice Bicnnale of Arc hitecture (Aug. 29 co Nov. 21),
figure in Korean modern arr for his use of tra- where he will represent the facade of his brownstone
d it ional ink painting in an abstract style. In the 1960s, apartment in New York. H e's also planning a n insral-
many of Korea's rradirional homes were destroyed co larion for rhe 2010 Liverpool Biennia l (Sepe. 18 co
ma ke way for modern buildings, bur Mr. Su h's parents Nov. 18), where he will place a replica of his ch ildhood
had a small, rradirional scholar's house builr of discard- hou se in an empty lot wirh a parachu te and rhe scar-
ed wood from a demolished palace building. rered contents of the house. The Liverpool insra llarion
conti nues work on a rheme that explores a srory Mr.
T his house and irs traditiona l decorative elemenrs have
Suh wrote in 1999 chat resembles rhe opening scenes
become centra l co rhe arrisr's work as he reflects on his
of "The W iza rd of Oz." A Korea n house is lifted by a
own feelings of cu ltural displacement and longing af-
tornado over rhe Pacific, landing in Providence. W irh
ter moving co t he Un ited Scares in 199 1. R ight afrcr his
a parachute slowing its fa ll, rhe house gees stuck in the
graduation from the Rhode Island School of Design
corner of a brownstone bui lding similar co rhe one rhe
in Providence in 1994, he was living in a noisy apart-
arrisr lives in roday.
ment in New York when he rhoughr about recreating
his qu iet Seoul home using translucent orga nza. In "Fallen Scar: Wind o f Destiny," (2006), Mr. Su h
rep resenred t hat Korea n house atop a tornad o of carved
" Jn many ways, rhis was a pivotal piece in my ca reer
Styrofoam and resin, and in "New Beginning," (2006)
because ir was one of rwo o r three major pieces char 1
he showed a large d oll house-like representation of his
did right after school," Mr. Suh said. " l first sewed my
18rh-century apartment in Providence wirh his fa m-
studio a nd made so me samples of che Korea n house."
ily's Korea n home stuck in the middle of it.
Then he goc a gra nt and was able co rea lize the fu ll
version. Mr. Suh is also working on commissions from rwo
American museums. One is fo r the Los Angeles
Two years lacer, Mr. Suh was invited co present four
County Muse um of Arc's Korean ga llery: an in siru
works in the Venice Biennale, wh ich brought him
a roya l folding screen recreated in clear acrylic resin a
international recognition. rn "Some/One," he used
section of the palace where the screen initially would
Korean military dog rags co form a giant imperial robe,
have been housed. For his second museum commis-
and in "Floor," 180,000 fragile plastic fi gures righcly
sion, at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, he is rec-
placed against each orher hold up a glass floor. The
reating a rradiciona l Korean gate, bur is doing so in a
works reflect on rhc power a nd strength of rhe collec-
negative space char visitors can wa lk eh rough. "So here
tive, sometimes ar rhe expense of rhe individual.
it's also about rra nsporring rwo traditional buildings
"A ll of my works really come from che sa me idea. They in Korea to chose insrirurions; ir's also about displace-
all deal wirh space; being a n archiceccural one or a fig- ment of che space a nd cransporcing che space like my
urative one like your persona l space," he said. other fabric insrallarion," he said.

Ar rhe Singapore institute, Mr. Suh has revisited some


of his previo us rhemes bur also explores some new
ones. Several of his new works portray isolated fig ures
with shadowlike fo rms hovering over t hem. They are
" based on che belief chat one is nor exaccly one" but
"many different things - other people's influence,
history, differe nr personalities. Bue you don't sec ir, ir's
invisible," he said .

Copyright 2010 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
THE NEW YORK TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2011 CJ

SHEEP
IN TIMES SQUARE
BY HAN DY K EN ~EDY

ANCEL FRANCO{rll E NEW YORK TIMES

Sheep in Times Square


Joi ning the art carnival that descends on New York during
the annual Armory Show, the huge contemporary art fair that
opens on Thursday, T imes Square is transfor ming itself into a
whimsical sculpture garden. Pieces by Tom Otterness (a huge
bronze mouse, looking as if it has outgrown the subway), Niki de
Saint Phalle (a 10-foot ceramic and glass female figure) and Kyu
Seok Oh, a Brooklyn artist (a flock of sheep made from heavy
paper, above), were unveiled on Tuesday along with two other
sculptures, by Grimanesa Amoros and David Kennedy Cutler.
The works, presented by the Times Square Alliance, will r emain
on view through Monday. Four of the sculptures are installed
around Duffy Square at sites between 46 th Street and 47th
Street. T he sheep, which are presented in partnership with the
West Harlem Art Fund, will be grazing motionlessly for a week
between 45th Str eet and 46th Street near the Marriott Marquis
Hotel on Broadway. No need to feed them. RANDY KENNEDY

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
THE NEW YORK TIMES, FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2011 CJO

VESS ELS OF CLAY,


CENT URIE S OLD, THAT
SPEA K TO MODERNIT Y
BY K E.i\ .1 0 1l ~ SO\'

Vessels of Clay, Centuries Old, That Speak to Modernity


More than most oc.her kinds of The~ ~as organUed by crt'Jte uniform surfDen rncm
an or craft. ccranuc "'Orics an Soyoung l.tt,Dn ~cura Pottry ia (by bhng pottdain or by usmg wide
Sttm unbound by tune. A vase 1ormthe Met'sAsianande-p.1.11-
Mtrropohran Miutum ofArt brushes 10 produce wavy, striat
might be: hundr!J of years old ment, and Stung-c:hang Jt'Otl, f'd Jlterns. These too h:wc a ff"
and yet look as ~ f It were made chief cum tor of lhe Lttum, Sam mnrknbly modernistic look th.'.lt
only decades ago. sung Museum of Art, in Seoul. shO'o'' is n midl~1h<entury cwcr calls to mind cem1mcis1s' re-
KEN Th ll.1'11y bOOIUS< from whkh most or 1he works with o momh shaped like Ddr.1.g sponse~ to Abstmct Exprc~lon

JOHNSON ~:~~~:~
C3.J11C. on's nod n K'fily trul for3 hnndlC". Ism In the 1950s and to Mlnlmillist
There Is nOlhlng ostent3tious Most!) buncheong has the son o( tendtncK"S m the 19605.
-- thtwn)'J)3.int,ca.nvas. about bunchfong, \lohkh e\ol\'t'd unpretentious sculp1ural iupttt In :\dmlmbly lood Qtalog ei>
Rt:~ :~~-~~sv:!:;:. out of the previously popular
ccladon, astyle ch:uaaerized by
that ct'r.unKS by and ror the ptO-
plc ha\'1! hnd since time 1mmcmo
says the exhibitk>n'S curators
raJ.JC 1mrtgulng questions about
caust SOl1le' styles 1>mcticed in its diJllncli"'e jJde grttn glru:cs. rial wh31 1hc bunchcong !lylc me.;uu
the p:sst by forgontn IU1h.ans Bunchee>n.K cok>rs range from Th< be>ulyolbunch<ong. how 10 its creators and consumers..
embody fedmp of b\"t:lmcss and ettant)' \loil.lte to warm shades or ever, lS less an us third dtmensaon \Vh:ll WM ll about the rustlC st) le
unmecb3cy th.:u mock:m :utt5ts black. The"' httltumed forms than 1n Its surfacf' dec-or:.tkln. lls of late bune:htong 1h:11 soap-
love 10 tmul.ltt. are elegantly 11mplc but have a defining ltthnkal feature Is the puled 10 the aristocrats and
A beguiling CJ.Se in point is the comparmi\'tly co.1rsc, homespun "PPlic:ulon of white slip -a coal common people who Avidly ac
collce11on of OOnles, vnses, bowls <1ualU)'. Some bottles have nnr- of viscous white cl"y- 10 1hc qulre<t It'I Did bunchcong crafts
and dishes from the 15th and 161h row mouths with oullllmcd rims grny b:i.sc clll)' of a vessel. Early
ttnlu~ln'"l>ot:tryinO-.y: Ker
men consciously cater to nostal
nnd roundshouldcred. tapering buncheonx c:rahsmen c.1ned or gia ror country life and umes past
rnn Buncheong Ct-nunics from bocbes endlna In Oartd bases. lnased Images lnio lhe bast cL1y the- wJy producers ot raux rut
Lttum.Samsung ~IUSf!Umof Others arc ptM Wptd. ~ and fillfd tM exc3\'JUOM \\1lh liQUK p.Jn"t}'ed by llort:S hb
An,"' 3 beau11ful ttubition at t M are rbskWped boctJes in the slip to crt3te M"3mlessJy inQld Pou cry Dam do today? Did they
Metropolitan Museum of Art. form ot s pheres O:mtned Imo represc111"tions of flo\lo"'t'r'S, fish. fa\'ur a spont:ineou<, Sttming.ly
canteen formi. Dnim-shaped bot birds, trees and other ll31ural mo 031\'C style as an "authentic..
Poe1ry lnCJay: KOf'!On Buncht ales are horizontal cylinders w11h tlf.s. lbty also used stamps 10 im counter 10 more ovcnl)' urb:me
ong Ctramo from Lttum. Som roundcdmds. nv.bmayopen prtSS ftllf'-gmined r~lds ot dou C"Slhcck:s and hfC"Styk's of their
sung Mll.St'Unl of Alf," continues out or tum in to assume squal, andtiny~s.
1111.-.......-.. . . . . ~.'llOf"'1 day?
through Aug. 14 01 lht Mtlropol podlike profi~ Works rt13de by 1his method Mi. Ltt details tt000m1C and
tan Mwt'um of Ml, (112)5357110, nre 1he 1nos1 rnfincd and the ear- A jar in laid , sta mped nnd ironJ>"inted wi1h fid1a nd pc1nls.
Excess ornn~nt Is rare, but n pohtlc.ol friccors 1hnt 111:-iy ha\c
me1museum .org. rcrMrkablc exceptioo in the liest In the show. A 15th-century cncoumgcd A turn to less labor
bottle wilh n scrpen1inc, goulc paucrn1 were mndc b y d mwlnn M1o thcr Bpproa(h wn!C 10 intensive modes or produCtion.
eyed dr:t.gon flying vtildly runong with pointed lnstrumc111J into the brush gestural. black inugery d1 buc she~ she does not think
the clouds inbld in v.1u1e *1th wet Jbp. An ei,gtllinchUlll Oask rtttly onto the dned slip.:\ cech thtyHpbln ~'ff)'thmg.\idem
bl.lck acttntJ on the \"eSSel"S buJ. Wpod bo<tl lrom th st<Ond nique Glllt'd 1r0n-pam11ng. An ly thtte wtte no cnt1cs 3l'OUl1d
bous., gray Upper tuJ.f is ll JO)'OUS h3U ol the 15th ctntury tw a eye--popp1111exampk' is ;a b.1ck then to tluacbte lhe 1$.SUes.
1o1.tdd1ng of dftSSIQlly res1ralned. comk::ll. lumpy dog on itS side la1e- 151h or carlyl 6th-<cntury, But a stltction of buncheong re-
30 form and infectiously nukt ch:u looks :t.sd11 wered mwn by drumSh:\ped bou lc bennnga V1Val ware from the 19th, :?01h
lint.'.ll' draflsmaru.hip. Picasso. On a shmbr boctle from burstmJ.;, loosely symm etrical and 21s t ttniurics by Korean and
As txmcheoris; C\'ol\'ed, ~1 ~ around the same time n ranoon composi1lon or SJlhouettcd peony Jo1>3nc.se 3MIStS intludcd m the
c;tme not mOC"e but lt:ss polished lsh, semlnbstmct L1ncbcal>t' re- blossoms. Matisse would h1we cxh1b\1lon sugxens thnt fantasies
and~ vigorously cxpressm:. sembles a drn"Aing m.ide by Mir6 bttn thrilled by this cho<t0grn of rur.:al lnnoctnce, nmumbsm
Works of this son cspcc:1:llly rcs or Klee ma mood of ch ttrful de- phy ot org;inic exubernnc,, and unbrid~ expressionism are
on:uc wllh 1hc ?O th ccn1ury's dc- lirium. Mo~u of the show's \l.Orks In bunchcong's la1er St:ljtes likely 10 persist wherever and
ligh1 in spootnneity and dln.'Cl exude n happy and e'-en goofy some nn1sts ehminnted Imagery whenever mctropolitrm anx1edes
ness. In m~ny cases Imagery and dispos111on. by d1J>l)lng plccn Into 1he shp to flourish.

M
ore rha n mos r orher kinds of arr or cra fr, A begui ling case in point is the collection of bottles,
ceramic works ca n seem u nbou nd by rime. vases, bowls and dishes from the 15th a nd 16th centu-
A vase m ighr be hundreds of years old and ries in "Poetry in C lay: Korea n Buncheong Ceramics
yet look as if ir were m ade only decades ago. Thar is from Leeum, Sa msung Museum of A rt," a beautiful
pard y because glazed and fired clay does nor show irs ex hibirion ar rhe Metropolitan Museum of Arr.
age rhe way painr, canvas, wood and even stone do.
T he show was orga nized by Soyoung Lee, an associate
And it is partly because some styles pracriced in rhe
curator in t he Met's Asian art depa rtment, and Seung-
past by forgotte n a rrisa ns embody feelings of livel iness
cha ng Jeo n, chief curator of rhe Leeu m, Samsu ng
and immediacy rha r modern artisrs love ro emulate.
M useum of Arr, in Seou l, from which mosr of the
works ca me.
T
here is norhing osrentarious abour buncheong, scape resembles a drawing made by Miro or Klee in a
which evolved our of rhe previously popular mood of cheerful delirium. Mosr of rhe show's works
celadon, a sryle characrerized by irs disrincrive ex ude a happy and even goofy disposirion.
jade green glazes. Buncheong colors range from creamy
Another approach was ro brush gestural, black im-
whire ro wa rm shades of black. The wheel-ru rned
agery direcrly onro rhe dried sli p, a rechnique called
forms are elega ntly simple bur have a compararively
iron-painting. An eye-popping example is a lare-15rh-
coarse, homespun quali ry. Some borrles have narrow
or early-16th-cenrury, drum-shaped borrle bearing
mourhs wirh our-rurned rims and round-shouldered,
a bursring, loosely symmerrical composirion of sil-
capering bodies ending in fla red bases. Orhers are pear
houerred peony blossoms. Matisse would have been
shaped. There are flask-shaped borrles in rhe form of
rhrilled by this choreography of organic exuberance.
spheres flaccened into canteen forms. Drum-shaped
borrles are horizontal cylinders wirh rounded ends. In buncheong's larer stages some artists eliminated im-
Bowls may open out or rum in ro assume squar, pod- agery by dipping pieces inro rhe slip ro creare uniform
like profiles. surfaces resembling porcelain or by using wide brushes
ro produce wavy, striated parrerns. These roo have a re-
Excess orname nt is rare, but a remarkable exceprion
markably modernistic look char calls ro mind cera mi-
in rhe show is a mid-15rh-century ewer with a mouth
cisrs' responses ro Abstracr Expressionism in the 1950s
shaped li ke a dragon's and a scaly rail for a handle.
and ro Min imalisr rendencies in the 1960s.
Mosely buncheong has rhe sorr of unprerentious sculp-
rural aspect rhar ceramics by and for rhe people have In admirably lucid catalog essays rhe ex hibition's
had since rime immemorial. cu rarors ra ise intriguing questions abour whar rhe
buncheong sryle meant ro irs crearors and consumers.
T he beauty of buncheong, however, is less in irs rhird
W har was ir abour rhe rusric sryle of !are bu ncheong
dimension rhan in irs surface decorarion. Its defin ing
rhar so appealed ro rhe arisrocrars and common people
technica l fearure is the application of whire slip - a
who avidly acqu ired ir? Did bu ncheong crafrsmen con-
coat of viscous whire clay - ro the gray base clay of
sciously carer ro nostalgia for counr ry life and rimes
a vessel. Early buncheong crafrsmen carved or incised
past rhe way producers of faux antiques purveyed by
images into rhe base clay and filled the excavarions
scores like Porrery Barn do roday? Did rhey favo r a
wirh slip to create sea mlessly inlaid represenrarions
sponraneous, seemingly na'ive sryle as an "aurhentic"
of flowers, fish, birds, trees and other natural morifs.
counrer ro more overrly urbane esrherics and li fesryles
They also used stamps ro impress fine-grained fields of
of rheir day?
dors and tiny blossoms.
Ms. Lee derails economic and polirical facrors rhar
Works made by rhis merhod are rhe most refined and
may have encouraged a turn ro less labo r-inrensive
the earliest in the show. A 15th-cenrury botrle with
modes of production, bur she says she does nor chi nk
a serpentine, goggle-eyed dragon flying wild ly among
rhey explain everyrhing. Evidenrly rhere were no crit-
rhe clouds inlaid in wh ite with black accenrs on the
ics around back rhen ro elucidare rhe issues. Bur a se-
vessel's bulbous, gray upper half is a joyous wedding of
lecrion of buncheong revival wa re from rhe 19rh, 20rh
classically restrained, 3-D form and infectiously fluid
and 2 lsr centuries by Korean and Japanese anises in-
linear drafrsmanship.
cluded in rhe exhibirion suggesrs rhar fa ntasies of rural
As buncheong evolved, ir became not more bur less innocence, natu ralism and unbridled expressionism
polished and more vigorously expressive. Works of rhis are likely ro persisr wherever and whenever merropoli-
sort especially resonare wirh rhe 20rh cenrury's dclighr ran anxieries flouris h.
in sponraneiry and direcrness. In many cases imagery "Poet1y in Clay: Korean Bu11cheo11g Cemmics Jio111 Leeum,
and paccerns were made by drawing with poinred in- Sa111m11g Museum of Art," comi11ues through Aug. 14 flt rhe
srrumenrs into rhe wer slip. An eight-inch-rail flask- Merropolira11 Museum of Arr, (212)535-7710, 111et11111se11m
shaped bottle from rhe second half of rhe 15rh cenrury .01g.
has a comical, lumpy dog on irs side rh ar looks as if
ir were drawn by Picasso. On a similar borrlc from
around rhe sa me rime a carroonish, semiabsrracr land-

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
THE NEW YORK TIMES, FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2011 C33

A FINE LINE : STYLE OR


PHILOSOPHY?
BY KEN JOI INSON

F
or the hot, t ired and frazzled masses, the Korea in 1936. H e studied painting in Seoul a nd phi-
Guggenheim Museum offers a n oasis of cool se- losophy in Japan, where he moved in 1956.
renity this summe r. "Marking Infinity," a five-
decade retrospective of t he a rr of Lee Ufan, fi lls the Steeped in rhe phenomenology of Merleau-Po nty a nd
H eidegger a nd in Ma rxist politics, he became an ac-
museum rotunda and two side galleries with about 90
tive participant in t he countercultural upheavals of the
works in a Zen-Minimalist, be-here-now vein.
1960s. Ar the end of the decade he was co-founder of
Mr. Lee, 75, is an aesthetic distiller. H e boils rwo- a nd an antirradirionalis r m ovement called Mono-ha, which
three-dimension al arr down to formal and concept ua l rough ly translates as "school of things."
essences. Sculptures consist of ordinary, pumpkin-size
bou lders juxtaposed with sheers and slabs of dark, Examples of Mr. Lee's Mono-ha works here have an
glossy steel. Paintings made of wide brush strokes ex- enigmatic, wry wit. A piece from 1969 called "Relatum"
ecuted in gridded order o n raw canvas exempli fy ten- (Mr. Lee has used this word in rhe titles of most of his
sion between action a nd restraint. three-di mensional works) makes his concerns explicit.
A length of rubber ribbon marked in cenrime ters li ke
A much published ph ilosopher as well as an artist who a rape measure is partly stretched and held down by
divides his rime between Japan and Paris, Mr. Lee has three stones. A stretchy ruler will give false measure-
enjoyed considerable recogniti on in Europe and in the ments, bur are nor all h um an-made measuri ng devices
Far East. Last year the Lee Ufan Museum, a build- similarly fa llible? Here was a parable fo r a rime when
ing designed by Tadao Ando, opened on the isla nd of authoritative represem arions of trut h seemed increas-
Naoshi ma, Japan. ingly unreliable to yout h ful rebels everywhere.
Bur Mr. Lee's reputation has nor extended to the United A work from 197 1 consist ing of seven found boulders,
Scares. This exhibit ion, h is fi rst in a North America n each resti ng on a si mple square cushion on rhe floor,
museu m, gives a sense of why. His art is impeccably fores hadows Mr. Lee's solution. The pillows add acer-
elegant, bur in its always nea r-perfect composure, it ta in anthropomorph ic humor, as if the stones were in-
teeters between arr a nd d ecor. ca rnations of the legendary Seven Sages of t he Bamboo
Grove, whose minds expanded beyond human limits
His sculptures call to mind chose of Richard Serra,
to embrace geological rime. Bur more important, rhe
bur shy away from t he brute physicality of Mr. Serra's
seven rocks pro mpt meditation on our unmediaced ex-
works; his paintings invite comparison to chose of
perience of rhings in rime and space.
Robert Ryma n, bur a re less pragmatically inventive. In
its modernization of classical Asian gestures, his work The problem is char in a museu m seccing it is nex t to
is more suavely stylish t ha n philosophically or spi ritu- impossible to ex perience stones unclothed by culcural,
ally illuminat ing. symbolic associations. We have seen too many rocks
used as landscape ornaments and read too many po-
lr is interestin g to lea rn, rhen, from rhe well-wrirren
ems about chem. Looki ng ac a "Relacum" from 2008,
cata log essay by Alexa ndra Munroe, who orga nized
in which a boulder is placed in from of an 80-inch-tall
the show and is the Guggen hei m's curator of Asian art,
steel place char leans against the wall, the juxtaposition
what a turbulent environment of a rr and politics Mr.
of natu re and culture is too fa mil iar, too formulaic, to
Lee ca me our of. H e was born in Japanese-occupied
be revelatory.
n paintings from rhe last fo ur decades, Mr. Lee has
AA\-.fC.t,l.111'\f_.,.~Q,u...u.HJ. . IUlC"Cl!I""

I
ltt Ufao: Mirking Infinity, o rttrospn-tl\'t at thcGUJCl:tnhtirn Mu.M'um 1ha1u tht/1n 1North Arntrmm mu-
u1jm uh1bl11on/or Mr. l.tt, mrludn '"Nt/(1h<1m si.ltnctb'" (1005), ltfl, nnd '"Dioloj:ut"' (1007),
made the brush st roke h is primary device, often to
optically gripping and ly rica l effect. I n the '70s he A Fine Line: Style or Philosophy?
pursued two approaches, a lways using just one colo r For ttw hot. und and fnazzltd It 1s 1n1ernt.1ng to team, then. the ~Md.:uy Se\'tn 5:'1aH ot tht'
m.i.un.1htGU&&tnhtun Mu- lrom the well-wrmen coU.3.loa tt- BambooCl"O\-e, .,.hose m1ndsu:
per canvas - usually blue, red or black. ~m oHcn an oasis oi cool M:>-
rrmty thl' :summrr. '"Mo1kln~ In
J.l)' by Ale:Dndm Munroe. ho
Of"K3niud 1he Wlow nnd ls the
p:mded be)'Ond huiNn l1m1ts 10
embrace gcoogkal dme. Bui
llnuy." n lhe-decadc n.1rosii Guiu;cnh cim'scumtorof Ashm more 11111>0rurn1, 1he Stl\'tll rocks
t1''" of the 3fC ol Ltt drl, v.hnt !\ t urbulent environ- prompt mtd1tndon on our unme-
In one series he used a pai nt-loaded brush to make hor- KEN Utan. I.US th< mu ment of an and pohoc:s Mr. Lee
ameoutol. Hev.asborn1nJap;t
cha1ed upentncc ol thlnis In
time and i..pxe
JOHNSON ==:::::~" nnC'-OCOJptfd Koru an 1936. llt" TilC: rroblml ls that in a mu
izonta l rows of squa rish marks one after a not her, each seum~ 1lngu is next tolmposst
Rt:~ :~~~~:,:i;;
stud1td painting in Seoul :md phi
~yinJap;in,Yt-hetthc' bk- to upcn~ Slants: un
paler tha n its predecesso r, as the pa int was used up. He httt-ono\Jl'\'nft.
Mr. Ltt. i5,.asan~1het1Cdu
nlO\'td 1n 1956.
Slttped Ul the phtnornenolo&)-
dodlCd b)' cultural. S)1Tlbobc: ;u..
S00.3.lKlftS. We h.1\ e Sf't'R 100
t1lkr. He bods t~ and 1hrC'Ml1 of Mtrleau-Ponty Md llt&dcger many rocks used :u Landscl.pc or-
thereby created gridded fields of sraccaro pattern in g. mcn!lion.i.I n.n down 10 lorm:\I Md and In Marxist poh1ia , he bc-- n:uncnis Md 1tad 100 many po-
contcpturu t~ncrs. Sculptures t3rne:in acuve par1lc1p.1nt In the ems about them. Looking :u a
consist of ordinary. pumpkinll.te rountcrcullur.il uphe:wab of 1~ Rt:L'\1um from 2008, ln whkha
botddtti Juxtaposed wnh 'httt.s 1960s. Al the md of the d('C)i~ IK" boulder is~ an front of an S0-
In orher paint ings he used wide brushes ro ma ke lo ng, wtd 5labs a( darl<_ pouy Mttl was co-foundtt ol :an anutrad1 1nch--taJI slct:I platr 1tw k'ans
Pa.lntmas ~ ol w>de brush lt0ru)hst mmreme-nt c3Jled Mono- agairw the W3ll, the }uxtaposi
vertical stripes, da rk ar rhe rop a nd fading toward the ~rok~ uecutcd In griddtd or
ckron rawanv3.Sexemphfy ltn
ha. v. hkh rou&flly ll"3.nsb1cs 3S
xhool of 1hinp."
tion ol na1ureand tuhurc is coo
fanuh.:ir, 100 fonnu.Jaic.10 be rn-e-

borrom. T hey give rhe imp ressio n of srockade fe ncing '*" bft'ttn acuon and r~
s.anunL
E.umplesdMr. Ltt"SM~
tu works here ha\"'f an tntgrnalte,
btory.
In p;un11np from the Last four
A mLKh pubhshttd phdosophtr Ytr)''n.Apiecefrom 1969alltd dee~. t-.lr. Ltt haJ made tM
obscured near rhe grou nd by low-lying fog. M cllasM :v11s1 whod1v1dcs
tus 11me bct wttn Japan nnd
Rel:uum ( Mr. Lee has used 1llls bnish stroke his prlm."lt)' dcvlte,
often to O(llitally gnppmg o.nd
Pam. Mr. Ll'e has tl\JO)'rd ton- l)TICalerlta. In the "70s he pur
s.dcrnNe rm>gn11ion In Europe sued t"''O approaches. al"''l)'S us-
In t he '80s M r. Lee loosened up his strokes a nd bega n Md In the Far East. LMl )'t:t.r lhe
l.t."t Ul:m t.luseum. abu1k!1ncde
Works so composed ing Just one C'Olor per can\'D.S -
usually blue, red or bladc..
Signed by Thebo Ando, opco:ntd on t hey teeter between lnone~rics heult'dai p:t.int
ro produce a iry, monochrome compositions in a kind theisbndof N~JJpan. a rt a nd d ecor. k>aded bl'\ISh to make horizontal
But Mr. Ltt'J npuw.an tw r'OW'Sol 5Qu.insb nwksoneafter
of Abstract Expressionist sryle d riven nor by emotional not Ulended to the Umtf'd
Suues. Tbas exhlbluon, his rim in
anolher, t'xh P3kT th;m llS J>l"td
tteSSOr. M the p.l.int was ust'd up.
n North Amenc:sn muscum, IJ\"M lie thtrcby created griddtd fields
angst bur by delight in ex iste ntia l fl u x. T h is period a1Cnseolhy. l l1sart is1mJ>
"' ord In the titles of mos-1 of his
lhrtt-dimcnsional works) ma.kn of staccato p.111unin,a.
tJbty ctqan1, but 1.n 1u aJways his concerns ~IC'll. A length of lnocherp.'\inunp heustd
cu lmi nates at rhe end of rhe decade in canvases dense- M>:U-perlea composure, II ttt-
cen bt1wttn an and dkor.
rubber ribbon mar\ed In ntl
mcu~rs hke o utpe measure Is
wide bnuhH t o nlAke long, vttt1
cal s1n1Jtt,cl.'\Tk at the loptmd
1lls sculptures c:ill to mind fading 1ownrd the bouom. TbC>'
ly covered by squ iggly gray marks rhat a rc a mong the 1hoseof Richard Serra. bu1 &hy
p.1rUy strelclled and held down
b)' three s1oncs. A stretchy rultt &;l\"'t the lmpttUion ot stodc.1de
a--ay from the brute ph)'Sta.bty Yt1.U 1we false meawnmtnu. but tmona ob5c:um:l near the
exh ibition's most com pelli ng. of Mr.Sttra'S works; htS pa&nt an not :ill hum3JNn.ie n~r ground by io.4yu11 toe.
U\IS IR\'llt companson 10 lholit ol mg dc!\'K.'H iumil.vly fallible? In the "80s Mr. Ltt ~up
Robert R,yman. but are~ Pro.& l fere wasap;arablcfora11mc hls strokes a.nd began to produce
1na1K3lly ln\tnll\'C. In its mod a.in. monochrome compositions

I
hc:n ou1hori1am e rtprt'$t'ntn
From rhe mid-'90s on, M r. Lee pa red dow n his paint- emlt.aoon ot classtcal Asua.n ses-.
turts, his wori is more su.t\ ely
uons of truth Sttmcd 1nc:rus1n1 in 3 kind of Abstract Expressk>n-
ty unrebable 10 )'OUlhful ttbcb lSI s.i;yle dm-m noc by emodonat
11yhsh 1ha.n pMosophu:nlly or angst but by dtlight In u1stent1ll1
ings, arriv ing fou r yea rs ago at a pa rticul ar modula r i plntually lllum1naung.
cveryv.here.
A work from 1971tonslstlng of flux. This period whnlmucs :tl
st\en found boukkn,each rest the tnd of 1hc dtc.-.de In tanvases
form : a n oversize brush stroke shaped like a slice of "I tt U/o.n; Markin& lnJv11I)'," ma 00 :l f.implc lq\W't rush~ 00 dcnsir:ty co\'ered b)' squiuly gr'3y
ma.rb l!ul art :uncwt& lhe atu'bi-
NIU~ Stpt.13 GI tM C"6- I.be floor, foreshado'A'$ Mr. Ltt'J
tion's mosc compc_lbna..
b read a nd fadi ng from black ro pale gray. H e uses rhis l."tnhf'lln Mwsnim.10111-"ifth ,.\\~
Aue. or &!Uh SZrtti; (211) -411.J.SOO.
soluoon. The pilloYt-s 3dci a ett
lrun Mlhropomorphic humor, a.s From lhcnud"90son.Mr. Ltt
aua;enhitlm.org 1f the stones v.ne 1nQtn.11toos of pared det\'n has p.1.1n11ngs. a.rri\'
device to pu nctuate spa ringly large, otherwise bla n k, m,g fout )'t'US 310 ru a partM:"Ul.:t.r
modubrfonn: :mQ'\Tl"SQe brush
SU'Oll:e Jh.nped bke a sl~ of b1t3d
off-whire ca nvases. H ere, as wirh rhe srone and sreel and fading lrom black to p.'lle
gray. lie utcS t his device 1o pu nc-
works, preciousness tru mps phenomenology. 1uate sp.1rlngly large.otherwi~
btlnk.otf"'hilt'Clll\'.UU. llere.
115 Ytith the' 5t0nt' and $lttl works.
pttdousncss trumps phcnom
Bur somet h ing d ifferent a nd more exciting h appens cnoloj;y.
But someching d1ffttt'nt and
mott uounc h3pptnt in :a sitc--
in a sire-specific work char e nds rhe show. In a n ap- spearac: work that cncb the show.
In an approxunate:fy 1qu.ve
proximately squa re room, Mr. Lee pa inted one of h is room, Mr. Lee p;un1cd one ol his
gm,ybl:1ck modules dfrcc1ly 011
gray-black modu les d irectly on each of t h ree wal ls. A each of three w!l]ls. A surprising
1enst0n bctttn 1he mattnahty
of the paint nnd M llluJJon of
surprising tension bet ween rhe ma reria liry of rhe paint space :m.ses. The modu~ be
COfnt' l1kt tl"lev1s1on w.rttns or
;urpb.ne Yt 1~ affording
and an illusion of space a rises. The modu les become news of tnderirut~. poua.bly lnf.-
rute spxe be)-ond the museum
like television screens or airpla ne wi ndows, affordi ng from Lme; 11 1977 work, ia an example of M r. Ltt'a m~king wa.lls. It m4ktS fora hne tddsng
or the re:.I Md 1he mct.'lphys.ital.
lhe bru sh a1roke hia primAry dcvi<'e over 1he liut four dccndca.
views of indefinite, possibly in fin ire space beyo nd the
museum wa lls. It ma kes fo r a fine wedd ing of t he rea l
a nd the metaphysical.
"Lee Ufa n: Mflrking Infinity ," runs through S1p1. 28 flt rhe
Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth A venue, flt 89th Street;
(212) 423-3500, guggenheim.org.

Copyright 2011 by The New York T1mes Co. Reprmted wtth permission.
THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2011 AR20

SQUE EZING ESSE NCE


FROM A STONE
BY TED LOOS

BRIDGEHAMPTO N, N.Y.

f a n artist is going to create a n installation fo r a

I
o n the East E nd of Long Island. He stud ied huge gray
majo r museum show using o nly a n industri al steel 1,400-po und bo ulders rhar had ro be moved by fo rk-
plate and a rock, the n rhe rock had better be just lift. H e bent down to gaze at brownish med iu m-size
righr. stones, tu rn ing them over to examine them as if they
were precious diamonds.
So ir was rhar Lee Ufa n was standing in a freezing rai n
early rhis spring, ca refull y culling sto nes in a large M r. Lee, a nd rhe half-dozen helpers a nd associates
field d ivided by a muddy driveway at a ga rden cenrer with hi m, had spent rhe previous day picki ng our these
rocks fro m a nearby q uarry, a nd were now ar work o n
m rhe second cur, with rhe goa l of find ing 52 rhar were fir
for t he G uggenheim Museum ex hibition "Lee Ufan:
M arking In finity," w hic h opened o n Friday, his 75 rh
bi rthday. Ir w ill be rhe fi rst large rerrospecrive of his
work in rhe U nited Stares.

T here was something of rhe shaman in rhe sp ry M r.


Lee as he tried to understand t he purpose of each rock.
When excited by a n id ea of how to use one, he would
srarr run n ing across rhe field ro give directions or share
his rhoughrs with a member of his ream.

fi(. "H e can see t h ings we can't see," said A lexandra


M unroe, rhe G uggenheim curator who organ ized rhe
Squeezing Essence
ex h ibition and who was spending several days w irh
From a Stone
him o n rhe hu nt. "When his anten nae go up, it's won-
derful to behold. A nd I've never seen this k ind of en-
ergy com ing off him."

Bur a "Chorus Li ne" moment was imminent; nor a ll


t he assembled stones were going to make it. One, a
taupe beauty with wh itish veins that, w hen slick with
rai n, had the q ua lity of m il k stirred into coffee, was
bothering Mr. Lee.

H e wa lked over to it and sta red at it. It had va rious


paper labels raped to it, p ri nted w ith irs vira l statistics
and rhe wo rk it was being co nsidered fo r: "Relarum,"
formerly "Siruation" (197 1), a series of three screeched
canvases on the floor, each copped by a si ngle stone.

M r. Lee, who was born in Korea and now lives in


Kamakura, Japa n, shook hi s head .
' ' The presence of chis rock is weak," he de- size or posirioning. "Lee always says chac his works are
clared in Japanese. (Two members of hi s nor rhings in space buc rhin gs char acrivare space," Ms.
entou rage were rranslaring.) Someone be- Munroe said.
hind him yelled, " H e's changing stones!" A la rge X in
Mr. Lee's " Relatu m" series bea rs rhe strong scamp of
blue masking cape was applied to rhe rock.
rhe M in imalism a nd Conceptua lism movements of
"It's a funny th ing," M r. Lee said lacer rhar clay. "There rhe 1960s a nd '70s. A philosopher and che auchor of
is no good or bad stone. It just depend s on where ir's 17 books, he was a prime theorise of rhe Tokyo-based
going to be placed. Bue I have a concepr in m ind, and Mono-ha (School of Things) movement of rhe same
I know ir when I see ir. Ma king rhe sclecrio n of rhe era. H e said rhac the origi nal purpose of Mono-h a was
rock - chac is a rr." to "combine w har is made w ich whac is noc made,"
bringing togecher man-m ade m aceria ls and objeccs
"Marking lnfinicy" features Mr. Lee's paintings a nd
with natura l ones, like che rocks, to animace rhe space
drawings roo, bur he is bes r known for rhe continu-
between them in a kind of performa nce.
ing and freque ntly rock-filled series in wh ich every
work , li ke rhe series as a whole, is called "Relatum." M r. Lee's qu arryi ng and culling exped icions generally
Twenty-seven pieces from rhe series a rc being shown last from cwo to five days if he's re-enacting "Rel arum"
ac che Guggenheim, and mosr of rhose have been "re- works for a large exhibicion. H e a ims to captu re local
enacced," in M s. Munroe's word, w ith new macerials; flavor wherever he is, even if the diffe rences among
che orhers are exisring works on loan. che scones in question wouldn't be appreciable to rhe
untrained eye.
"The point of che work is to bring togerher nacure and
industrial society,'' Mr. Lee said as he continued to "The rocks in Tusca ny, France o r England are all dif-
move among the stones. He was referring to pieces like fe rent and a reflection of rhac place," he said . "The
"Relatum - silence b" (2008), in which a rock sics on Hamptons is a greac area for rocks. Ic's my fourch time
rhe floor in front of a sceel place lea ning against a wa ll. comi ng here."
"The viewer is to experience rhe cension berwee n the
As the rain continued , Mr. Lee and his museum e ntou-
rock and rhc steel place."
rage realized char rhey had ro return to che quarry for
H e has made his mark by simpli fy ing and di stilling o ne mo re stone. Once back in rhe rock pie, he scarred
hi s ideas, using as few elements as che conventions of scrambli ng up a pile of boulders.
showing arr w ill a llow. The works require a commir-
"I g rew up in rhe countryside of southern Korea, a nd
ment of concem plarion; they do nor reach o uc and grab
there were a lor of slippery rocks along the riverbed,"
rhe viewer rig hc away.
he said, explain ing his s urefooredness. "I have been
"Ar firsc chey looked casual and unintend ed and with- doin g this a long cime. Of course I have slipped a nd
o ut interest for me,'' said rh e sculptor Richard Serra, fa llen, bur char is part of the process."
who first encou ntered chem in the lace 1970s when he
He pointed to a big g ray rock too big fo r him ro carry;
a nd Mr. Lee shared a ga lle ry in Germany.
ir was pulled o ur by two qu arry employees. "When the
"They're passive," added Mr. Serra , who is famous for stones are too nacural looking, I'm averse to rhac," he
his own mammo th steel consrruccions. " Bur I wa lked sa id. "They shou ld be nacural bur neutral."
by chem eve ry day for months, a nd over rime chey be-
This is che paradox of che rock quesc: Mr. Lee spends
came much more meaningful to me chan some works
a lot of time looki ng for rocks char don't really sca nd
chat intend so hard to elicit a response. You could think
o ur ac all.
rhese objects a lways ex isced togec her. They're ci meless
in rhac way." "le can't be a singular rock," he said. " Jr has to be able
to be interchanged wich ocher rocks."
Especially wirh re-enacted works Mr. Lee w ill some-
cimes change the posirioning of macerials fro m char His scrict selectivicy did noc keep Mr. Lee from acer-
in previous shows, depending on rhe ex h ibirion space ra in anthropomorphic empachy as he went back to
and his mood - a n approach char Ms. M unroe called finish cu lling. When rhe forklifr lowered o ne bo ulder
"'1reranve.
. ,, a nd cracked it in che process, a furrow passed over his
brow. "They have insulted che rock by cracking it," he
"The work is never complere, because chere is no per-
sa id , askin g chc workers to be more carefu l.
fection or complereness," Mr. Lee said. "Maybe ir's be-
cause I'm Asian . O ne day I' ll be happy w ich ic, and rhe Perh aps even chc can rock char lose ics big break ea rly
nexc day I'll want rhe museum to change ir." on had porenrial fo r a future work. Mr. Lee said he was
considering sercin g ic aside: "I feel badly w hen a rock
As che name of rhe series suggests, ir's rhe interplay
is rejccced."
of che elements char counts more chan deca ils of rh eir

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with perm1ss1on. ~
IN THE NEW YORK TIM ES
WHERE W IT AND GENRE
FILMMAI( ING COLLIDE
In '111\. E llA L E

W here W it and Genre Filmmaking Collide


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ou r fearures and a handful of shorrs: chat
llCW" n-..bodl Mlirnil!udvn l1 a1Jobt-'"-'froe"tflll jlf""
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ll~fwllddilol,._..~
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hard ly qua li fies as a mini-festiva l, let alo ne
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11- lwNl'lnll.
Mr a..w..t.tolltnlftlllltl
Cl.audllCt.Or:Mt..llM r ~
Alo l he-'4111<11.iitntb~h a luxurio usly titled retrospec ti ve of a major
ThrM'fMt n_,1~ tf)'ll'ltwlloK.(*111).Uwni'
a.--.tMldriftenewd k\a'lct........... ( I . . ....,.
incernational fil m ma ker. Yer chat's wh at "Monsters
......... .........
-~irMIGot"l!Mtm,_ INfwt",Slr.ltS~K~
._. ......,ttwo.ctiUW lftl.~_,.,,..,._,
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and M u rderers: T he Fil ms of Bong Joon-ho" is.
......,,.........__ _
.................,.. --~s-1111...._
tnOW~-- -~ e1w....,u~.,..

- Begin n ing Thursday n ig ht at the BAMcine matek


da""lf1Jril&'l'S"-u.r,_. tmMnc*'lctwlr-llf'n
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in Brooklyn, this five-d ay series wi ll present the
entire o utput of Mr. Bong, a Korea n w riter-direc-
tor who is o ne of the most seriously entertaining
..iowntt~- lrlbnyOir...,...,. ._ R""Hf.-S....W.. ..
film a rrisrs arou nd .
..........
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tnin.T Sourh Korea n movies rhar have more o n their
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m inds than la n k-ha ired ghosts or baroq ue violence
tlwbr~llwUllot\11
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tht--.-...-. rend ro share a righr set of concerns: corruptio n,
~t"l'....-i.i~ler
O SA~~ftltytum
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1....... lntl, -bolo'IMfnl'S I~
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tow h1'01'\l..-.,lht . .f(U\'("'o
balance of power between women a nd men. T hese
.
,
,
,
~
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dwJr>11t...,.,,..._..W1m-,,1 flow from the d islocations of recent Korea n history,
11Ut11tfll__,..tt'0'1"11~ll1t
w:tioctyanSOlll)'llWMl""I~
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and an economic "m iracle" meant both liberaliza-


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tion and the deterioratio n of tradi tio nal va lues. Fo r


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- .. added spice, there a re always the issues of America n
do mination and sepa rat ion fro m t he North .
...,#1""*'-'"S.""""
hese are Mr. Bong's rhemes as well, bur no lr also benefirs from rhe presence of rhe fearless come-
orher direcror of rhe c urrenr Korean fil m re- d ia n Bae Doo-na as rhe bookkeeper. Mr. Bong rend s
naissance has ha nd led rhem wirh rhe same ro arrracr a high class of acror: M s. Bae reappears as the
sorr of finesse. From his firsr fearure, "Ba rking Dogs aunr wit h a ralenr for a rchery in "The Host" (2006),
Never Bice," in 2000, he has done jusrice ro rhe srory- char rollick ing combination of creature featu re, SARS
rell ing demand s of a va riery of genres - rhe para noid parable, eco-d rama, agirprop a nd dysfunctio nal-fam i-
rh riller, rhe police procedu ral, rhe sca ry-monsrer mov- ly comedy; a nd Song Kang-ho, sta r of a good share of
ie - wh ile wrapping rhem in h is bone-dry, perfectly the most prominenr South Korean movies of the last
calibrared wir. For America n audiences ir's a n unusu- 12 years, brings his ha ngdog charisma ro both "The
ally friend ly combinario n. Hosr" and "M emories of M urder."

"Monsrers a nd M urderers'' includes Mr. Bong's besr- "Murder" (2003) remains rhe besr combinat ion so far
known fi lms, "Memories of Murder" a nd "The Hosr," of Mr. Bong's anarchic impulses a nd h is metic u lous
bur irs highlighrs are a snea k preview of his mosr re- genre craftsmanship. Based on a stri ng of ki ll ings in
cenr release, "Morher," wh ic h opens in New York on a South Korea n village in rhe lare 1980s, it srars Mr.
M a rch 12, and rhe rare opporrun iry ro see "Barking Song as a bumptious loca l cop who relies ent irely on
Dogs." T har fil m opens wirh rhe proclamarion, "No h is shaky instinc ts, a nd Kim Sang-kyu ng as a more
a nimals were harmed in rhe making of rhis film." A sophisricared derecrive who arrives from Seoul ro
series of small, annoying dogs meer or are rhrearened rake over rhe case. "Bra iny geeks like you ca n go to
wich gruesome, if ficrional, end s, bur rhe real violence America," the homerown boy says, settin g up rhe faul t
is done ro human self-esreem . li nes of old versus new a nd small rown versus big city
along wh ich the case will fracrure.
The srory concerns a low-level academic who discovers
rhar bribery is rhe only way ro obrai n a professorship O rher rouchsrones appea r: a call for help goes un-
and ar leasr parrly even rhe play ing field wirh his im- a nswered because a ll rhe exrra cops are off suppress-
perious, more ga infully employed wi fe. Addi ng ro his ing a demonsrrarion; rhe breakrh rough in the case is
rro ubles is rhe incessa nr yapping of a neighbor's dog made by the on ly female officer in the srarion; semen
in rhe high-rise apa rrmenr block where nea rly all rhe sa mples musr be ma iled to America for DNA a nalysis.
acrion rakes place. A sudden opporruniry ro dispose of Beauriful ly composed a nd adroirly paced, rhe film is
rh is per sers in morion a pirch-black comic plor in wh ich suffused wirh a melancholy rhar Mr. Bong, in his sig-
a jan iror wirh a rasre for dog soup and a spacey book- narure rrick, somehow ma rries to low humor. When
keeper wirh a hero complex also figure prominen rly. rhe detectives connecr rhe killings ro a man seen lurk-
ing near a school ourhou se, rhey go ro invesrigare and
T he humor in "Ba rkin g Dogs" is broader rha n rhar
have to push rhrough a crowd in t he schoolyard. Only
of Mr. Bong's larer films - in one recurri ng mo rif
rhe arrenrive viewer will nore, wirh sarisfacrion, rhe
rhe wife hands her husband bags of nurs and orders
reason: ir's rime for a gas-arrack d ri ll.
him ro crack rhem wirh a hammer for her d inner. T he
basic joke: If a Korean man allows ir, he'll be rreared "Monsters and Murderers: The Films of Bong }oon-ho" rum
worse rhan a dog, and probably deserve ir. " Dogs" may Thursday through Monda)' flt the BAM Rose Ci11emm, 30
be m inor compa red wirh rhe eleganr "Memories of Lafayette Avenue, at Ashland Plflce, Fort Greene, Brookf.yn,
(718) 636-4100; schedule: bnm.org. Mr. Bong wi/L nppenrfor
Murder" and rhe h igh-ocra ne " Hosr," bur ir's funny
questions after the 7 p.m. screening of"J\1other" 011 Friday and
from srarr ro finish and showed rhar Mr. Bong's fil ms the 6:30 p.111. screening of "The Host" 011 Smurdfl)'
would nor be characrerized by rhe m isogy ny rhar fi nds
such mulri fa rious ex pression in Korea n cinema.

mJ Copyright 2010 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with perm1ss1on.
, Tl/E l\'EWYORK TIMES, FRID.Ill', ,\MRC/-112, 2010 CR

FIERCE LOVE:
BETTER NOT MAKE
THIS MOM ANGRY
In ~I-\ '\011 LA DAJlC IS

he last monster to run w ild through Bong a li ttle slow, Mother runs exceedingly fast, as you see
Joon-ho's imagination was an enormous crea- shortly a fter the mov ie o pens when , while play ing w ith
ture fro m the watery deep. A differenr men- a dog o ne bright day, Do-joon puts himself in the path
ace scorms t hrough "M other," the fo urth feature from of an o ncomin g BM W, which leaves hi m d azed if nor
this sensationa lly ta lented Somh Korea n filmmaker, particula rly mo re addled.
tho ugh she too seems to spring from unfatho mable
You watch the accident unfold alo ngs ide Mo ther, who
depths. Unlike the beast in "T he H ost" - a cata-
busily chops herbs w ith a big blade in her darkened
strophic byproduct of the A merica n mi li ta ry - the
shop whi le casting worried gla nces at Do-joon as he
monster in "Mother" doesn't come with much of a
goofs off across t he street. From her va ntage point,
backstory, which suggests t hat she is a primal force, in
he looks as cenrered within the shop's front door as a
other words, a natura l.
li ttle pri nce inside a fra med portrait. T he dim interio r
She is and she isn't as Mr. Bong revea ls th ro ugh a and bright exterior on ly accentuate his body - the
kinked narrative and a monumenta l, ferocious perfor- daylight functions as a kind of flood light - w h ich
ma nce by Kim H ye-ja as the title cha racte r. W ritten puts into visual te rms the idea that he is the only thing
by Mr. Bong, shar in g credit w ith Park Eun-kyo, t hat Mother really sees. Mr. Bo ng may li ke narrative
"Mother" o pens as a love story that turns into a crime detours, sto ries filled w ith more wrong turns than a
story before fusing into something of a cri min al love maze, bm he's a born fi lm ma ker w hose images - rhe
story. N othi ng is really certa in here, even the fi lm's spilled water that foreshadows spilled blood - tell
genre, a nd little is expla ined, even w hen the characters more tha n you might initia lly g rasp.
fill in the bla nks. T hough richly a nd believably drawn,
H e's also a film ma ker who find s great, unsettling dark
Mr. Bong's cha racters are often opaque a nd mysteri-
co medy in violence, and once agai n the blood does run,
ous, given to sudden rages, behaviora l blurts and h ic-
if somewhat less generously tha n in "The H ost" and
cups of weird hu mor. But it's this very mystery that
his often brilliant "M emo ries of Murd er." A lthoug h
ca n make them feel terribly real.
Do-joon seems ro recover from his accident, the event
None are truer, more disturbingly persuasive than sets off a c hain of increasingly violent incidents t hat
Mother, who li ves wich her 27-year-old so n, Do-joo n culmin ate in the murder of a loca l schoolgirl, Ah-jung
(Won Bin), in cramped qua rters adjoining her t iny (Moon H ee-ra), whose body is fo und slumped over a
apothecary. Beautifu l a nd strangely c hildl ike, D o- roof wa ll in t he vi llage, positioned , one c ha rac ter says,
joon doesn't seem right in cl1e head: he's forgetfu l, like " lau ndry." Do-joo n is summ arily a rrested fo r the
seemingly naive, perhaps reta rded . (\'V' hen he cries to death after an incrim inatin g golf ba ll is fo und at the
re me mber so meth ing, he violently m assages borh sides scene. Mad w ith grief, Mother sets off to clea r him a nd
of his head in a n exercise th at Mother, wi tho ut appar- begins fu riously rooting around t he village in sea rch of
ent iro ny, ca lls "t he tem ple of doom .") Bue ii he run s the killer.
he hard-poundi ng heart of "Mother," Ms.
Kim is a wonderment. Perched on rhe kni fe
edge between tragedy a nd comedy, her deliv-
ery gives the na rra ti ve - which tend s to dri ft, some-
t imes begu ilingly, someti mes less so - much of its
momentum. A t times it feels as if M s. Kim is actu ally
w illing it, or perhaps M r. Bong, fo rward . Yer while
Mother ca n seem like a caricature of monstrous ma-
ternity ("You and I a re one," she insists to the jailed ~u~.s

Kim Hyc-ja pl;,.ys the combustible tit le role in .. Mother,.. 1hc


Do-joo n) the perfo rmance is eno rmously su btle, filled fourth feat ure f"ilrn by the South Koreon d irector Bong Joonho.

with shades of gray that emerge in ta ndem with the


unwinding investigation . T here are several cri mes in
Fierce Love: Better Not
"Mother," and while none can be justified , Mr. Bong Make This Mom Angry
works ha rd to make sure none a re easily condem ned . TI1c Inst monster 10 run wild
through Bong Joonho's imngl- Mothtr
natlon wns nn enormous crca Opens 011 F'ridny in New Yod: ond
1urc from t he wntcry dee1>. t\ dir-
"Mother" is a curious fi lm, a lternately dazzling a nd fcrcnt menace storms through
l..o! Angeles.
Dlf"tt'd by Bona Joon..ho; wntttn by
"'f\1<Mhcr," the fourth P.lrlr; E11n-kyo and Mr. Bong.bufdon a
frustrating. M r. Bong's virtues as a film maker, includ- MANOHLA feature from this 1.toryby Mr. Boog: d1tt<:torofphocogr.t1
1 111
DARGIS ~~.~:~: ~~;_~~:
phy, llong Kyungpyo: edited by Moon
Sae-t.youna: musk by Lttll)~""""OO :
ing his snaking storytelling and refusal to overexplai n ~ tilmmaker,though JlfodlKUOn~, Ryu Sron.shlit: ~
1umt1 b) Cho.~>~: marual arts by
Review shc.rno seems 10 J ~l\ADoo-~Md lleoM yt"OOg~ :
actions and behaviors, ca n here feel like evasions or spring from uofa1h produced by M oon YAngkWOfl ,~ Woo-
omablc depths. Unlike the beast ~kand Parkl'M'-joon;rd~.uc-dby M~
noba llfctwn. ln ~With En.&1uh
indulgences rather rha n fu lly thought-our choices. in "The I lost"' -n catns1roph ic
byproduct of the American mih
1ary - the monster in ..Mo1hcr'"
.....
subutln.. Running umr: 2 tQln t mtn

T here's a vagueness to rhe film ch ar doesn't feel or- doesn't come wich much or a
WITll : Kim 11)-c-p (MO!hcr). Woo Dm
(Yoon Do-)oon). JinGoo{Jm 1~). Yoon
backstory, which suggests that Jae-moon (Je..mun),Jun Mtwn (~h
ga nic - as if, hav in g created a powerhouse centra l she is n 1>rimal force, in other .un), SongS:w-b-iluk (~taknw Dt-
words, n nn.mrr\I. ltc tW~) and Moon lltt-rn (Moon Ah-
Ju~).
cha racter, he didn't exacrly know what to do wi th her. She Is n.nd she Isn ' t n.s l\1r.
Bong reveals 1hroug h a kinked
narrative ;md a monumental.(~ I l ost " and hi.soften brilliant
T hat said, his visua l st yle a nd the way he mi xes eccen- rocious pcrformnncc by Kirn "'Memories of Murder." Al
Hycja as 1he title character. though Do-joon seems 10 re
t ric rypes wit h the more banal, like a chem ist prepar- Written by Mr. Bong. sharing cover from his accidem.1hc
credit with Park Eunkyo, event sets off a chain of lncrcas
ing a combustible fo rmula, are often sublime, as is Ms. "Moth cropensasnlovestory ingly violent Incidents that cul
that tu'l"ns into a crime story be minate in lhc murder or a local

Kim's turn as the mother of a ll night ma rish mothers, I criminal


Core fusing into something of a
kwe story. Nothing is
schoolgirl, Ah jung (Moon lice
ra). whose body is found
really certain here, even che slumped over n roof 1,1,'all in the
a d read ful m anifestation of a love so consuming it all film's genre, and little is ex
pktinC'd, even when thechnrnc
vii Inge. positioned, one charac-
ter says. like "laundry."' Do-joon
ters fill In the bl:inks. TI1ouc.h Is summarily arrested ror the
bur swallows rhe world. richly nnd believably drawn. Mr. death after nn incrimlmlling golf
Bong's characters nre often b.11! ls found nt the scene. l\fad
opaque and mysterious, given to with grief, Mother sets off to
"Mother" is mred R (Under 17 requires t1ccompt111yi11g pm-ent sudden rages. bchavioral blurts clear him and begins Curiously
and hicc ups of weird humot. But roo1ing around the \'lllnge in
or adult guardit111}. Bloody violence, intirnations ofdepm vity. it's this very mys tery that can
mak e them feel terribly real.
search of the killer.
T he hardpound ing hl'art or
None arc truer, mor e disturb- "Mother,'" Ms. Kim ls a wonder-
ingly persuasive thnn Mother.
MOTHER who hvcs with het 21.year-old
ment. Petthed on the kmfo edge
between tr.tgedy and comedy,
son, Dojoon (Won Bin). in her delivery gives the narr.ttivc
cramped quancrs adjoining her - which l ends todrth.some-
Opens Oil Fridt1y in New York t111d Los Angeles. tiny apothecary. Be:mtiful nnd umes begmhngly, sometimes
strangely childlike. Dojoon less so - much of iis momen
doesn't seem right In the hend: tum. At times it feels ns if Ms.
Directed by Bo Ilg Jooll-ho; written by Park Eu11-k)10 mid Mr. he's rorget ful, seem ingly naive,
perhaps retarded. (When he
Kim is nctually willing it, or per-

Bong, bmed Oil a story by Mr. Bong; director ofphotogmphy, tnes 10 remember something. he
violently mass..,ges both sides of
Hong Kyrmg-pyo; edited by Moon St1e-kyou11g; music b)' Lee his hend in an exercise that
Mother, without opparen1 irony,
A son's a rrest for
Byeong-woo; production clesig11e1~ Ryu Seong-hie; costumes calls "the temple of doom.") Out
if he runs nli11le slow, ~tother
murd er leads to a
by Choi Se-J1eoll; martial t1rts by Jung Doo-hong t1nd Heo runs exceedingly fast, as you sec parent's crusade.
shonly nftcr the movie opens
when, while playing wi1h a dog
Myeong-ht1eng; produced by Mooll Yang-kwoll, Seo Woo-sik one bright day, Do-joon puts
him self in the path of an oncom Imps Mr. Bong, forward. Yet
and Pmk Tt1e-joo11; relet1sed by Mt1gnolit1 Pictures. In Korean, ing DM \V, which leaves him while Mother can seem like a
dazed if not pttrticularly more caricature of monstrous mater
with Ellglish subtitles. Runlling time: 2 hours 9 millutes. addled. nity ("You nnd I arc one," she in
You wntch th e accident unfold SIStS to thcj:Ulcd Do-joon) l he
alongside Mother, who busily performance Is enormously sub
WITH Kim Hye-jt1 (Motlm), Woll Bin {Yoon Do-joon), Jin chops herbs whh 11 big blade in tie, filled with shades of grny
her darkened s hop while CMting that emerge In tandem With the
Goo Uin-tae), Yoon Jae-moon Ue-1111111),Jun Mi-sun (Mi-su n), womcd glances nt Oo-joon :u he unwinding investigation. There
are several crimes in " M other,"
goofs off ncross the street From
Song St1e-bet111k {Sepaktt1kmw Detective} t1nd Moon Hee-ra her \'111ltage poi n1. he looks as ornd wh ile none can be justified,
Mr, Bong v.-orks hard 10 make
ccntercd within the shop's front
(Moon Ah-Jung). door ns a little prince inside a sure none are easily condemned.
framed por1ralt. l11c dim interior "Mo1hcr" ls a curious film, al
and bright exterior only accen- 1c.rnately tlauling and frustrat
tuate hi s body-1hc daylight in1;. Mr. llongs \'inucs ns n film
funcuons as a kind of floodlight mnkc r , lncludmg his s naking sto-
- whic h puts inio visual terms ry1elling and refusal toovcrcx-
the ideu that he is the only thing plnin actions nml l>ehnvlors. c;in
that Mother really sees. Mr. here feel like evasions or indul
Bor1g may like narrative de- genccs rather than fully
tours, stories filled wilh more thoug.ht--0u1 choices. There's a
wrong turns thnn n maze, but vagueness 10 the film 1hn1
he's n born fihnmaker whose im- doesn't f~I organic- ns i f, hm
ages - the spilled watrr thn.t ing created n powerhouse cen
foreshadows spilled blood - tell trnl charncter, he didn't exactly
more than you might initially know what to do with her. That
grasp. said , his visunl style and lhc way
He's nlsoa filmmaker who he mixes eccentric types with
finds great. unsettling dark com- the more banal. like a chemist
edy in violence, nml once nt:ain preparing a combustible romm
the blood does run, i f somcwhnt In, arc often sublime, ns Is Ms.
Jess generously than in "The Kim's turn as the mo1her of all
nlgh1marish mothers, a d readful
mnn i fostation of a love so con
suming it all but swallows the
world.

"Mother is rated R (Under 17


requires accom1xmyit1g parent or
adult guard{c111). Bfoody violenct,
inlimotiorts of depravity.

Copyright 2010 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
THE NEWYORK TIMES, FR.IDAY,JUN!~ 25, 2010 Co

FESTIVA L MOVES TO
FANCIE R BASE
BUT KEEPS ITS
GENRE-BENDING FARE
BY ~ II KE llJ\ LE

Juni: Rrc\Von pla)'S an o.go"1phobic "l'Oman livin.: in an ap.1.r1mc.nt in the South Korean film "'C:a.Jtawoyon the Moon ," one o( 45 offerings in this )"t'u 's New York "\sian Film Fcstiv.al.

Festival Moves to Fancier Base but Keeps Its Genre-Bending Fare


The Nt"' Yor k Asian Film Fes wayt made room for m3n)' other 1hosc "111 be' Krct'ncd at both 1ht "EchOC'S of the Rrunbow," nnothtt ob!e stennno (air klSSM, cn1
U \'al has bttn waving the Ian-boy kinds or fllms.. mcludmg t he art Ja1>an Society nnd 1he Waller Hong Konx 1111. Atcx 1...1w'I ONLINt: Sl lOt SHOW fights, obsessing nbout nge and
nng proudly Since 2002. Ck>ssy hou!t' r:xem.scs its org.inlzers Heade; "'Conlrssk>n'" "' ill bc swttpmg famil)' melodram.1 weight) 3.fld surprising fr:ink
crime dr.unas and horror shows.
martial-ans spectaculars. ma
claim to abhor. Movit's hke
"Kung t-u Chefs" and "Muumt
11oho"' n only at lhe Jnp.in Soclet)', about 1hc t woson'OC a poor lhoe- )t ~~d~~:~~~~::'t:::J In ness, C!Pially Ko llyun-jung,
v. here II OfK'1\S J,tpa.n Cuts on m:il<cr grCN1n1upm1he 1900, 1s storol"Wom3non t he BeOlCh,"
dune-gun-1,1,icklmg Girls Squad'"' will find tllttrown Fntn'O/;
ThursdJ) m&ht.) set to 1ready pop M>n&J. m both "ho ponrays herself - h~Lvloui
MIKE =~;:=~'
aud1enCH: pttStntcd here tS 3 ~h"--a N1(h1t:.-..~s " Orar Doc C.1ntontw and EniJn.h (tht' Mon ly - as h.ird-dnnk1n.g. uuecurr
s.amphn.g of some other Side.: of tor: a J)'lS.toral ~about a \d ktt5' 1 \\'ann.a Be Frtt," Gordon :and mb1dly corn~1 tn-e.
HALE busten lha ~.. ~ .... born the f~l1\1ll'5 schedule. lage doctor"' ho nuy not be '-A"hat UghtJoof1 Pu~)..,,.tlkr<-.t. Cat t)of ChU\C'Secomtdy IJ on dis- An tnurdy dtlfc:rent ~mc:nt
- to shcn\; an the words ol A film v.1lh a foot in both lM he 'ttfN, ls ma r"bcnJJy differ lalls"). II fttls h~e a mu-"C.Jl shot play In ~Sophte's RC"\'C11R;e." an al
na.M Gr.ldyHendnx.ontot~ 1enrt and an-house camps m ol 1M film 1ndamry 11 the subtcct
entst)~. UkeMr. N3kaslunu's on a 1-1a.n1 ~tkht'-'e c\"t'n mou pttfttt knoc:koff of a so-so
ftst1\ill's founders - ha'~ Tctsuya N~1mas eonres- though It~ I drant:a \hr>t Of'I M llC Atnt'f'1Caflrmunliccorncdy
ot 1ht J.1pa.ne$C' director Tc:tsuat.1
l1l0\'lt', hm4C"\cr, n pJ.nnkcs m the Ma1sue's "Annronc Yum1ka"
IC'd the -ay, as the series. ""hle:h J.10ns.; Whd\, U1 3 nK'f!: plttt' of cn1tque of 50Ul1Hs modernny 1ual 11onx Konx tnrttt Simon (crossed v.:11h AmflJe") s1runnx
Sl:irtf'd\mhJUSI ll 1'1l0\1CSat the lmung. has bten the No. I box-of \':un. "'ho~htlpeddd1ne1he 7..1y1 Zhang In lh~Jtnmrt."f' ARIY
(" lfelk> Yunuka'"' in l\ottan),nn
thnt 11 1mphnt In so many Jap.i
An\hok>gy Film Arch1\'l"S. h.as flee hit in Jap.1n for three "ttk..ot role of the qu~ but ~unmenn& 1on.JcnmfC"r G:mlc-rRcnrt' Zell xtual docu~tary thal tune
ncse films. The commenuuy on uons as n mash note 10 U\t' porn
grown 10<15 films :a.nd TflO\-N 10 nmnmg;,hold1ngolf "Iron Ma.n 2"" gnng\ter, her~ pl3)" 1hc dCN n v.:eqerrole.
1hc uptown prccmcts of Uncoln and ""Sex and Lhe OLy 2.." B:u.ed 1roddr11 l31hcr~ hb rAn~ may be A South Kore.1n take on some: star Yum1ka l la)-ash1, v. ho died m
Ccnters Walter Reade Thc~ner. onn novclb) Knn..1c Mmatoa.nd 31am1ed IO litt h1' und)'f'd gr:t)' or
or the l'5Ucs nhenntlon and 200S Ustns:: an obscure Korean
J ApAntse sofl<nre film called
ThJI h.1b1t of gorging on genre being shown lor 1he first ume hair. ktentil)' m1scd by confessions"
fore con1inucs in this ytars fcstl- ou1sl dc Jnpa.n.11's :m elaborate Th.king t lonjt Kon" nosiulx1.1 h1 and Dear Doctor c:m be scen 111 ~Junko: The Tokyo lfouse"' 1fc"
val, lhc nimh, which offic:ially re\'cngc fonUlsy whh 11 1"1s1: the a hgl11cr duttt1011 t "Cinll,1111!C,"' Lee 11.ic-Jtm's "Ca"l..'lW;t)' on lht I\.\ hi\ srnning pomt (and lnchl(I
openJ F"rid:ly nJgh1 'Ait h the llong 1'
pro1agoni<t an ndul1who ex whkh 1Jn kunit fu him bu1 \lollhn Moon," whose Kattan 1\tle trnns- Ing a number of scenes from 11.
Kong marti.ilaru hit "Ip Milr1 2" xts \ cngeance. In a chnka.I and mmtmum of kunx ru. In comedy btcs htcrnlly .n "Kim~ Jibnct. none or 1htm p.-..nlcuLul)' ex
psyc~e:i.Jly S3dl5t1c 1i1;' il)'. on 11 rrom C1emrnt ChcnR nnd Dutk Respond mg 10 1hc hum~h;, 1tons of pbc11). t.lr. ,.1:ttsut trncksd<1"n
Md closesJuly81,1,11h the Kort:3J1
~irorcMdren. KVio"Ok 111 cast of onttnne nl.1n1al dt'bt and bfm&dumpcdby h1i mm who wor ked with , expk>ltcd
1wordpby ~ piece ebdcs
The br1gtu pa)eue and amped a.r1s ..1:ui..1nchtdmx Bruce 1t1rlfnend. a Seoul offtet' v.orktr otnd k>\'f'd Ms.. H.l)~hl, and t\'en
ot Blood." It hasdnvcn ucket up, mUSJC\1dto scyle ?\lr. Leung, Chm Kuan 1.ru J.nd Thddy
53lnCtheope-mngmght screen- trlt'5 10 kill hmudf by jumpmg tra,tJs to South Korra 1o find the
Naluutuma exhibited 1n "Mrmo- Robtn. pby0ntt1tn(' mar1Ul.1ns mto the I I an R1\'C'r,onl)' 10 v.-<1\h dtr1orof Junko. In a ruul
ing is said out) 3nd drawn :men- nesof Matsuko" ("mncr oflhe
tion. resulting m this )'C3f's part heroes now '11.KKtunx 10\\ :an.IM"- 3'hon! on adl'SCMed l"ibm.I m l ht coup he pcn:tmdcs 1ht director
audience award 1111he 2007 festt A acene from 1he J apanese mhty m a nn>-dov. n 1eahou!lol". middle of 1ttcc11y (an nrtu.ll .3nd t he film's male StBtS to film :t
ncrsh1p ~v."ttn Subway Ctnt- \'31) att both 1oncd down in Con Challrnir:cd by the u~uuu v. ho pl.:.ce. nuun121Md Mn n:uurc
11l3, the rour-mancooperatl\'C film ""ConfHJions," dirttlI 1eenc th at was dropped from the
fesslons." "hteh 1sshot mdark want to take O\"Cr 1he propt'M)' J)reSCf\"C), whtre ht' Ul._t~ up rtt
1hat has run 1he restwaJ si nC't' tts blurs andgrnysnnd mO\-cs ""h
by Tc1suy:1 Nnknah ima. orlginalrllO\'te-.
for n'<le\elopmem, they leap 10 1dcntt. Th" urban caD:twny "Ann)"Oflg Yum1k;i,"' m ndt Inn
inception, and 1hc decidedly a grim <uuchncss. One rtturnng 1helr le-et In lhc 1mc1111on;al 'H)'le magically IOCS unoouccd CXCt'Jll
m :unstream Film Society of Lin d1~1i nclly Jap;111He mode or
mo11r as school n11lk can ems flying chnn1.u~ nnd 1rnd111on 1~doublc- 10 procl:um 1he1r 1den1 111~: "I :lrn by an n.goraphOOk ""'moan in rtn
coin Center. But 1hc C\''Cnt has al 1hrou gh th e :ur m slow motion. l'<lgcd: 1hc \'111.:qce l oses somc- the dll)'5hllt doommnl" Ml 11111
)Okey l'nrncsrncss, ls n lark of n
npaMmcnt butktinn on 1hc i-hore.
T he thematic tcrrhory of nlhlhs 1hlng btt<1uJe o f lls docrnr's less- 1hc delivery pt:n.ou of curry 1n .u film wilh n serious. nnd movlns;,
who beg.111' conununlcmlnK \\ 1th
The New York Asia11 Film Fe.slt\'OI 11c Jnpanese l~no~crs and 1heir 1h:m-s1crhnn qunhfkmions. bul 11 undercurr eiu,one 1hn1 btt~ldJ l\J
llurry'I" him vfa nu.~ssages In IJottlcs.
run~/rorn Fnday lhrough July8 frnntic,cnrttr~ parents ruso ~;alns M>tncthlnit f rom Ins Chinn supphC\ ;a rousi,hcr Sl)lc Tu'OOf t hc more .1d~e111uro11'i
Mr. Mat.sue sing~ 1nlndcdly bur
w11h Krttnin.gs al tht \\'altrr 1s nwfully rnmlhar - N:usuo Kiri old fnshloncd personal 1ouch and or comedy tn Cnly Rnter," A hhm 111 the ft'Stivnl are dece1>- rows l1l to M s.. l l t'lyashl'shfc. I t's
Reade Thtattr. 165 Wur 65th no's nO\el "Real World" 15:. close tus....,11lm(tntt~ toh!lil cn. In some "1ldlyco11111hca1t~ f.lrt(' l1fmt"(t 1ively sm1ple eSS.'l.r.JO!l t he na ahou1 l\Ore:l.fl pcrttpc.ion.s or Jop
Sirttt. Lincoln Cenler. (211) 875 analogue- but Mr. Nak.'\Shun~ c:ases 1he idea of {1 doc1or is mort 111 thcCM"il:ll clly of X1:u11e11 that lure of movie m.ig.k. E J yoni:s ancsc wortl('n a.nd :\bout the pncto
5601, and 1he Japan Sot1e1y. m gh>H n nn opernuc 1n1cns1ty. es- ~mporuun 10 hlJ pa1Jc111s peace ~gms nnd ends" 11h b.cyclt' pur "AClrt"SSC"S" b m lhc t1rro ttenrc of being a fr~ i;1>int In Japanese
Eo.sl <fiUt Strttt. Marthouon. pecially in 1ht film's first half or mmd 1h:in tht' reaht}'. but not suns. Many ol 1he i'"il'lers, or the mock documen1.1ry, bu1ll's society. :u the S301t t1mt t hat 11
(211) 115-IZSB; and midnight hour, otn 11wtnl 1\ e :lnd ttne J'IK"CC in C\ cry c=uc. :md that dichotomy drug dealen,., fr.iuds ru\J che:tts enh\ened by 1ht 11x SOu1h Korc- celebr.ncs a profoundly J;tpmlt'St
'~'S cc lhr IFC Ctnrtr. 323 A\'f ol$111j;CSCtLing. SJ>UD M!. N1~h1knw;t"(. lc)\\~kry "ho popul;ate the film t'nd up on women v.hopl;iy l hem5('1\CS, idea lht' npphng drttts, t hrouAh
nue of the Al'IWlCO.S, 0 1 nu.ref ("Confess.ions" 1s one of t'lght 1hrdlc:rplo4 dead. bul m e'cry ca<..e ucctdt'n- <1,;t1p~ly 1a1ticrro on Chns1- many h\'t"S, or something ai
Suw1, Crttn~ich \fil!agfo. f1hn' bcmg prt'SCntcd m con1unc Nos1nlg1;t, 01 suh)ttt of wnlt' IJ.lly : froten 111 a rt'fniera1or mM E,e for a \'09.uc ma_.:azlne <'phemeraJ, and e\en pcrhnps
(111) 9U-i771. ln/onnali4n: uon wnh Japan Cuts: Fesuval ot deb.lie In "IXar Doc:tor," 1s un u vck, l mp."tlf'd In a hlgh<J>ttd pho10 shooC ~y brmx ch.lrm ugly, as "Junlm : The Tbk)'O
.su!m'U)'C:lnt'ma.rom. New J.1panese Film. Some of nb.uh('dly the rul111~ l'mocion 111 SCOOlt-reh;a~ Ye1 ll1\01her,;irtt. and humor rn the hurly pn:'<hCI llomcw1fc."
he New York Asian Film Festival has been Mr. N akashima gives it an operat ic intensity, especia l-
waving the fan-boy flag proudly since 20 02 . ly in the film's first hal f-hour, a n inventive a nd eerie
Glossy crime dramas and horror shows, mar- piece of stage setting.
tial-arts spectaculars, machine-gun-wieldin g school-
("Confessions" is one of eight films being presented in
girls - "the kind of crazed , populist blockbusters
conju nction with Japa n C urs: Festival o f New Japanese
that we were born to show," in rhe wo rds of G rady
Film. Some of those will be screened at bot h t he Japa n
H endrix, one of the fes tival's founders - have led
Society and t he Walter Reade; "Con fessions" w il l be
the way, as the series, which sta rted with just 11 mov-
show n only at the Japa n Society, where it opens Japan
ies at the Anthology Fil m Archives, has grow n to 45
C uts on Thursday ni ght.)
films and m oved to the uptow n precincts of Lincoln
Center's Walter Reade Theater. Miwa N ishikawa's " Dea r D octor," a pastoral ta le about
a vill age docror who m ay not be what he seems, is in a
T hat habit of gorging on gen re fare continues in this
radically d ifferent style. Like M r. Nakash ima's movie,
year's fes tiva l, the ninth, whic h officia lly opens Friday
however, it pa rtakes in the crit iq ue of soulless moder-
night w ith the H ong Kong martia l-a rts hi t "Ip Ma n
nity char is implicit in so ma ny Japanese films. T he
2" and closes July 8 with the Korea n swordplay pe-
commenta ry on change and tradition is double-edged:
riod piece "Blades of Blood." lr has driven ticket sales
the village loses something because of its doctor's less-
(the opening night screening is sold our) and drawn
th an-sterling qu alifications, bur it a lso ga ins som e-
attention, resulting in t his year's pa rtnership between
thing from his old-fas hioned persona l touch a nd h is
Subway C inema, the four-man cooperative rh ar has
w illingness ro listen. I n some cases the idea of a docto r
run rhe fes tival since its inception, a nd rhe decidedly
is more important ro h is patie nts' peace of m ind than
mainstream Film Socie ty of Lincoln Center. Bur rhe
the reality, bur not in every case, and that dichotomy
event has always made room fo r ma ny other kinds of
spurs Ms. N ish ikawa's low-key thri ller plot.
films, including the a rr-house exercises its orga niz-
ers cla im to abhor. M ovies like "Kun g Fu C hefs" a nd Nostalgia, a subject of some debate in "Dear Doctor,"
"Mutant G irls Squad" will find their ow n audiences; is unabashed ly the ruling emotion in "Echoes of che
presented here is a sa mpling of some other sides of rhe Rainbow," another H o ng Kong h it. Alex Law's sweep-
festival 's schedule. ing fam ily melod ra ma about the two sons of a poor
shoemaker growing up in the 1960s is set to treacly pop
A film w ith a foo t in both the genre a nd art-house
songs, in both Ca ntonese and E nglish (the Monkees'
camps in Tetsuya Na kashima's "Confessions," which,
"I Wa nn a Be Free," Gordon Li ghtfoot's " Pussywillows,
in a nice piece of timing, has been the No. 1 box-office
Cat-ta ils"). It feels li ke a m usical shot on a gia nt sou nd -
hit in Japan for three weeks runn ing, hold ing off "Iron
srage, even though its a d ra ma shot on an actua l Hona0
M an 2" a nd "Sex and the C ity 2 ." Based on a novel
Kong street. Simon Yam, who has helped define rhe
by Kanae M inato a nd being shown for the first time
role of the quiet but simmeri ng gangster, here plays
outside Japa n, it's a n elaborate revenge fa ntasy with
the downtrodden fa t her; his fans may be a la rmed to
a rwist: rhe protagonist is a n adult who exacts ven-
see his undyed gray ha ir.
geance, in a clinical and psychologically sadistic way,
on a pair of child ren . Taking H ong Kong nostalgia in a lighter direction is
"Ga llants," which is a kung fu fil m but with a m ini-
The bright pa lette and amped-up, music-video style
mum of kung fu. In comedy fro m C lement C hena 0
a nd
Mr. Na kashima exhibited in "M emories of Marsu ko"
Derek Kwok a cast of onerime martia l-ans srars, includ-
(winner of the audience award at t he 2007 festival) a re
ing Bruce Leu ng, C hen Kua n-ta i and Teddy Robin,
both roned down in "Con fessions," which is shot in
play onetime martia l-arts heroes now slouch ina0 towa rd
dark blues and grays and moves wit h a grim stateli-
senility in a run-down tea house. Challenged by t he up-
ness. One recurri ng moti f is school mil k ca n ons fly ing
starts who wa nt to rake over the property fo r redevelop-
th rough the a ir in slow motion. The thematic terri-
ment, they leap to t heir feet in the traditional style to
rory of nihilistic Japanese teenagers and their fra ntic,
proclaim their identities: "I a m the day shi ft doorma n!"
career-obsessed pa rents is awfu lly fa mili ar - Narsuo
"I a m the del ivery person of 'Curry in a Hurry'!"
Kirino's novel "Real World" is a close analoaue 0
- bur
hina supplies a rougher style of comedy in down men w ho worked with, exploited a nd loved Ms.
"C razy Racer," a wildly co mplicated fa rce H ayashi, a nd even travels to South Korea to find the
filmed in the coasta l city of X ia men chat be- di rector of "Junko." I n a fina l coup he persuades the
gins and ends wit h bicycle pursu its. Many of the ga ng- director a nd rhe film's male stars to film a scene char
sters, d rug dea lers, fra uds and c heats who popu late the was dropped from rhe origi na l movie.
film e nd up dead, but in every case accidentally: frozen
"Annyong Yumika," made in a d istinctly Ja panese
in a refrigerator truck, im paled in a high-speed scooter
mode of jokey ea rnestness, is a la rk of a film w it h a seri-
chase. Yee a nor her va riety of C hinese comedy is on di s-
ous, a nd moving, u ndercurrent, one char builds as M r.
play in "Sophie's Revenge," a n a lmost perfect knockoff
Macsue single-mindedly burrows into Ms. Hayash i's
of a so-so America n romantic co medy (crossed with
life. lr's abour Korean perceptions of Japanese women
"A melie") scarring Z iyi Z han g in the Jenni fer Aniston-
and about the price of being a free spirit in Japanese
Jen ni fe r Garner-Renee Zellwegger role.
society, at the same rime char it celebrates a profoundly
A South Korean rake on some of rhe issues of alien- Japanese idea: the rippling effects, through ma ny lives,
ation and identity ra ised by "Confessions" a nd " Dear of something as ephemeral, and even perhaps ugly, as
Doctor" can be seen in Lee Hae-jun's "Castaway on "Jun ko: The Tokyo Housewife."
t he Moon," whose Korean title tra nslates lite ra lly as
The New York Asian Film Festival rum from Frida)' through
"Kim's Isla nd." Respondin g to t he humiliations of }11618 with screenings at the Walter Reade Theater, 165 West
debt a nd being dumped by his girlfriend , a Seoul of- 65th Street, Lincoln Cente1; (212) 875-5601, and the Japan
fice worker tries to kil l himself by jumping into t he Society, 333 East 47th Street, Manhattan, (212) 715-1258;
Han River, on ly to wash ashore on a deserted island in and midnight shows at the !FC Center, 323 Avenue of the
the middle of t he city (a n actual place, m aintai ned as Americas, at Third Street, Greenwich Village, (212) 924-
7771. information: subwaycinema.com.
a nature preserve), where he rakes up residence. This
urban castaway magica lly goes unnoticed except by an
ago raphobic woman in a n apa rt ment bui ld ing on the
shore, who begins communica ting with him via mes-
sages in bottles.

Two of the more adventurous fil ms in the festiva l a re


d eceptively sim ple essays on the nature of movie mag-
ic. E J-yong's "Actresses" is in the tired genre of t he
mock documentary, bur it's en live ned by rhe six South
Korean women who play themselves, supposedly gath-
ered on C h ristmas Eve fo r a Vogue magaz ine photo
shoot. They bring cha rm a nd humor to the fa irly pre-
dictable scenario (ai r kisses, carfighrs, obsessing about
age and weight) and surprisin g fra nkn ess, especia lly
Ko H yun-jung, sca r of "\Xfoma n on the Beach," who
portrays herself- hilariously - as ha rd-drin k ing, in-
secure a nd rabidly competitive.

An entirely di ffe rem segmem of the film industry is


t he subject of the Japa nese director Tersua ki Marsue's
"Annyong Yumika" (" H ello Yumi ka" in Korea n), an
actual doc umenta ry th at functions as a mash note
to rhe porn scar Yumi ka H ayashi, who died in 2005.
Using an obscure Korea n-Japa nese soft-core film
called "Jun ko: T he Tokyo Housewife" as his start-
ing point (and includi ng a number of scenes fro m it,
none of chem particula rly ex plicit), Mr. Macsue tracks

Copyright 2010 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
I
I
I
THENEWYORKTIMES.. SW'lfD.;Jl',
-
FEBRUARY6,2011 AR13,.AR14

A FINE BALANCE:
THE QUIET LIFE
OF A STAR ACTRESS
BY FHJ\NZ LI DZ

FILM

A Fine Balance:
The Quiet Life PARIS
Of a Star Actress
u n Jung-H ee appea red in the lounge of the

l~~~
_.... ___ ........
,..,
Gra nd Hotel l nterContinental here wearing a
gray wool suit and a silk blouse the color of he-

l!!~
._'. "-==
:~..;:, _ . .--..--
_,.,,. ...... ....,_---
_____ ,_ _____
... ---
......... ....-_
... ___ ..__
-------
liotrope, a grande dame trailing a half-century of Sout h
Korean fi lm history as lightly as a w isp of perfume.
~~15 E~~.:;;; ;F~~~~d _.....- _
-~---..-.-
_.. -
,...,
......
She was on the arm of her husband, t he pianist Kun
------ ~- ..... -..-io. ..-

Woo Paik. They live in the Paris suburbs. "I'm h is sec-


Fine Balance for an Actress, reta ry," Ms. Yun said, fl irtatiously. "I fold his socks."

Maintaining the Quiet Life M r. Paik gazed at his wife with amusement. " Befo re I
leave home on concert tours," he said, "she makes sure
ularity. "I wai11 ed my real hfe 10
From""""'JJ beaqmet life."
I have black socks in my suitcase."
i:my Awnrds - (or the 1h1rd lime. Se\'en }<ears later, In 1m. Ms.
Ms. Yun 1.s onc o( t\orcas Yun did rrseule. m Pans. where
most 1rt:asurtd, dccomltd and she enrolled in B film program
:md commuted to shoots m Asia.
br-lo\"<"d llCl~.- srud Ted Kim,
a Los Angeles-bastd u:ecuth>e n1 "'I rtahxtJ I should h\'C 1.n the He fli nched ar t he memory of the socks char she once
one of Korea's biggest cmcnmn L'\nd of th<' Lum~re br<Mhcrs."
mflll comp.ln1a '"'ltkc M1d\3tl sheiald.
Th:lt san~ }'t:ar Ms. Yun :ind
packed fo r a recital at A lice Tully H a ll in New York.
Jord;us she st~ away from
the game in htt absolute prime."' Mr. Palk, ..,.ho ..,.- ;is born in Stoul
Though Ms. Yun had bttn con and wu then h\ing In NN' York, "They were black, all right," he said, "bur t hey be-
sldettd the frontrunner for best met tit the Natk>nal lllcatcr Mu
ac1r6S at bst )car's C.inn~ nKh dunng a perfonnanc.e of
"Sim Ttong," M ope:ra b.utd on a
longed to our daughter, Jin-hi."
Film Fcsm'ill. the hooor -.-;ent 10
the kM:31 l:l\'Ontc Juhcuc Binoche folk 1a1C a.boot 111 girl v.ho hn~s
for her role In A~ Kfarosta with her blmd r:uhcr.
mi's eemned Copy." "I saw a btauuful !My.'" Mr.
P<llk stud. 1didn"t know she was
Ms. Yun, 66, flas hed rhe wry, w ide smile char illum i-
"Gre.:11 reviews nre bcllrr tli.i.n
pnzes." Mr. l>.lik said. perh.1ps nnactrcs.s."'
spea.kmg from his own c.xpcri M s. Yun s.iid, "I didn't know he nated some 330 fea ture fil ms from 1967 to 1994, t he
ences. '" II would be ."l\\. ful to get was a ptanl.st
pnxes and 1cmble revtews."
Ms. Yun has bttn eaminft nc
She did know the opera's plot,
luwlng just pLiycd 1hc girl 111 n
yea r she stepped out of t he spotlight to fold and pack
rolades sinre her film debut. in mm \"CrstOn. The llCXI night Mr.
1967, a1 2J. Born Imo modest af P.1lk accomp.,nied h er to a fo r M r. Paik. Moviegoers wi ll once again be able to
fluentt In Gwanruu. she n.p- !etttningof the fcamrt.
pc3r('(I in school m usicals and
idolized Audrey Hepburn bul M
"I didn't Stt much of the girl In
lhc mQ\'lt," he said. "I ..,.as too en
glimpse t hat grin in "Poetry," Lee C h a ng-dong's in-
p1red 10 be :t d iplomat. She w."ls chn111cd by 1he bc;1ut1ful Judy m
m;ijonng in his1ory at n. college in 1hc nud!rncr." tricate meditation on arr and empat hy, which opens
Seoul \\hen, on n whun, she nu The couple 111nrril'd in 197-1, and
Ms. Yun scaled b.1c.k her schl'du!e
d111oned for "'Chcongchun Gcuk
jnng,"' ("Sorro,\1111 Youun. n film oon.sidcrnbly. Af1cr a Oacjong Friday in New York.
adaprauon of a popular novel Aw:mlwm nlng turn m 1hc J\ore-
about l\orean rcsi!ilance hghl crs nn Wnr epic '"M:uunub.111g"
during 1hc Jn1)311ese occup:ulon.
Sh(' h ad read the book :'Ind
' ll1e filmnmk cr Lee C hani:
don g im id he w rote "l'oc1ry"
(199 1), she was orrcred - and de-
clln<'d - many proj<'<'1S.
She plays M i-ja, a pensioner in a provincial tow n who
strongly 1dc nt1ficd with one of the As Mr. L~ .1 llO\'CllSI turned
will1 Yun .Jung heo in mind.
d1amc1crs. an exch;mgc s1ml<.nt lllnn11akcr who ~crvcd ns culture
minister of South Korc.i from
signs up fo r a poetry class and struggles to find inspi-
m Tokyo who falls 111 love. "'I felt
as if I could enter h er perwnahty She cssnycd s1rie'I, 1cnchcrs, 2003 to 200~. wro1c "Poetry; he
thn.-ctly," n"Called M<t. Yun, who inxl drwers, n1Rl11cluh si ngers, imagined the mnm character In ration in everyday beauty. Her a ttempts at writ ing are
won the part over 1.200 o ther sham:11t.S :llld k1.S.'\CllJt~. th e J\orc- Ms. 'fun's i mage. llc lntrodul'ed
hopeful!..
While the fl1111 was a Sl'ns:ttion,
:in t.quiv:ilcnt ot gt.1.sh:u. '"Vil
IJ.Jns. not very much," :she s:1ld.
tunuclf to her, nncl onr nigh! O\'Cr
dinner with Ms. Yun and her hus
co mplicated by t he o nset of de mentia, the demands
she WilS somcthln" else again. ouce I w.u a k n o;uu who low:d b.1ml he sht.'<'plshly mentioned
(Al 1h<1 1 111ne In J\Ort"an dnl'nl<t the l-C'recnpl.1y. She was so IL11 of mercy sex fro m the stroke victim she cares for, and
womt>n were mostly lumtcd co 1crro 1hm she acrepted Ille role
roles as housewives or femme fa While grate ful for wnhout e\'en knowmg v.h:u the the news that her sullen teenage g ra ndson, whom she
tales.) Scremnlng tccn:\gc girl s movic w;u about.
mobbed her. T\.'Cnagc boys
her popularity, Yim " I nm hkt- MlJa; she sale!. " I
scra..,. led fan lcuers in bk>od. 1 Jung-hec wanted a d:iydream nnd lose myself In is ra ising herself, was involved in the ga ng rape of a
couldn't lea''t my house," Ms. bcau1y. When l see a Oo....er. I
Yun said. m easure of freedom. st"re:1m wtth toy."
classmate, leading to her suicide.
Not 1ha1 sht" spent much ume S1111ng In the bnght, rury
o.t home. Ourinjf. the '60s ruld 70s a man already married." There loonge of the Grand llott'I, Mr.
Ms. Yun worked on as m.'lny as 50 ~ the $hghcest or p:msc.s. "No. P~uk hs1e11ed 10 his wife with a
rums" }"tar. somet 1m~ thrtt in 3
single day.
m.ike lh..11 SC\'Cl"aJ llntt."S."
Ongin:tlly Ms. Yun pl:mntd 10
look or mhmte 1mdcrs1andmg.
-y~ :tgo 141! went to Vtnlct'.
"To Mi-ja, wrmng poems is importa nt because she's
A mckldmma in the morning. makr 1nrn. 1~ 1n her homeland ror and ~he pl'3c11cally no.11cd
J histonc:al drama in the :tfll'r ll\C yc:in, thcn n'IO\'e to the Urut through 1he cny," he silk.I. "' I felt discove ring the meaning of the world ," M r. Lee said .
noon. n c:onltdy nt m&hl," Mr. ed States and nucnd film s.chool. hke I ..,.-as holding omo a balloon
w1th a 1t11n 1hrtad."'
Paik said. Al one pomt f1\'t' of Ms.
'fun's films played m th<':uers w
'"I was Jtratdulfor 1ht lldor.mon I
rttc1\ l!'J In Kort..&, but I lmd no Mr. Paik cr Oi~ his Jc-gs, rc-- "The pa radox of he r life is char she's leaving the world
mult.mt"OUsly. frffliom. she- SJ..td oC ht-r pop- \~alingabbck scxk.
a nd forgetting t he words."
he paradox of Ms. Yun's real life is that despite O riginally Ms. Yun pla nned to make movies in her
arrempts to remain in the background she is homeland for five years, then move to the United
~ celebrated all over the world. Her performance States and attend film school. "I was grateful for rhe
in "Poetry" has been w ildly praised in Somh Korea, adoration I received in Korea, bur I had no freedom,"
where she was named best actress at the 2010 Daejong she said of her popularity. "I wanted my real life to be
Film Awa rds - that nation's Academy Awa rds - for a quiet life."
the third time.
Seven years later, in 1972, Ms. Yun did resettle, in
Ms. Yun is "one of Korea's most treasu red, decorated Paris, whe re she enrolled in a film program a nd com-
and beloved actresses," said Ted Kim, a Los Angeles- muted to shoors in Asia. "I realized I should live in the
based executive at one of Korea's biggest entertainment land of the Lumiere brothers," she said.
companies. "Like Michael Jordan she stepped away
That same year Ms. Yu n and Mr. Paik, who was born
from the game in her absolute prime."
in Seoul and was then living in New York, met at the
Though Ms. Yun had been considered t he front-run- National T hearer M unich during a performance of
ner for best actress at last year's Cannes Film Festival, "Sim Tjong," an opera based on a folk tale about a girl
the honor went to the local favorire Juliette Binoche who lives with her blind father.
for her role in Abbas Kiarostami's "Certified Copy."
"I saw a beautiful lady," Mr. Paik said. "I did n't know
"Great reviews are berrer than prizes," Mr. Paik said, she was an actress."
perhaps speaking from his own experiences. "It would
Ms. Yun said, "I did n't know he was a pianist."
be awful to get prizes and terrible reviews."
She did know the opera's plot, having just played the
Ms. Yun has been earning accolades si nce her film
girl in a fi lm version. The next night Mr. Paik accom-
debut, in 1967, at 23. Born into modest affluence in
panied her to a screening of t he feature.
Gwangju, she appea red in school musicals and idol-
ized Audrey Hepburn but aspi red to be a diplomat. "I didn't see much of t he girl in the movie," h e said.
She was majoring in history at a college in Seoul "I was too enchanted by the beautiful lady in the
when, on a whim, she auditioned for "Cheongchun aud ience."
Geukjang," ("Sorrowful Youth"), a film adaptation of
a popular novel abom Korean resistance fighters dur- The couple married in 1974, and Ms. Yun scaled back her
ing the Japanese occupation. schedule considerably. After a Daejong Award-winn ing
turn in the Korean War epic "Manmubang" (1994), she
She had read the book and strongly identified with one was offered - a nd declined- many projects.
of rhe characters, an exchange student in Tokyo who
falls in love. "I felt as if I could enter her personality di- As Mr. Lee, a novelist turned film maker who served as
rectly," recalled Ms. Yun, who won the part over 1,200 culture minister of South Korea from 2003 to 2004,
other hopefuls. wrote "Poetry," he imagi ned the main character in Ms.
Yun's image. He introduced himself to her, and one
W hile the film was a sensation, she was something n ight over dinner with Ms. Yun a nd her h usband he
else again. (At that time in Korean cinema women sheepishly mentioned the screenp lay. She was so flat-
were mostly li mited to roles as housewives or femme tered rhar she accepted the role without even know ing
fatales.) Screaming teenage girls mobbed her. Teenage what the movie was about.
boys scrawled fan letters in blood. "I couldn't leave my
house," Ms. Yun said. "! a m like M i-ja," she said. "I daydream and lose myself
in beauty. When I see a flower, I scream with joy."
Not that she spent much rime at home. During the
'60s and '70s Ms. Yun worked on as many as 50 films Sitting in the bright, airy lounge of t he Grand Hotel,
a year, sometimes t hree in a single day. Mr. Pa ik listened to his wife with a look of infinite
understanding.
"A melodrama in the morning, a historical drama in
the afternoon, a comedy at night," Mr. Paik said. Ar "Years ago we went to Ven ice, and she practically float-
one point five of Ms. Yun's films played in rheaters ed through the city," he said. "I felt li ke I was holding
simultaneously. onto a balloon with a thin thread."

She essayed spies, teachers, taxi drivers, nightclub si ng- Mr. Paik crossed his legs, revea ling a black sock.
ers, shama ns and kisaengs, the Korean equivalent of
geishas. "Villains, nor very much," she said. "Once I was
a servant who loved a man already married." There was
the slightest of pauses. "No, make that several rimes."

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
TJJE 1VEWYORKTIMES. FRIDAY, FF.HRUARY.1.1, 201.l CJ, C16
. '

CONSIDER AN APPLE,
CONSIDER THE WORLD
BY MJ\NOllLJ\ DJ\HC IS

WEEKENDArls:::~llNCES FRIDAY. FEBRUARY II, 2011

Consider an Apple, Consider the World


The women Md few men s nnng at again. i nstead 1hne 1n uer~3yoo.rds Poetry \lm Jurt.g-h~e scars in U1is South m1crcs1td In 11.10 undersl.3nd 11," he from an otherwise mundane existence.
their drsks in the film Pottr," hn\~ gau at the nun who has come 10 say ndds. " I hat ls really Sttln& tt. From the if also :i OAo;,y 10 exercise a mind that, 35
Korean film by 1.tt Chang.do~. optmng
open faces Md smiles. somcthir1g to 1hc-m about 3n and maybe
on Friday in .Manhauon.
way 1hc cruncrn seules:on Muri it's C\'I n doc1or tells Mij3. early on. has begun
MANOHLA ~~r~~-~.'"i.'!~~h~.
Life. lns1e3d he holdJ up an apple and dent tluu he could subst itute 1heword to slip slowly t1\1tny from her. Out of fear
1alks about seeing. npplc for womnu - or life. or confusion, she k eeps the diagnosis 10
DARGIS 101hecul1Urnl c.n1cr 10 The Importance o! seeing, seeing the C3<'h strugg.les 10 write 4 single poem, For Mijn, :i 66year-old rnising her herself and almost from herseJf, telling
- - learn. Ptrh3ps because 1hty worl d dttpl y, i s at t he hean of this qui st3tthing memories and enM>11on1 for only trnnt.lson, Wook (Let David), In a neilher \ \'ook nor his mother, who hves
nLM ha,c chosen to be! there, etly devastating, humanistic work from inspir.uion. "Up hi! now, you havrn't crnm~<S. cluttered apanmcnt In an un m anocher city. lns1ead she dons the
RCVICW 1hey d0rt'1 have the look of the South Korean filmmnker Lee seen an apple forrenl," he says in 1hm nnmcd city, lhe J)ursuil of poetry be- poet's cip. " I do have a J)Oet"s vein, she
sullen resentm ent nnd culc l\'Ttted bort- Chnng-dong. TI1roughout 1he story, the first class, as 1he film cuts t o a studen1, comes n p.1s1 ime and then n ll..'lssion and says, chnttering imo her cellphone. " I
dom that glazes the faces of the high teathcr.a bespcct.ndcd man with an M lja (Yun Jimg-hec), slid mg Into a sc:u. tinnily a mc<tns of tmnscendcnce. A t
school students glimpsed now and easy manner. will guide the s1 udents.1s Tu re;;illy know whnt an apple is, to be first, chough, It's a plcnsa111 disarac1ion Continued on Page 16

he women and few men sitting at their desks in about art a nd maybe li fe. Instead he holds up an apple
the fil m "Poetry" have open faces and smiles. and ta lks about seeing.
T hey're good pupils, these older people who
The importance of seeing, seeing rhe world deeply, is at
have come to the cultu ral center to learn. Perhaps be-
t he heart of this quietly devastating, huma nistic work
cause they have chosen to be there, they don't have the
fro m the South Korean filmmaker Lee C hang-dong.
look of su llen resentment and cultivated boredom rhar
T h roughout rhe story, the teacher, a bespectacled ma n
glazes the faces of rhe high school students gli mpsed
with an easy man ner, wi ll gu ide the students as each
now a nd again. I nsread rhese latter-day bards gaze
struggles to write a single poem, search ing memories
at rhe man who has come to say something to t hem
and emotions for inspiration. "Up rill now, you haven't
seen an apple for real," he says in rhar fosr class, as rhe Th is cruelty doesn't exist in isolation, as becomes obvi-
film curs ro a smdenr, Mija (Yun Jung-hee), slidi ng ous when the fa ther of one of the other accused rapists
inro a sear. "To really know w hat an apple is, ro be contacts M ija and sweeps her off roan afternoon meet-
inreresred in ir, ro undersra nd ir," he adds, ''rhac is re- ing at a restaurant. Together, he and fo ur other fathers
ally seeing ir." From rhe way t he ca mera secrles on M ija have decided - w ith the school 's blessing - ro give the
it 's evidenr chat he could subscim re rhe word apple for dead girl 's mother a la rge sum of cash, a bribe for her
woman - or life. silence. What's done is done, one man more or less says,
as another pours the beer. ("Ladies firsr," he says, of-
or M ija, a 66-yea r-old raisi ng her only grand-
fering Mija a glass.) "Although I feel sorry for the dead
so n, Wook (Lee David), in a cra mped, clurre red
girl," a fat her says, "now's the t ime for us ro worry abour
aparrmenr in a n unnam ed ciry, the pursuir of
ou r own boys." H er face empty, M ija sits word lessly.
poetry becomes a pasrime a nd then a passio n and fi-
A nd then she drifts outside, opens her linle norebook
na lly a mea ns of transcendence. Ar first, rhough, ir's a
and begins wriri ng: "Blood ... a flower as red as blood."
pleasa nr distraction fro m a n orherwise munda ne exis-
tence, if also a way ro exercise a mind rhat, as a docror Out of pa in, M ija finds a way ro see, really see the
cells Mija early on, has begun ro sli p slowly away from world, wirh its flowers, rusrling trees, laughing people
her. O ur of fea r or con fusio n, she keeps the diagnosis ro and cruel ries, a nd in doing so turns realiry inro arr,
herself and almost from herself, celli ng neirher Wook rragedy into the sublime. It's a n extraordinary trans-
nor his mother, who lives in anorher c ity. Instead she formatio n, o ne that emerges th rough seem ingly un-
dons the poet's cap. " I do have a poet's vein," she says, connected na rrative fragments, tenderly observed
chatte ring inro her cel lpho ne. " I do like flowers and momenrs and a for ma l rigor that mig hr go unnoriced.
say odd things." Yet everything pieces rogether in rhis heartbreaking
film - motifs and ac tions in the opening are mi rrored
She seem s so unremarkable, thi s woma n with her white
in the last scenes - includ ing flowers, chose that be-
hats, tidily arranged sca rves a nd va nity. But like this
witch M ija ourside the restaurant and chose in a vase
subtle, transfixing film , she draws you in. C rucial in
ar the dead girl 's ho use. T he river chat flows in rhe
this respecr is Ms. Yun's performance, a rour de fo rce
openi ng shot srrea ms th rough the lasr image roo, less a
of emotiona l complexity that builds th roug h rescrainr
c ircle rhan a continuum.
and, like Mr. Lee's unado rned visual style, ea rns rather
rha n demands your attentio n . (H is ea rlier features in- Ar one po int, Mija asks her poetry reacher with al-
clude "Secret Sunshine.") T he shabby rooms and or- mosr comic in nocence, "When does a 'poeric inspira-
dina ry srreers in "Poetry" a re shown w itho ut fanfare, tion' co me?" It doesn't, he replies, you mus t beg for ir.
more li ke statements offacts than pieces of an evolving "Where must I go?" sh e persists. H e says that she m ust
narrarive. Yet it's the prosa ic qua lity of rhis world, its wa nder arou nd, seek it out, but that it's there, right
ordi nari ness, that makes the srory's shocks reverberare w here she stands. In truth, there is poetry everywhere,
so forcefu lly, beginning with rhe revelatio n rhar Wook includi ng in those who pass th rough her li fe, at rimes
and fi ve friends, all boys, have been implicated in the invisibly, like the ha ndicapped retiree (K im Hira) she
death of a classmate, a girl first seen floatin g face d own cares fo r pan t ime, a hu sk of a man whom she w ill at
in a river in the open ing scene. lasr a lso see clea rly. The quesrion rhar she doesn'r ask
is the why of a rr. She doesn'r have ro because rhe film
The re's a mesmerizing qua li ty ro char sequence, wh ich
- irself a n exa mple of how arr allows us ro rise our of
begins w ith an image of rushing warer, parrl y because
ourselves ro feel for a nother through imaginative sym-
- like rhe young chi ld on rhe ri ve rbank whose view-
pathy - a nswers th at question beautifully.
point you sha re - you initia lly ca n'r make ou t whar ir
is thar you're looking ar until rhe body floars inro rhe Poetry
frame in close-up. The corpse belongs to a tee nage girl Opem 011 Friday in J'vfanhattan.
who accused so me classmates of having se rially raped
Writte11 a11d directed by Lee Chang-dong; director ofphotog-
her. On the most bruta l level, her bod y int roduces a
raphy. Kim Hy1111g-seok; edited by Kim Hyun; production de-
mystery. Yet there's more ro the openi ng, including
sign by Sihn }eom-hui; produced by Lee Joan -dong; released
the children clusrered o n rhe ri verbank, om inously by Kina !11ternatio11al. In Korean, with English mbtit!es.
doubled by the teenagers who helped pur rha t body Running time: 2 hours 19 minutes. This film is not rated.
in the water and w hose ind iffere nce suggests rhac, fo r ~'(I/TH: Yun }1111g-hee (Mija), Lee David ( Wook) and Kim
them , this death wasn't cataclys mic, just play that go t /-Jira (M. Kang).
out of ha nd.

Copyright 2011 by The New York Time s Co. Reprinted with permission.
I TlIE GLOBilL EDITJON OF11J,]\7~JVYORKTIMES, TUE~D./ll~JUNJ:.'14, 2011 15

THROUGH
A FILMMAKER'S LENS,
VIEWS OF KOREA
13Y .JAN INE J\ HM IN

Through a filmmaker's lens, views of Korea


Chea.gab, the ammlssiontt foe the Ko-
Chan-kyong Park's work rea Pavilion at the Venice. Biennale this
takes nua nced look )'T'll. " lll.t "'"'Ork ls 'Wf c:onctpCual."
sa1d Mr. Chtqllb, who h.u known the
a t North-South ties artkl for many )'Ul'S. ''He1 wUl!Jl& to
t\g\u11 out what ls bet;lll~ North and
BY JANlNtARMIN South Korea. Not Sooth Korea. not
North Kena. middle Kotta."
This spring. lhe art establhhmmt In f Mr. Park,lhe"blindwUJ" that col
South Kort.a made hndllncs Yt'Ofldwidc! Ofl Kottll'I polhic.al history ls lntxtrlc-
by sdectlna the Ch~ artis1, aaivis1 Able from the cutTI"nt state ol contem-
and DOW politJal pNontt Ai Wthrt.'d to por:uy art. "1987 and IJSS was lhe high
c:o-dirttl the ccmlng 2Q ll Gangju time of 1he labor mo,tn)MI," he said.
"""' Bl<nolal. 1.Jkt the artlti grCMJplntrodl>'d tn "An-
Tht country's homcgrown COnlrm yang.' thtte 'IO'tte strong small groops
porar)' art tttne may be lttJ llktly to '4'ho created propa,ganda works and Uft*'Mtbdow,
makt lnt~ionA! rM!Vo't. Rut artists ..,ere lm'Olvtd In a.nusroou ccmmunl- iefttlldlocsfrom
like Ch:tn4t)~ Park - known for hls ty 11nL They ha\e left a heritage. It 's Chuk,,:1n1Parli.'1
h:wnting fllms and phocogni.phy - are called 'Mlnjung Arl' meanifl& peopie "An)'afl'l,Panr.dl.-e
making an Impact both at hotne and Mt."' Mr, Park YS 11 gcnerauon ol Chy," .,.11k h C"M+
abroad. 111.t $hort a.nd rca1ur e-ltngth " post MlnJung an" hu ~n lht ls itn o Atheseatth
(ilms as wr:ll as his phocOfJrphy ad tn11utnced by Wes1em ~p1u.alism lor sun1\W'I ol a
dtMs U1e storied rtl.3tion$hlp of Nonh and unshl,e 10 medl:i poli1k::t and an lt88n1eatsbop
and South Kore.\ without losing lhe lev tns1ltutk>n1. lle posilkuu hlmself be- nrethlltkil!N?O
lty requim! to aiptivate an 1lldlmce - tw ~n the pre~t Md put llenuiona.
a c.ardul balance In a coumry ready to
bruk t1way trom rule-book bchavk>r.
"Korean contemporary art hu the
most vital tctnein Asia; u ld Mt. Park,
who u.ys hlJ belit(Is b3std on Che grow
Ing promine1x:e of KOl'tan artls lt 11.nd,
lncrtnslngly, women mmnu.k~rs like
J~ Jung. ChM-Ok Park and SunrAC
Im. ButO\'fftumlng tllerig\d lnfras1ruc-
1u~ ol Soulh Kon~an muse um ~ so.I
lerics ls an uphill battlt , he aakl. "hutl ftstlval In the d1y ol 1J1e sam e name. Tht as of South Korea's neglt'Ct of hcrita,ge across a dirt road whtte a band per
1utioc1s are 100 constrVtl.ll\'t , too film, which was shown earlier lhls ytar 1ltts, ls evklcm In other documentary forms ls puncmoted wilh powerful
\'Ulntnble to 80\'tmmem change, And at 1he l ntematklinal Fiim F'e srl\'1\l Rotter aspecu of 1he ftlm. "Anyang'' includes cSose-ups. 1lM:tr song Is c.t.rrltd O\'tt to
thtte Ls no good journ.3.!Wn and crl- d4rn andl\l theJeonju ln1rrn:ulonal Fn footage of an archeologkal diJ for an an an elderly nwt In a nearby wood, who,
tique." livlll ln South Kena. is a Wend of docu dtnt trmplc fron1 1he SOia dyrw1y that aI1er A fishing AC:cidtnt, ls able 10 speak
M.r. P.ark's own work renttts the varl mmtary and flclk>n th.11 cmtcn on the was CO\'tff'd with another ternpl:e dur whh his fo.mUy one last lime through a
oos ftructuttS born of Korta' rn.ught 9C';lt(h f()t f;urvfvort cl AJ9S8 SWt"l\lShop Ing lht Corytan d)-nasty. "lhtdition Is ftmDJe $haman.
history. Cenluries of ChlncsC! co&onl!A fitt: that kllled20 womtn. rrom my~. dead In Kore~ but no one knows how Paradise, and the siruggle to gtt thtrt'. Operating in thls ttmponl limbo Is
lion were folJo-'td by a J:JJ>M"C occu 1e&ertats. l ~Anyangasac:tty many antiqllff are buried under the pnvades both "An)'MK.. and " Night clearly trulctw for the lll1lst,, who has
pa1ion ln the urly l'Olh ~lury and t he full of female factory "Of~" Mr. Parle soi.I,'' Mr. Park .uJd. "There arr 100 F"uhing.'' Mr. PMk:'I amblwltnt lt"ardl a.t\'ttal 1how1 th.IJ autumn. lncl udma
Korean Civil War of the early l~ 1be: s.:Ud. "Korniu allknowth:d lhe Kottan many big apartmenu on top of them.'' TbettnMtMtJof Lt an apt fdter through which to consJder "Second World" In Austria ac the lme-
rnultlng rdigb.I mb: ot ChlnH.e no. 'ec:onomk mnde' ls based on their tolJ, Recently, the utisl aillabor.Ued Ith Clwt-1t;yoo1Patlt. Pf't$t'rtl:-d.ay Kotta. "P.lndi.le bttame inated contemporvy a.rt gaihmng
Ism, catbolkism and sham.anlsm otftt but theynt\'ff want 10 rtmembtt." hb brother, the filmmak:er Chan-wook ~.101M'icfl either a b:td dream or a btg joke," Mr. Steirlschtt llert>st Ftsdval ?Ol l (~ll
M.r. Park a rich palette ol imaatf'Y. In lht opmlnc tttne a arouP worn Park, who ls best known for hls psycho- andTtn~old~ P2rk sa:ld."Thtteba5talinbu'p.v*1~ to Oct. 14) llnd " l ma,ge Clash: Contml
Ills film "Sindoan" (2008), f U en cUnce on a \'t'fd:Ant platu.u and ll> kigical thrilltts that make up "The \'en- 'ickd Kott b uld tn me Ncnh. and aggreuh-e capitallsu' porary Kotean Vldeo Art'' at lheCU Art
ample. portrays lndn1duals pracddng peM 10 &1t'3 a trtditlionaJ SOf1g about gtanct Trilogy:' The brothtts ""TOlt, tobe~HPt ~in 1he South. While Koreans are MusauntnCOlondo(Stpt..t coOct.tl).
the many anomalous rdi.glons gener thdr l l"Ollbks wkb mtn. 1lk! dAncf: WU productd and dirK"ltd the short film nttslbtanJM bound totht ~utopian tmaga, lle'1 alto mthU$1atk:ally pursuing a
attd In lht cou.nuy durln& W m.id20th deda.rt'daculturalURtbyUnesro.,and "Night f'lsblng," which was at>Ot adus- tram bi piHn. Kcn;ans lost great rithneu ot thdr In.di newprojea,cksplte the f-=t ~he dorl
ttntury, Ills pboeo l<erie "Thrte by wing It Mr. Park: ls cornmnttina on 1\dy ith video trom lout lPbonts in a tlonal-dthtloodworid.bo- noc yet ba'.-e ~ I fs "a horror tum
C<n><t<rito" ("'') conslsts ol lmag<s how he rttts ln~lrutiom upkllt tradl pannenhipwilh Korr;vi ltkcom. C&Uie Koltan modem history Is rt&Uy actrwio, narnJh'e w1th a lot ol female
ot the final ruling placn for displaced 1kln to increase 1ourlsm. " It was a tradi- Chan-k)'on& Park: said he enjored lhe built upon bUnd Mwistic ril" ghosts." heaaid. "Other than that,. I pnc
~ ln South Kotea. 1kinal folk: clan," he uJd. But now h odd angSH he could capture with the M.r. P.uk'I s.eraitlvity to the rict:s and lice t\'ft')' d.ly In an. dntwinp. paintings
Late last yur. Mr. Parkcompltetd the lw ''plned aetttatn marttnabil11y.'' phones. The first shots demons1r2te the vinues of a d ivided Kotta Is what ~ and lnstallatkn The artworks 10011 or1
rWn "Anyang. Par'Mhsit City" for a klcal Ills a 10dsm of bureaucracy, u ""'di ~o/.thb ttdlniqur: an Initial pan rate' him lrvm his pttn, Jaki YUn what I calJ 'Al.lanGothic.'"

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
'- ... --..,...... ....

. M ~ .!. Er ,
THE NEWYORK:FJMES ;,.FRJJ -<~_-"..
>a1

A ROGUE FILM FESTIVAL


EARNS RESPECT
(SORT OF)
B't \ll KE ll ALE

he New York Asia n Fi lm Festiva l has a n im- Not every selection in the New York Asian Film
age to uphold, based o n a wel l-honed story Fest ival is g reat, o r even good, bur ne ither is every one
of low-re nt beginnin gs and d isreputable pro- in rhe New York Film Festival or New Directors New
gramm ing. This fami liar na rrative srarrs in 2002 wirh Films. Meanwhile rhe As ia n fesr presents virtually the
fi ve young g uys a nd rheir credit cards, a nd embraces sa me number of major new releases as those rwo a u-
rowdy, fiercely obsessive audiences ja mmed into down- gust events, whi le ma inta ining more co nsistent quality
rown rhearers watch ing movies about young Japa nese a nd foc us than the sprawling Tribeca Film Festiva l.
women whose breasts double as machine g uns.
Of course, rhe Asia n Fil m Festiva l suffers from a com-
Asked where his baby ranks among the c iry's annual plete lack of two things rhat, in add itio n ro big sta rs,
film co nclaves, G rad y H endri x, o ne of the festiva l's give a fi lm event credibi lity: European arr-house mov-
founders and its lo ng rime spokesm a n, roes rhe line. ies a nd scru ffy A merica n independenrs. While operat-
"Fi rmly at the bottom," he declares. ing o n the geogra ph ic a nd c ultura l fringe, t he festiva l
is pro udly ma instrea m in its taste a nd go rges itself on
H e's exaggerating for effect, bur he's seriou s about
genre films and wacky comed ies.
ma intainin g the event's renegad e cha racter. " In te rm s
of rhar film festiva l circ uit, we're pretty much rhe out- Ar rhe sa me rime, it has helped introduce New York
siders lookin g in," he said in an interview. "We don't to hig hbrow favo rites like Pa rk C ha n-wook, Bong
have enoug h fa ncy parries." Joon-ho and Seijun Suzu k i. This year's lineup in-
cludes directors li ke Takashi Miike, Tsui H a rk a nd Na
Maybe nor. Bur whatever it lacks in red ca rpers a nd
H o ng-jin rhar any highfa lutin festival would be happy
seafood rowers, it makes up for in the qua lity, quantity
to recruit.
a nd va riety of fil ms. As it celebrates its IOrh yea r with
a program of 40 feat ures, showing Friday th ro ugh July And over rhe course of a decade of relentlessly track-
14 at the Wa lte r Reade Thearer and Japan Society, it's ing down and watching Asian movies in whatever time
rime to acknowledge rhar this outsider actually be- they can rake away fro m t heir day jobs, the fou nders
longs in t he top tier of New York 's film fest iva ls, next have grown inro the ir roles.
to some very se ri ous, very inside gatherings.
''
e're a ll gerring older," Mr. H endrix A th ird high-profile entry from C hi na fearures the mar-
said. "Our rasres are changing. And ria l ans srar Jee Li but couldn't be more different from
l chin k we have a berrer feel for rhe rhe w u xia fil ms. I n "Ocea n Heaven," rhe directing
audience's rasre." They're now willing ro book slower, debut of the fil m scholar X ue X iaolu, Mr. Li forsakes
more serious, less caregorizable movies rhar would have fighring encirely to play a n agi ng, ailing aquarium
sca red rhem off before (given rhat empry rhearers ca n maincenance worker obsessed wich provid ing for the
mea n empcy pockers fo r rhe volunteer programmers). fumre of his au rist ic son (Wen Z hang). T here's enough
noble sufferi ng here ro fi ll rhree or four movies, but Ms.
Bur rhe emphasis is srill on visceral, accessible enrer-
Xue hand les ir with remarkable restraint for a Ch inese
ra in menr of all k ind s, especially in rhis lOrh-ann iver-
d irector, and while M r. Li 's performa nce suffers from
sary year, when, as M r. H endrix puc it, "we're sort of
the lack of kicking a nd punching, his immense li k-
being a liccle self-ind ulgent." That means a subsec of
abi li ty is enough ro ca rry hi m in the role.
C hi nese wu x ia (martia l arts) movies that includes four
fil ms written or directed by Mr. Tsui, who will appea r The array of Sou eh Korea n act ion-suspense movies -
at screeni ngs on Ju ly 9 rh rough 11 , and a generous, there are eight on the sched ule - offers proof of t he
d iverse selecrion of Korea n chrillers. genre's longev ity a nd flexibilit y, half a decade after its
fi rst heyday with M r. Park 's "revenge t rilogy." l n a
This yea r's fesrival breaks down fai rly evenly into films
ca tegory know n fo r the brural ity of its viole nce a nd
from C hina (includ ing H ong Kong and Taiwa n),
the sometimes insa ne complex it y of its plots, two of
So urh Korea and Japa n, wirh single films from a few
the festiva l films are exemplary.
orher co untries (Ma laysia, Thailand, rhe Phil ippines)
rhrow n in. "The Unjust," d irected by Ryoo Seung-wan, is film noir
at its mos r cynical, with a rosrer of characters ranging
In "Dececrive D ee & rhe Mysrery of che Phanrom
from prosa ically corrupt to blatantly evil and a hero
Flame," Mr. Tsui's most recent film, and "Reign of
who lies closer co t he wrong end of the scale. The story,
Assassins," direcced by rhe up-and-comer Su C hao-
involving a battle fo r survival between a d irty cop a nd
pi n and rhe vetera n Jo hn Woo, rhe fesriva l is offeri ng
a dirty prosecutor, is a spiral of double a nd rriple cross-
cwo light-on-their-feer marria l arcs capers rhat sra nd
es in which there is never a good option, not that these
in pleasa nt contrast ro rhe bloated, nationalistic epics
men wou ld be incl ined to choose it if they could.
that are C hina's ma in c inemat ic exporr rhese days. ("l f
it's got more than five horses in it and more than two T he violence in "The Unjust" is fairly ordinary and
scenes of giant arm ies massing on rhe plain, wavi ng often has a bu rlesque quality, bur in Jang Cheol-
fl ags, we avoid ir," Mr. H endrix said .) Su's "Bedevilled," scy thes, scones a nd other weapons
a re wielded in shockingly vivid and graph ic ways. Ji
"Detective Dee," starring the H ong Kong superstar
Seong-Won a nd Seo Young-Hee (in a gripping per-
Andy Lau as t he ricle cha racter, works ics kung fu into
forma nce) play chi ld hood girlfr iends reunited o n the
a reasonably credible seventh-century mysrery story
island where they grew up, a place where relationsh ips
(wirh supernatural elements). Its most memorable
between women and rhe few men who stick around
sequence, a ceasing, not-quire-nude scene in which a
have a dynamic straighr our of "Delivera nce."
beautiful courrier (Li Bingbing) uses her marrial arcs
ski lls co dress hersel f whi le dodging hu nd reds of ar- The best of rhe festiva l's C hi nese and Korean films ful-
rows, reca lls rhe famously sexy duel between Brigitte fil! expectations in stylish and exciting ways, but ifyou're
Lin a nd M aggie C heung in "Dragon In n" (1992), looking fo r su rprises, they're more easily fo u nd in the
wh ich is also being shown in the festiva l. Japanese movies. One of the best examples is Yoshimasa
lsh ibashi's four-pa rt "Milocrorze: A Love Story," a
"Reig n of Assassins" tweaks the wu xia recipe by tak-
wacked-out fantasy chat recalls ea rly T im Burton one
ing a break fro m its story of professiona l killers pu rsu-
moment, late Q uentin Tara nti no the next. A segment
ing a mon k 's mummified remai ns to indu lge in a long
involvi ng an abusive, white-suited television host is
strerch of genrle (very gentle) romantic-domestic com-
punctuated by groovy, wonderfully deadpan dance
edy. Michelle Yeoh and the Korea n actor Jung Woo-
nu mbers, wh ile a sendup of sam urai and yakuza sto-
sun g play a n ace assassin in hidi ng a nd a naive delivery
ries suddenly erupts inco a n elaborately choreographed
boy who meer cure du ri ng che Ming dynasry.
and brilliantly sraged six-mi nute sword-fight sequence
inside che tight confines of a tarami-marred brothel.
rher highlig hts of the Japanese selecrions
include M r. Miike's "Ninja Kids!!!," a rau-
cous comedy wirh a ralemed casr of c hi ld
actors rhar's part "Naruto," pa rt "Harry Porrer"; a nd
the fo rmer pornography di rector N oboru Iguch i's
"Karate-Robo Zaborgar," a loving homage to Sarnrday
morning cartoons whose ride characrer is rhe human
Andy L.nu in '"Det~i"'" Dee & the Myatt:'ry of the Plumtom
hero's brorher, pa rmer, mora l compass a nd motor- fUune; which blends kung ru into a ~-entho:n1ury 1:1lc-.

cycle. ("Zaborga r" a lso appea rs to be rhe only film in


A Rogue Film Festival
rhis yea r's fesr ival in w hich female body pam become
weapons, somerimes rnrn ing into rocker launchers and
Earns Respect (Sort Of)
f.rom Wvtlttnd />ngf! I ONLINE: VIDEO
orher times into carnivorous liza rds.)
~ ~~::,~~~~d;~:::::::r'i~:~rw
At t hesnmclime,it h.uhc1ptd
1111 roduce New \'mk 10 highbrow
frwontes like Pnrk Oinnwook, nytlmu.com/movS~
If t hese films sound too grim, too bloody or too crazy Uoog Joonho and Se:ljun Suzukl
Thi' )'t'.:u's hneup intludt-s dirtt
flcx1b1luy, half 3 dt"C:ldc 3ftt'f' 11.S
1ors like- Tak.'lShl Milkt:, Tsui Hark
fi rst heyd.lyw1th Mr. Park 's rt-
for you, here's a fin a l recommendation. "A Boy and :ind Na llongJm 1h111 :any hlghf:a
luiln fcstwnl woold be!' h:appy 10 ,enge 1nlogy." In a c:i.ttgory
rttrun. known for lht brutal1tyof 11.s v~
His Samurai," directed by Yoshihiro Naka mura, is a And O\Yr the coorst ol n decide
ol ~JemkuJy 1mck1ng<SooAn and
lenct' :ind 1hc somrumes 1ns:uic
complex.ity ofi1splo1s.. 1woot 1he
\O'i!lchingAs~n rt'MT'tCSin .... Nll festwlll films art uempl&ry.
very America n-sryle romantic comedy, in rhe mold l'\W 11me tM) rnn lake a'A-ay "The Unjust." dtr'f'CI~ by R)'OO
Stung-wan, is film noir al its
lrom 1httr day jobs. the founders
lla~&r'DVl'nanto1ht'irrolcs. most cynka.L 'A'ilh 11 roster ot
of "Enchanted " or " Kate a nd Leopold." A sa mura i w'rC"allgdtmgolder.- Mr. cha.rac\cn r3nging from prosai-
Hendrix wid. Our la.Stts ~ call) (O(TUpl to blatant!)' tv1l and
3 htto ho bes closer 10 lhe
is mysreriously tran sported to 2 lst-century Tokyo, cf\an1ina And I think-~ Jw.e a
bt-ner- fed lor the- aud~e"s: wrong end ol lht saJc. The itor}'.
1u1e ~"re now ....;mng 10 tm'"Oking 11 b:mlt ror sun-ival ~
where he befriends an overworked single morher a nd books.lo\l.'tr.~Stt'IOUS.lns
r.1trsonz.a.bk JOO\'W'S Iha.I .,."CJIWd
IWttn 11 dlrtycopand :t.diMy
prosttutOC', is a spi;ral of doublt
ha\~ scand Wm off bd~ ((.I\ . and tnp&c crosses m..., hK:h thuc
her son a nd lea rns to do rhe lau ndry while dispensing C'fl lh.l.1 nnpty 1heatn-s can ~:m ls nt'"\"'l!r :1 good option. not tba.t
th~ men 111o'OU.Jd be lncluxd to
rmp1y pxktts for 1he '~tttr
prognm~n). dlOMe ft If thty m.lki.
lessons in discipline and obedience. Ir's complerely pre- But the tmphasb is still on vis Tbe VlOlence m The Unjust" Is
ttf1l1. QCttSSJ.b&c enteru.uunmt ol fairly OTdllW)' and oCten h:l1
burlesque quabt), bul ln JA.n.g
dicrable, a lirrle underwrirren a nd consisrendy charm- all kinds. tsptda.11)' In t his lOth
ann1\'tt5a.1Y ynr, when. m: Mr. Cheol--Su's Bedt\illtd," S()'tht:s,
lltndrlx put 11. we're sort of~ stoncs .md other weapons arr
ing. lr may nor merir a fancy pa rry, bur you' ll go home lnte aliules.dlindulgtnL.. lb3t wif!:lded 10 Shoclangly ,,rld
and
means It SU~ ot Ount'W WU Xla gn\phlt a>-s.. Ji Scong.Won and
(nmrtblaru) mo\inth.atln-
feeling berrer rha n you would afrer a Lars von Trier cluMs four fihM wnuen or d1
rtt1C!d by Mr. Tsui, who ,ll
:ap-
J"'al' at &e:rttnlngs on July 9
closing-n ighr ga la. through 11,and a geocrou"J,di

The N ew York Asian Film Festival runs Friday through July


....
~'t~ ~IKhOO of KoreM thrill-

Thisyrar~festhnl breaks
down f:urly evenl)' in10 fi/mJ from
Chmtt (u)('IU(ting Ilong Kong and
14 at the Walter Reade Theater, 165 West 65th Street, Linco/11 T1uw11n). South Korea nnd JnJXln,
w11h single films from a few other
Center, (212) 875-5367; and Thursday through Ju ly 10 at coumries (Mnlnysia, Thailand.
u~ 1>hd1ppmes) t hrown lfl.
In ~tttn-l' Ott t. 11~ M)"S-
Japan Societ;y. 333 East 47th Street, M anhattan, (212) 715 - ltt)'ol the rtll.\nlOO\ Ft:a~; Mr.
nul's nl051 rttent film. and
1258, subwayci11ema. com. Rtlgnol A.ssassm~d1r'l'C1edby
the up-a.nd<0n1e:r Su Ch;,o.pm
Wen Zhang. k:ft. 3nd Je1 Li in
Xue Xiaolu's Ocean Hc.,,vcn:
mnd 1~ \'ttemn John Woo. t~
rr-Mwoil is offC'ring fv.''O llghl-on
lhl'irftti martin! an.scaper-s th31 Seo Yoong Hee (in :i gnpping
'land in J>'tli41ll <"Onlmst lOthe
perfornunce) play childhood g.lrl
bbi1C'd, nauonahstic t'pics that fncndsre\lmtedon !he 1sbnd
where they gttW up .;, plxt
~ ctuna'S nwn anrmahc e.x
port 1hest' d.3)'$. r 1r 11s
than fh~ borsn In It and mott
''
11'\0f'r
"ht1"e reb.uonsb1P5 bt-t'A"ttn
\.\"Ofttl\ and the IN' 1nen u.1'IO

than IW'O SClt'nCSof gjllnt !lmUts stick around ha.vc a dyn:uruc-


n'LlU!fl& on the pW:n, w:n'lng straight ou1 of Dt11\~...
The best 0( tht ftSll\'a!'s Chr
......
fb.IS.'lt"t'a,"Oid u;Mr.llt'ndnx
)
OHK11\T Ott; SUUTing the
nesc and Kon-an ftlms fuJftU r.x
prcw.ons 1n uybsh ~ cxollng
H ong KonJ SUpttSIM Andy Lau ,,.'"3.)'S. but 11 you're looktn1 for
u 1he utk ch:t.rnctcr. ...,'Of1u its Stirpmcs.1hey'tt more taSIJy
kung fu mto ~ rrason:ably CJTd1ble found m the Jllp.;t.ntW l1lO\'YS.
H"\'a\th-ttnlury mysttt)' story One of lhl' best examples is YMh-
(wnh supttn1uural tk-mentJ). I~ 11!1.l.S3 lshi"b3..<QU's fourp.ln
ll'IO!l~le~ue.nct'.a M1locrone: A Lo\'tStOC")'," 3
IHSintl, not-<1u1tt-nude Stt1"le m w:"X:"k.fditf.3.n1:isy1h.11rtta.lts
hteh 3 bt-.lutilol t:Ourtier (Li early nm Burton one rnorncnt.
Bmgblna)us.es hernwtWans Lile Qutnun Turanono tht next.
Jlr.ills1odrns~ lfwtu5edodg A segment m''Olnng :m ltbuJht,
m~ hund~' of nrrcr-.-1s. rttalls wh11c-su11td tdevis1on hosl 1s
lhe famously sexy duel bctttn punc1u:11td by gmm.')', 'olonderlul
Brlg1ue lm and Moggie Olwng ly dc3dp:in danct' numbtrs.,,., hlk
m or.1aoo Inn (1992). whJC"h is a sendupol$.1lmuml and yakuz:t
also being shtwm In the fcstl\oll stones suddenly erup(s 1111oan
Rrlgn of MsaS5ins 1wr.;,ks elaborutcly c:hortoi.:rnphcd 11.nd
lhc WU Xl.'1 reci~ by lakmg 3 bnlh.lntJy s t.nged six-minute
tJl'C'ak frorn Its Mory ot prorc-sston swotdfight sequence Inside: the
al k1llcr.l pursuing a monk's mum UJthl conhfl'S O( :o1 l:tl..'\J11M1Ullal
rnifltd remam$ to mdulgr In a brn1hel
long Sl~lth <H gentle (very gen Other highlights of the J:ip.,.
1le) ron10ln tk-don1~icromedy. nesc !ltleions include J\lr.
Mlchcllc Yroh and the Korea.nnc Mnkc's Nin.JA Kids!!!.~ arnu
lor J11ng Woo-sung J)l;t.y :111 ll<'tM cous comedy w11h a mlcn1cd C3SI
sass,in 111 hltlmg and a n:m-e d('hv- ol ch ild :icton that's part "Naru-
try bo) ...,.hO meet cute dunng the 10; pan 11nrry Polter; :ind 1he
MtnJ:d)'nn.sty. former pornography director
A llurd hi.ghprofllc rntry from 1\oboru lguchi's Kara1e-Robo
China fca111rttthcm.ut1.a.J :iru 7..nborFr, :i lovmg hom:tJCe 10
'"Ar Jf'I Ubu1 rouldn'tbcmore S.:uurday morning CMIOOOS
d1Ueren1 from the wu xb htms. In ..-.hose 1rtleeh:uac1er is tilt hu
-....,_... .._ ....... __ w......._......_ __ .... ____ ~_,....._..-~-- .. --.--.........,_7 "Ocran llr!l\"t'fl," llK' directing d('- man hc.ro'sbrothtt. 1"3r1ner.IT!Of

,__
__Rogue
., __ __ ______ ..._
___ __ ___ __ _ .. __ _ _____
... .. _, __.._
but ot lhc r11n1 sthObr Xue Xi.>Olu, ru compass ollld motorcyck.
A Film Festival
_ ___--
Ea
, rns __,_..., Respect (Sort Of) Mr. LI forsakes f1gh1fag cntirrty (ZaborpraJs.ollpPC3fS IObe

-..-___ -- ~
,..._
__.. ____
... _,....._
_ ___
Lhe ooly film ln this )'t':tr's ftsrn-al

.. ...- ------- __
to pbiy an Qgmg. ru.hng nquanum

......,. __ _ ------ ----


nwn1~ 'oll'Ol'kl'r obsas4.'d 111 \lofnch female bod)' partsbt-

=-==- ____ ...____


---- ------ .... .... 't1th pnM<bn1 f0< lhc futurt: ot come weapons. someumrs turn

w - - - - ------- _....____ _~;;:~~;


.... ... ------
__ -----
--- ing into roct.et bunchtl"$ and oth
---~- his auusoc son (Wen Zhang).
m
------
-----~
..._....._,,_
----~-
-
-------
=--~~; ---.. .......... :-:=.:.-::..-::.::::.- ==~:::::-
-------
---
~----.. --
Tbn"e'J rnough noble Miffmng
~toflllthreeor fourlT"IO\ws,
but Ms. Xllit' handles it \111th rt-
m.vttablc rcurulnt for a ChuK"Se
er umcs mto arn1\'orous le:
an!>)
lfthe$t fl!mssound1oo&nm.
100 bklody or 100 cr.u.y tor )'OU.
dtttetor,and...,hUt Mr. U'lpct httt'S a final tt<'Of1'1mendaoon.
IMTnMJtt su!fen hun ~ l:M::k of A Bey and HuSamur:11;d1rect
lOc:kin& and punthlnz. h.is Im- td by \"ostu.h1ro N11k3Jllun., b
mense llkablbty is cnooih to car \ 't'fY Amtneall-Sl)'lt' rom.'U\UC:
ryh1mml.hrrolc. C'Omt'd)',m thc mokl.ol Ench.ant
Thr arm)' ol South Korean :x- Pd. CC'K1:uesnd Uopold.. A
110n-s:uspcnsc movttS-Wre att S31t1Ur.\i1smysteriou!l)11';.l.J\S-
t"t&ht on the sche-dulie - olfn-s port.td 10 21st-cientury Tok)'O,
prool at lhe genre'$ k>n,gr\,ty and where ht btfner)(b a.n O\'tt
v.-ortc.ed singlt' mother and htt
fM Sta \'orlt:Mliln 1-'ilm f."est1ml son and learns to do l ht bundry
runs 1-nt1.ay rhrough Ju{v J.l al the while d1spcnsmg ltssons m dlsd
Watr Rtodt Thtcutr, 165 \\'HI plme:indobcc!if'nt:t". lt'scom-
ti.51hS1rttl, Lu1(1'.)fn Crnltr, plelely predkt.:a.blc-.a lluJe under
(111) 815-5361; nndThursdoy wnncn and ronsh1en1J) c:h.1rm
fhrOUJ!h July 10 al Japan Sacirry, 1ng,. It m.:ty not ITK'ril n fancy par-
l1J 1:os1 471hSlrI. Motthouan. ty, but )'OU'll go home (ttlmg bt'I
(llZ) 11)-1~ utJ"'O)Tlllf'nta lt:r 1hnn you would allt'r n Ulrs
von Tr~ closmg nlght g.:tlll.
''""
Copyright 201 1by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
IN THE NEW YORK TIMES
THE NEW YORK TIMES, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY27, 2010 DJ, D4

KIM RAISES BAR,


DELIGHTING FANS
BY .I EIUt LONGMAN

___SP-orls
Vancouver 2010 nytlmos.com/al ,mpic'\ 4
She's the
f<Utes t skater
INSIDE THE RI NCS I've ever seen.'
MICJIEU.E KWAN,

Kim Raises Bar, Delighting Fans the l~- ~noed.olul

'She's the
By J ERtLONCMAN scnbc the resourcdulness.complexity Asad.'l said.
and artistry of her &Juumg,except 1n What the ;u.td1t~ of 11.n1at raor.c whole package.'
VANCOUVER, Bntish C'umbta -
thl$ comexz: Kim would h.we f101.shal Cohseum h:u.I vntnnsed was an unprl'C'
Oress~ In az.ure, accomp.uued by OOROTIIY HAMIU...
ninth in the men's rompetnlon. ntJTly tdtntcd combtna tion ot technical d1ffl
Gershwin. Kim YUna of South Korea lN 1916 '1--pll( cMms--
10 points nhead of 1he- Amt"ncan nauon cull y and w1liovo')' soph1st1c.atJOn as Kim
Sttntingly Oo.lted to the clouds with ht'r al ch.1mpion, J ettm)' AbbotL
soorlngjumps and :liryc~ Thurs- btt.arne the first South Kor e3Jl skater to
Moo Asada of Jnpan became the first win :ut Olrmp.c g okl mcdnl. She hcki up
day nigh1, "inning an Olympic gold W'Oman to l.lnd t"-o tnple axels ma frtt un<kr enonnous pressure to suett-ed as Kim YuM is the
medal Md her n glulul p lace as one of skate a t 1he \\.'in ter Games. but she still
thegrc3tCSt womtn's figure sk.:ners of an n1hlct<!, n cullural icon and a van firlt South
finished a d istanl second by mo n. 1hnn
nnyera. qu1\ her of competitors from Japan. Korc:.n figure
W points. E\en before As.'lda s k;ited,
Demonstrating cechnlcal supenonty which occup.td the Korean peninsula k.'llcr lo win a n
she k new th3t her chances for gold were
Md ethereal gr:ice at 19. Kirn dell\'e red futile after Kim's refined Md charnung r' or
35 ye.1rs through the end \\'()(Id Olympic mccfal.
D world record pcrfonn:inee o f 228.56 pcrfonnance . Wnr ll.
101al points. Maih .:alone cannot fully de- " I could hear the crowd going crazy," Con111tut"fl on J>agr J).I

VANCOUVER, Brit ish Colu mb ia


A s Kim Raises the Bar, South Korea Delights
._____ _ ,,,,.,,....,.
...,_,_----
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-" --....... -_. .... !!:"...:.::::::.....~~.:...
______ ressed in azure, acco mpan ied by Gershwin,
....,....

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, ~-

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Kim Yu-na of South Korea seem ingly Roared

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-..-
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-n.-----t
--...--..
...........
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......-. .
ro the clouds wirh her soaring jumps and
airy elegance llrnrsd ay night, winning an O lympic
___........__..... !;:.S-~;
""""'"'.._._...,..._...,
:.:::=.:!~ .. ...,..
... ""-"--'-""
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......

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~

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.
...,. ... *'l... - . .....,. ..... 0..,....-

........................,,_
._ gold medal and her righ tfu l place as one of the grearesr

____........____ __ ....-
1-....._...-...-c......... ~=--..11-
..............- . ..... ..--. ~:-=::....~~ ................. .... v- ... :oo')-w,......
women's figu re skaters of any e ra.
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-
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-~
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-
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_., ..._.::t...5' ..... ..-.
,,,..an.1.....--..............
__
Mf'O . .- . ..... -....-
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----~ ..... .....
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_
....,.. -. -.. .~
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..,..._,_.. _.,._....,....
..._... .... "Sltio't . . _ , . . . . ............
""~~"
_.,_,......-,,_ -~.,...

Demo nsrraring tech nical superiority and ethereal grace


f-...... ..... --.. ... ..-.v.. ........
..,. ..... _ ... _..,. o.. .. ...._,.. _ _.._
~
~ .......... _.,.....
....:er--....-.....,.
..:..n:=-..u:- .. =~'===--~
:::.- --.-.....
==--:..-==:.::
......, ......... ........
-~--."""
" :..~~-:u_~:.:O" _..,.,.....,..""""'- ..... ar 19, Kim delivered a wo rld- record performance of
_,..... ,.............. =~.!:::~...,... 228.56 roral poi n ts. Math alone can not fully d escribe
...___ -....
- -IJIOl\.l it _ _,,,.
_ ,_............
"lW:Ml-....,.9"\ .... . - . " "
.....,._
--
_......._........
~

....,.....,_ .,,................ .......


.,.,... v--. w- ~ -
::".:...=;~~-=-= the resourcefulness, complexity and artistry of her skat-
:.::::.!'.-"'... .,_... ,......__.._,.-
..._
,.."' . ....... _ H _ _ _
s... 1i - . ... - -.<r--
,...._,,...,.....,...,._ ...._-
_,..._,_. ,_ .... "' ing, except in this conrext: Kim would have fin ished
n.... -.......... .. -
ninth in the men's com petition , nearly I 0 poinrs al1ead
of rh e American national champion, Jeremy Abbott.

Mao Asada of Japan beca me the fi rst woman ro land


t\vo triple axels in a free skare ar the W inrer Games,
bur she still finished a d istanr second by more t han 20
points. Even before Asada skated , she knew rhat her
chances fo r gold were fu tile after Kim's re fined and
charm ing performance.

"] could hear t he crowd going c razy," Asada said.


W
ar the aud ience of 11 ,77 1 at Pacific Encomiums have been handed to Kim here in bouquets,
C oliseum had wimessed was an unprec- like Aowers. Michelle Kwan, the cwo-rime O lympic
denred combination of technical di fficul- medalist, said, "She's the fastes t skater I've ever seen."
ty and willowy sophistication as Kim became the fi rst
Kara rina Witt, the 1984 and '88 Olympic cha mp io n ,
South Korean skater to win an O lympic gold medal.
said, "She has a lightness ro her skating and her jumps
She held up under enormous pressure to succeed as an
are very high."
ath lete, a cultural icon and a vanquisher of co mpetitors
from Japan, which occupied the Korean peninsula for Dorothy H amill, the 1976 O lympic cham pion , said:
35 years through the end of World War II. "She's the whole package. Her jumps are soaring and
they're equal. Yo u do n't have one big one followed by a
"Tod ay, I was more confide nt than ever," Kim, the
lirrle tiny jump. I chink she's grown choreographically.
2009 world champion, said .
She's very musical. The whole thing is very beau tiful
It is impossible to precisely compare skaters from d if- and athletic, but not too athletic. I don't feel like I'm
ferent eras. Rules change. Athleticism increasingly missing anything when I watch her."
demands its place alongside artistry. Bue a nu mber of
Some believe char rhe new sco ring system , with its
Ki m's gold medal predecessors were presenr Th ursday,
incessant technical d emands on jumps and steps and
and all seem ed th oroughly impressed that Kim had
spins, does nor allow skaters rhe same charisma and sig-
been so poised and lissome in her presentation and
nature artistry afforded Peggy Fleming and Hamill and
vaul ting in her jumps.
other scars from previous eras.
"H ow do you compare chat to Sonja H enie?" said
''As fa r as being renowned as a legendary artist , l d on't
Kristi Yamaguchi, the 1992 O lympic champion, refer-
think so," said Frank Ca rro ll , who coached the fourth-
ring to the three-time gold medalisr from Norway in
place finisher, M irai Nagasu of the United Scares, o f
the 1920s a nd '30s. "Everything is relative to the time
Kim. "As a really great skater, technically, yes."
and era."
David Kirby, an American coach and a technical expert,
Still, Yamaguchi added : "Certainly, it has taken wo m-
said : "Clearly, she's the best girl, but it's because she's
en's skating to anoth er level. Technically. 1he whole
rhe best technician. She's 70 percent sport, 30 percent
package."
art. Peggy Fleming was a real a rtist and real athlete. I
Assured, serene, Kim o pened with a triple lutz-rriple don't think that balance of art and sport is the O lympic
toe combination, a triple Aip and a double axel-clouble cha mpio n this year."
toe-double loop combi nation . Through fou r minutes of
This will be seen as needless quibbling in South Ko rea,
rhe challenging p rogram , she skated with speed , light-
where Ki m is the country's most popular athle te. So
ness and engaging openn ess in a scyle char her coach,
incense was rhe in terest in th e Kim-Asacla rivalry char
Brian Orser, calls unselfish and welco ming.
Korean repo rters and photographers began arriving at
"She reaches the lase row of th e buildi ng," Orser said the arena 12 hours before 1lrnrsday's competi tio n, only
beforehand. "People feel th ey're invited to enjoy it as to find rhac some of the ir Japanese counterparts had
she is." spent rhe night at the rin k.

O n 1lrnrsday, Ki m whisked like a feather across the ice. "1l1is is nor sports, this is war," Lee Jiseok, a reporter
fo r the Daily Sports Seoul newspaper, said, laughi ng.
"Technically, she's the greatest of all rime," said Ted
H e and his colleagues had already prepared stories on
Barton, a Canadian who helped devise the new points-
Kim, her mother and her coach. "If sh e loses, we're
based scoring system . " If she skates a little longer and
dead," Lee said. "We'll have to explain w hy she lose."
does this over the n ext three or fo ur years, she will be
the greatest skater of all time." 1l1at would not be necessa ry; Kim won the most glam-
orous event at the W inter Games.
Scott H amil ton, the 1984 men's O lympic champi on,
compared Kim to Seabiscui t, th e thoroughbred , as " I chink the whole nati on is in fro nt of the television,"
do min ant athletes who broke the ir com petitors' will. said John Moo n, chief of staff of the South Korean
O lympic Co m mittee. "Kim Yu- na is rhe country's spe-
"Yu-na has only been at the top of her game for a cou-
cial sister. Every athlete is important, but her medal is
ple of years," Hamilton said . "Bur if she's here a nother
more im portant than the others. She is beautifu l. She's
fo ur years at this level, a lot of skaters would break
our pride. I chin k Koreans will have a lo t of drinks."
clown. 1l1ey would try to up their games so much, th ere
wo uld be injuries. 1l1ere's no wea kness there. Com pare
her with anybody; she's got it all. Under any system,
anywhere, any time, she'd win."

Copyright 2010 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
THE NEW YORK TIMES, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2010 B13

KOREAN IS
FIRST WOMAN
TO SCALE
14 HIGHEST PEAKS
BY CHOE SANG -II UN

SEOUL, South Korea

C
li mbi ng on all fo urs after 13 g ruel ing hours,
a dim inutive So uth Korean woman , O h
Eu n-su n, reached the su mmit of o ne of the
CLIMBING H imalayan gia m s o n Tuesday to lay claim to being the
first woman to scale th e world 's 14 highest moun tains.

In keep ing with her cou m ry's intense pride in irs ath -
letes, she pull ed out a So uth Korea n Aag, raised her
arms and shouted: " Hurray! Hurray!"

" l wou ld like to share th is joy with the South Korean


people," O h , who is 5 feet 1 inch , said after reach ing
the summ it of An napurna in central Nepal.

Sou th Koreans - who watched her climb because it


was broadcast live by an accom panyi ng cam era team
- hailed her as a national hero.
Korean Is First Woman to Scale 14 Highest Peaks A message left o n the Web site of the broadcaster KBS
said : "All our people watched each step of your cli m b.
You have demonstrated our country's greatness all over
rhe wo rld."

An napurna was the last of the 14 peaks taller than


26,247 feet (8,000 meters) that Oh needed to climb
ro make history. She reached the summ it - 26,545
feet above sea level - 13 years after she scaled her fi rst
Himalayan mou ntain, Gasherbru m II, in 1997 .

" We recogn ize herachi eve mentas the first woman climb-
er to sca le all the highest mou ntains in the wo rl d," said
Ang Tshering, pres ident of th e Nepal Mountaineering
Associatio n, accord ing to The Associated Press.
0
h's closest rival, Edurne Pasaban of Spain , Nationalism looms la rge in sporrs in South Korea, a
scaled Annapurna this month but has yet to co untry obsessed wi th maki ng a mark on the interna-
reach the 26,330-foot-high Mount Shisha tio nal scene. Kim Yu-na, the figure skater who wo n this
Pangma to march Oh's fear. year's O lympic gold, is a nat ional star.

Pasaban has raised questions about whether O h actu- News reports about spores stars wi n ning wo rld cham pi-
ally reached the summit of Mount Kangchenjunga, the o nships brim with patriotism. Repo rters often ask the
world's third-highest peak, last yea r. athle tes to "say something to the people back home,"
and they always thank "rhe people a nd rhe fatherland"
" Her Sherpas told me that she didn't reach the summit
before mentioning thei r fa mi ly a nd loved ones.
because of bad weather," Pasaban told l11e Times of
London recently. "When life was hard and we were tired, spores have
encouraged us with good news," said Ko Dong-guk,
In rhe absence o f an international mountaineering
one of hundreds of T V viewers who left congraru larory
body, Elizabeth H awley, an 86-year-old American
messages on the KBS Web si te.
mountaineering journalist, is considered the final ar-
biter on such disputes. She agreed last week to reco rd 7his article has been revised to reflect the Jollowi11g correction:
Oh's ascent of Kangchenjunga as "disputed ," pendin g Correction: April 30, 2010
an investigation.
Because ofan editing error, an rtrticle 011 \Vednesday about Oh
Oh, 44, scaled 4 of th e 14 peaks last year but retreated 1111-sun ofSouth Korea, who on Tuesday reached the summit
several hundred feet from Annapurna's summit because of A1111apuma in central Nepal to lay claim to being the first
o f bad weather. wo111a11 to scale the world's 14 highest mo11ntains, misstated
her age. She is 44, not 34. The article also referred imprecisely
O n her historic climb, she was carrying a photograph to the n11mber ofpeople who have acco111plished the feat. The
of Ko Mi-young, her rival an d fellow So uth Ko rea n, figure, "fewer than 20 people," referred to the number ofpeople
who had done it before Tuesday; that did not include Oh.
who plummeted to her death last year while descend-
ing from N anga Parbat, the world's ninth-highest peak.
Ko had climbed l I of the 14 peaks.

"She showed us what challenge means," Lee Myung-


bak, the president of South Korea, said of O h in his
congratularory message. "I am proud of her."

Oh was bound to receive a hero's welcome home in


South Korea. Mountain-trekking is a national hob-
by in the co untry, where 7 0 percent o f the land is
mou ntaino us.

Befo re Tuesday, fewe r than 20 climbers had made ir


to the rop of th e 14 peaks t hat a re at least 26,247 feet
high, including three South Korean men.

In recent weeks, rhe South Korean news media gave


almost daily updates on Oh's condi tion. O n Tuesday,
KBS showed hours of live coverage as she inched to-
ward the rop.

Copyright 2010 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permi ssion.
THE NEW YORK TIMES, FRIDAY,]UNE 18, 2010 A26

MAKING THEIR OWN


NATIONAL NOISE,
BUT LOSING ANYWAY
BY CO HEY KTLCANNO:\

M
uch has been made of the vuvuzelas, whose
buzzy d ro ne has been the soundtrack of the
Wo rld C up games being p layed in South
Africa's stad iums.

But when it comes to assau lring ea rdrums, t he stadium


horn s have nothing on the notorious inflatable plastic
clappers that South Korea ns use to cheer rheir rea m.

The sound is especially deafening in t he confi nes of a


sma llish ballroom li ke the one above the Korea Vi llage
shopping center on Northern Boulevard a nd 150rh
Road in Flushing, Queens.

By 7 a.m ., this srretch of the bouleva rd was teemin g


wirh Korean-Americans in the red T-shirts rhar a rc rhe
Making The ir Own National Noise, bu t Losing Anyway obligato ry uniform of South Korean soccer fans. More
than I,OOO of them took to the ca rpeted floor of rhe
bal lroom for a dua l-screen broadcast of the World C up
game berween South Korea a nd Argentina.

They clamorcd for the in flatable tubes handed our


by volunteers: clapping sticks that produce dea fening
staccato sounds when w ielded overhead by hund reds
of young, ca ffeinated fa ns.

"They increase rhe e nergy," said Hunki Lee, 25, a col-


lege student from Fl ushing.
T
he clappers fell briefl y silent before the ga me
while an M.C. led chanrs in Korean, drum-
mers beat la rge Korean ceremonial janggu a nd
buk drums, and a da nce group dressed in whi te mar-
tial arrs robes blended rae kwon do a nd sy nch ron ized
music video dance styles.

T he inflatable banging sticks were used to celebrate


t he sight of the South Korean flag on the screen, then
the appea rance of rhe ream's sta r player, Park Ji-su ng.
T hey were briefly silenced again when a cu rving kick
by an Argentina player bounced off a South Korean
mid fielder's shin and into rhe Korean goal.

Fa ns who did nor go to the ballroom flocked to the


dozen busi nesses within half a block of it, includi ng
the Jang Shoo C hon restaurant, where a slightly older
crowd was watching the game while dini ng on elabo-
rate Korean break fast offerings - places of banchan
and jigae stew. Some drank soju, which is simila r to
vod ka, while others sipped the sweet rice beverage
called sh ikhae. Argentina scored aga in.

South Korea scored going into ha lfrime to close the gap


to 2 to 1. Over ar Park's Snack Corner, a crowd of older

men cheered and are from the pork kimchi stew on a


bu rner on the table.

Ar the nearby H &Y Marketplace, a grocery clerk danced


and sa ng berween the stacked sacks of rice and Korean
melons, u nder ban ners of South Korean Aags and red
T-sh irrs.

Jn the second half, though, A rgentina scored a third


goa l, and C hris Kim, 46, a stylist at the Black and
W hite hair salon, slumped in rhe barber's chair. He
said rhe shop had bought the la rge-scree n television
just fo r the World C up.

Next door at rhe Siruyeon coffee shop, Michelle Ki m,


56, kept hope alive, as she watched on a laptop on the
counter in the kitchen whi le making rreok, steamed rice
cake pastries.

Bur in the 80rh mi nute, Gonzalo Higua in of Argentina


scored another goal, the final one of the ga me. The clap-
pers fell silent once and fo r a ll.

Copyright 2010 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with perm1ss1on.
THE GLOBAL EDITION OF THE NEW YORK TIMES, MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2011 9

SOCCER OFFERS LESSON


IN HOW TO GET TOUGH
BY HOB II UC ll ES

LONDON

" Zero tolerance" is rhe in phrase among s porrs of- T his, remember, is t he Republic of Korea- nor Nort h
ficials these days. Korea.

Sepp Blarrer of FIFA and Jacques Rogge of rhe The K.F. A., the pa renr body to rhe 28-yea r-old
Inrernarional O lympic Co mmirree speak abour it. K-League, has been built u p th ro ugh its past presi-
Sout h Korea practices it. dent, C hu ng Mong-joo n, a leading lawmaker in the
Nat iona l Assem bly in Seoul.
T his pasr weekend , 10 Korea n professional soccer
players were ba nned fo r life from playing rhe ga me. C hung was recenrly deposed as a vice presidenr of FIFA,
T he men, including one former nariona l rea m player, in parr because h is straight talk sat uncomfortably with
Kim Dong-hyun , have ye r to face criminal prosecu- some of the corrupt pract ices now bei ng unraveled at
rion. Bur rhe Korea Foorball Associario n has banned the top of rhe world govern ing body of soccer.
rhem anyway.
By coincidence, lraly's courrs are still sitti ng on t he case
"We made rhe decision derermined thar rhis would be ofluciano Maggi a nd Anton io Gi raudo, the men barred
rhe firsr a nd last match-fix ing sca nda l in rhe league," fo r five yea rs fo r t hei r al leged roles in the Calciopoli
sa id Kwak You ng-cheol, rhe head of rhe K-League d is- corru ption case that preceded Italy's wi n ning rhe 2006
ciplina ry commirtee. World C up. Maggi and Gi raudo were fo und, by rhe
sports aurhoriries, to have wielded s uch infl uence over
"Players mu sr keep in mind rhar rhey wi ll be kicked
referees that Moggi's club, Juvenrus, won champion-
o ur of rhe sport perma nenrly if rhey ger caug hr com-
ships thar were larer stripped fro m rhe records.
m icring wrongdoing." The 10, and fo ur orher men ac-
cused of collaboraring to fix rhe omcome of marches But Maggi has no t gone away. H e sti ll contributes cor-
for berting purposes, could, if convicred in courr, face uscaring colum ns to rhe Libero newspa per a nd acer-
seven years in jail. bic co mrnenra ries on Telcapri Sport TV. He is srill in
cou rt, in Naples, pleadin g that he has a lways been in-
T he associario n, it seems, has concl uded their g uil t,
noce nt and was fra med in relation to Calciopol i and
though Kwak conceded t hat the life bans wou ld be
other cases involving a player agency.
rev iewed if they were clea red in crimina l proceed ings.
I
n che same week char Souch Korea was decla ring An llch player, KimJung-kyum of che PohangSteelers,
10 players persona non graca, the Icalian soccer was handed a five-year ban afcer a llegacions char he
federacion suddenly ruled char Moggi must neve r learned of che Oaejeon C itizen plot and bet on ic.
be a llowed back into t he spore, in any capacicy.
No club officials are accused of k nowing of the ploc
So, zero colerance before trial in Korea, and zero coler- chat a llegedly scarred with o ne player's being paid 120
ance five years afcer che fact in Italy. million won, abouc $110,000, and distri bucing ic to
team maces.
This column applauds draconian measures to rooc our
match fixers in any spore, not just soccer. Nothing They lose the game againsc Pohang Steelers in A pril.
contaminates sports more than attempts to corrupt
H owever, che clubs pay a penalty - a n ironic o ne:
the outcome - and as the recenc tria l in Bochum,
chey w ill be docked a la rge part of che nea rly 270 mil-
Germany, has demonstrated, che same big fixers come
lion won paid an nually to each K-League ream from,
back aga in and aga in, even afcer t hey have been jailed
of all t hings, Sports T oro. That is South Korea's only
fo r game tampering.
licensed spores lottery.
The spread ofl ncernet becring has increased che stakes,
We are looking at the scare of a zero-colerance policy
and made it possible fo r syndicaces on the other side of
chat will not be watered down by courts, as it very
the world to accempt to fix precise moments in match-
likely mighr in Europe or t he United Scates.
es to make their financial killings.
No matter how good Kim Dong-hyun was on the
There are sinister consequences co this. In 2008, two
field , che chances of his getting an amnesty and a re-
C hinese scudencs who attended Newcastle Uni versity
call to che nationa l squad are long.
in England were found to have been murdered. T heir
killer refused to cake che sta nd ac his tria l and went to He has all the rime in rhe world now co reflecc on the
prison w ithout a nswering police and prosecutio n ques- real meaning of zero tolera nce. And he mig hc, if Kim
tio ns relacing t he murders co Triad becring ga ngs in is a scudent of soccer history, thi nk his misfortune was
China. to be born where he was.

A su icide a month ago in Souch Korea triggered che Way back in 1980, Paolo Rossi was disqual ified for
reverberations throughout the K-League. The news three years afcer being implicaced in anocher Ical ian
agency Yonhap reported char a player found dead in sca ndal, the Toconero betting affa ir. H is ban was later
his hotel roomhad lefc a note in which he referred co a reduced to two years, jusc in rime fo r Ross i co ma ke the
match-fix ing cartel. 1982 World C up squad.

The invescigacion char followed led co t he bans, is- After a slow scare, Rossi became the Golden Boot and
sued lace Friday nighc, even before che state started ics Golden Ball winner of che Ita lia n team char won the
prosecutio n. Eighc of the indicced players are fro m che World Cup in Spain. Indeed, FIFA made hi m player
Daejeon C itizen club. One is from Gwangju, and o ne of the year.
from Sa ngmu Phoeni x.
All was forgiven, and later, in his book "I Made Brazil
The Sangmu player, Kim Dong-hy un, is in big trouble. C ry," Rossi maintained his in nocence, corroborated
His rea m is run by che military, and military prosecu- by one of his accuser's admi ccing th at Rossi was never
tors are o n the case. If che K-League verdict holds, nor guilty of anyching. The evide nce aga inst him, appar-
only w ill he never represent Souch Korea again, bur he, ently, was a lie.
and the ocher nine barred players, wi ll not be allowed
co be involved in any way at all with soccer.
ISoccer offers lesson
in how to get tough
the world 10 nttempt t o fix precise mo-
ments in matches to make their finnn
cinJ killings.
There arc sinister consequences to
this. In 2008, two Chinese students who
nttended Newcastle University in Eng
land were found to have been murdered.
Rob Their killer refused to truce the stand at
his trial and went to prison without an
Hughes swering police and prosecution qucs
1 lions relating the murders to Triad bcl
ting gangs in China.
GLOBAL SOCCER A suicide a month ago in South Korea
triggered the rcve.rbcrations throughout
the Kleaguc. The news agency Yonhnp
LONDON "Zero tolerance" is the in reported that a ployer found dead in his
phrase among spons officials these hotel roomhad left n note in which he re-
days. ferred t o a match fixing cartel
Sepp Blatter of FI FA and Jacques The invest ignlion that followed led to
Rogge of lhc I nt ernational Olympic the bans, issued late Friday night, even
Committee speak about it. South Korea before the st:it e s tarted its prosecution.
practices it. Eight of the indicted players are from
This past weekend, 10 Korean profes- the Daejeon Citizen club. One is from
sional soccer players were banned ror Gwnngju, and one from Sangmu
life from playing the game. The men, in Phoenix.
duding one former national team player, The Sangmu player. Kim Dong-hyun,
i Kim Donghyun, have yet t o face crimin is in big trouble. His team is run by the
al prosecution. But the Korea Football military, and military prosecutors arc
Association has banned them anyway. on the case. If lhe KLeague verdict
"We made t.he decision determined holds, not only will he never represent
that this would be the fir.a and last south Korea again, but he, and the oth
matchftxing scandal in the league," er n ine barred players, will not be aJ.
I said Kwak Young<heol. the head of the lowed to be involved in any way at all
K-League disciplinary commiuee. with soccer.
"Players must keep in mind that they An llth player, Kim Jung-kyum of the
will be kicked out of the sport perma Pohang Stcclers. was handed a five-
nently if they get caught committing yeor ban after allegations that he
wrongdoing." The 10, and four other learned of the Oaejeon Citizen plot and
men accused of c:ollaborating to ftx the bet on it.
outcome or matches for belting pur- No dub officials ore accused or
poses, could, if convicted in coun, face knowing Of the plot lhOl allegedly SlOI'
seven years in jail.
The association, it seems. has con-
' duded their guilt, though Kwak con
ceded that the life bans would be re-
viewed if they \\'ere cleared in criminal
proeeedings.
This, remember, is the Republic of
Korea - not Nonh Korea.
The K.F.A., the parent body to the 28
year-old K-league, has been built up
through its past president, Chung
Mongjoon, a leading lawmaker in the
""'""""""".....,,.,
Kim Donghyun was gl\'en ;a llfet lme ban.
National Assembly in Seoul.
Chung was recen tly deposed as a
vice president of FIFA, in part because led with one player's being paid 120
his straight talk sat uncomfortably million won. about $110,000. :ind distrif>.
with some of the corrupt practices now ut ing it to t cammates .
being unraveled at the top of the world They lost the game against Pohang
! governing body of soccer. Steclers in April.
1
By coincidence, Italy's courts are still Howe\'er, the clubs pay a penalty -
1
sitting on lhe case or Luciano Moggi and an ironic one: they will be docked a
I Antonio Giraudo, the m en barred for large pan of the nearly 270 million won
I five years for their alleged roles in the paid annually to each KLeague terun
Calciopoli corruption case that preceded from, of a.JI things, Sports Toto. That is
Italy's winning the 2006 World Cup. South Korea's only licensed sports lot-
Moggi and Girnudo were found. by the t ery.
sports authorities, to have wielded such We are looking al the start of a zcr~
influence over referees that Moggi's tolerance policy that will not be
club, Juventus, won championships that watered down by courts. as it very
were later stripped from the records. likely might in Europe or the United
But Moggi has not gone away. He States.
still contributes coruscating co1umns to No matter how good Kim Dong-hyun
the Libero newspaper and acerbic corn- was on the field, t he chances of his get
, mcntaries on Telcapri Sport TV. He is t ing an amnesty and a recall to t he na
still in coun. in Naples, pleading that tional squad are long.
I he has always been innocent and was
l framed in relation to caJciopoli and oth-
He has all the time In the world now
t o reflect on t he renl meaning of iero
1 er cases involving a player agency. tolerance. And he might, if Kim is a stu
I n the same week that South Korea dent of soccer his tory, think his misfor-

I was declaring 10 players persona non


. grata, the Itnlian soccer federat ion sud-
denly ruled that Maggi must ne\'cr be
t une was to be born where he was.
Woy back in 1980, Paolo Rossi was
disqualified for three years after being
allowed back into the sport, in any ca- implicat ed in anot her Italian scandal ,
pacity. the Totonero betting affair. His ban wns
So, zero tolerance before trial in Ko- later reduced t o two years, just in t ime
rea. and zero tolerance five years after for Rossi lo make tl1c 1982 World Cup
the fact in Italy. squad.
This column npplauds draconian After a slow st art. Rossi became the
measures to root out mntch fixers in Golden Boot nnd Golden Bal l winner of
any sport, not jus t soccer. Nothing con the Italian team that won the World
taminntcs sports more than attempts t o C\Jp in Spain. Indeed, FI FA mode him
corrupt the outcome - and as the re- player or the year.
cent trial in Bochum, Germany, has All was forgiven, and lat er, in his
demonstrat ed, the same big fixers come book "I Made Brazil Cry," Rossi mnin
back again and again, even after they tained his innocence, corroborated by
have been jailed for game tampering. one of his :iccuscr's admitting that
I The spread or Internet betting has in Rossi was never gu ilty of anything. The
creased the stnkes, and made it possi evidence against him, apparently, was
I ble for syndicates on the other s ide or alic.

Copyright 201 1 by The New York Tirnes Co. Reprinted w ith permission.
THE NEW YORK TIMES, THURSDAY,]ULY7, 2011 BJJ

I.O.C. AWARDS
2018 WINTER GAMES
TO A SOUTH KOREAN
RESORT
BY .J ERE LO.\l C ~IA\l ASD Cl IO E SANG -II UN

T
he W inter O lympics were awa rded fo r rhe fi rsr grearer rhan rhe orher bids - $ 1.5 billion for the actu-
ri me ro Sourh Korea o n Wednesday as rhe al- al Ga mes a nd $2 billion to $6 billion fo r infrasrrucru re
pine resort of Pyeongchang was named hosr of projects, according ro news reporrs, as Pyeongchang
rhe 2018 Ga mes. seeks to become a regional w inrer sports hub.

Pyeongchang had been a persisrenr ca ndid are fo r a de- T he Sourh Korean candidacy also enjoyed w idespread
cade, fini shing second ro Va ncouver in the voting fo r public support, which t he I.O.C. considers an impor-
the 2010 Games and ro Sochi, Russia, fo r the 20 14 ta nt facto r. Its pla n to have all evenrs wirhin 30-min-
O lympics. It built its successful ca ndidacy fo r 201 8 ure's drive from Pyeongcha ng appa rently was also
on a proposal to expa nd access to winrer sporrs in rhe appea li ng. And the Olym pic delegates seemingly were
populous and lucrative Asian ma rket. swayed by the fac r thar Sout h Korea's president, Lee
Myung-bak, t raveled to Durban to make a personal
T he South Korea n city won overwhelmingly on
pirch fo r the 20 18 Ga mes.
the first ballot of a secret vo te of d elegates of the
International O lympic Committee, receiving 63 vores, But rhe most persuasive facto r in Pyeongcha ng's bid
compared with 25 fo r Munich a nd 7 for Annecy, may have been the c ha nce to furt her expa nd the popu-
France. Voting took place ar a general asse mbly of rhe larity of winter sports in a country that had not pre-
I.O.C. in D urba n, Sourh Africa. viously hosted rhe W imer Olympics. Pyeongchang is
about I 00 mi les east of Seoul, t he South Korean capi-
"There is maybe a lesson in the achievement of
ra l, which has a popularion of more rhan 10 million.
Pyeongchang," Jacques Rogge, the president of rhe
I.O .C., said at a news con fere nce. "Patience a nd perse- Andrew Judelson, rhe c hief revenue a nd market-
verance have prevailed." ing officer for rhe Un ired Srares Ski and Snowboard
Associario n, said in a sraremenr, "The O lympics w ill
Pyeongcha ng will be the t hi rd Asian city to host rhe
benefit fro m rerurn ing to Asia and especially Korea,
W imer Games, after Sapporo, Japa n, in 1972 and
which has become a major global business cenrer."
Naga no, Japan, in 1998 . l rs budger fo r 20 18 was far
OLYMPICS

1.0.C. Awards 2018 Winter Games to a South Korean Resort NORlli~


ByJERtLONGMAN
andCllOE.s.l.'iG ll UN
TM Wmttt 01)11\pta wtt'C
t~
na.
I O.C. m Durban. South Al

lbert lS maybt' a k."sson m t.M


dtn1. Ltt M)'ung-bak. tr.l'dl"d to
Durboan to nW;e a pc-rson3l pd.eh
fw the 2018 G3mtS.
W~nt'Sd.ly's \'OCe ,.,..,_, 1n kttp-
mg "'Ith m::ornt autmpu by tht-
Of)'Tllpc: and SOCttr's \\'or1d Cup
11y co orpnae ~ in1t'm;mon
al sporttn& t\"l"fUS O\'t'r lhc- p;ut
tv.'O decadH.. In add1taon to bt1n$ 5--'
.
.rJu:...n~m..
Pye: n1cti.an1

-...
u'Jl'dtd for the firss llmt to ac:hle\'t'mffil of Pyrongchang; Ou1 the mosi pttSu.351\"e f3C10< to bnn& tM ,.:orkl's bipttt the hose ol the' I~ Surnmtr
JacqUts Rogge, the pttSldent o1 in P) 11ngchmg's bed may ha\ e sparung ~cnu 10 rbcn v.httr Olympics. South Kett01 v. H the
South Kort3 on WtdMSCbf as sovrn
the 1.0C.. p><t :u a nr.r.-s conftt bttn the chan to lunhn" ex thl') h3d not bttn prt\'lOUSI)' ro-host "uh Japan of t ht 2002
lh< lllp<no ....., "' P)'tOngch.l"lt KOREA
\lo'3j Mmtd host ol the 2018
tnce. "'Pautt1ee and perse'~r p;i.nd the populanly ot v.;mer Mid. Tlle 2014 W1nttt Games wlll WorkJC\lp.
Carnes.
a.nee tu\>e prC't':l.I~. spons 1n a count!")' t?ut had not go 10 Russii fw the (1r5t llmc and Yet. corrupoon 1n\ohing h11th
Pycongc:h.i.ng will be the third prt\10051)' hostrd tht Wmt'1" the 2016 Summer G3mts v.:111 be rnnkmg Olymf( offic1.'\J' lrom
Pyeongchang had bttn :t ~r Asian cuy 10 host the \Vmter Olymp.cs. Pyeongcha.ng lS about held for 1he hrst 11mc in South South Kore01 has alJo hrouaht
si11ent Cl1Khda1e for a decade, C11mes, nfttr Snpporo. J3p:sn. m 100 nults c;ut ol Seoul. the South Ame nca. v.1th Rio de Jant1ro LU emb.1rrnssment 10 t he 1.0.C. Kim
finishing second 10 Vaneotl\'t'r In 1972 nnc.I Nn.gano, Japan. in 199S. l\orcan c:1~1 nl, ""'Inch has a pop-
1he \'OC1n,g for the2010 CnmM nnd host. Un-yong, a formtt 1.0.C. v.ce
II'\ budget for 2018 was far great ul:ulon or mort than 10 million. p~1den1, rcs~gned In 200' afttr
10 Socht. Russa.'l, lor lhe 201'1 The mono ot the Pytongchang
er 1tm11 1he other bids - SLS b1l Andrew Judelson. the!: chief being <'onv1c:tl'd of embelUe-
Olympics. It ~nit its succn.sful lion for Che actw.I Gnmt1 and $l btd was "new horizons; which
rl'vcnuc and nurkeung offi<'tt mrnt. Lee Kunhtt. lht chalnnan
c:1.nd1cbcy fOt' 2018 on a propcn.nl b1lhon 10 $6 billion tor mfr.mruc- Cho Yangho. 1he ~ comm1t1ce's
for 1hc Uni ted States Ski nnd
<'h3Jrm.3n, d~nbed as an oppor
of samtJung, an Olympic spon.w, 09. ...... ~r..u
10 exp.lnd XC6S 10 \\inter sports
tun: pl"Oft'CU, nccordmR lo ne'olo"S Snowboard As.soc1.iuon. said m a rtlmqu1~htd his dut1n as an
in 1he popolou~ and IU(T.1the l umty to l'KJ)alld wmll'1' spons Pyeongchang .ec.ka 10 bt.-come
As1anmartet.
reporu.'" Pyeongd1:rng seeks to s 1:ucmtnl. "The Olymp.cs "",u 10 new ~s of Ille W"Orkl Md
1.0.C. deltg.lte in 2003 and v.1u
a. rqiionnl winte r sports hub.
be<ol:nt a ttx.c>nal wmtl!r s.poru bene fit from ttlUmmg to ASl.3 convicted ot ta_'ll e\':rnon; he "'m
The South Korean 01y won hub and cspcoa.lly Korea, wtuch tw g.we opportumty to new J>l"'OPltt blt'r pardontd and rttumtd his
O\~hdmingly on the first bal Thl" South Kore:.n candidacy become a m.1JOr gk>baJ busmess 103ccess 10 the \V1mcrG;uues. role w11h 1he 1.0 C. lasl )~o.r. $12m1llion.
kM of a ~ ' -01e of ~leg:atn of nlJO tilJOYcd wklesprtad pubhc Ct'ntct." P.u k Yonc-sung, htad ot 1he Part, the head of Sotnh Kort :i'a 1bc nc-A-s of Pycongchm&'s
the lntnational OlympK Com suppon, ,... hteh the 1.0 .C. cons1d In a fin:ll pitch to 1.0.C. ddc- South KortM Olympic Comnul Olymp1t Comrmll~. wns c:om'1Cl vtetory came near nudmght In
mllltt, rcawmg 63 votes, corn ers nn lmpon:mt rac1or. Its plan g:.tes on \\'cdnesd:iy, Pyt"Ong tee. said 1tut P)'t0ngch3111:'s \'I<' cd or embeulcm ent but par SOuth t\orca. tn the reson , \'11138
pared with ?S for Munkh and 7 10 havt nll t \encs w11hm 30- chang's bid lt:idcrs d1spl:t,)'td a tory "g.:we new hope for those d~ doned in 2007. 010, l he chairma n crs d;u1ccd and wa\'cd natlon;ll
for AnnK)', Frnncc. Vo1i11g took rmnutcs drl\'c from Pycong m ap showing lh:lt 19 of the prev1 \eloping <'oumne-s, becnusc 111 or Pytongchnn1fs bid com111111~ nnd Olympic rtags.
place at a gcncr:i.I asSt'mbly of chnnx npparcntly was also ap- ous 21 W1n1cr Games h3d been the past we think 1he Ol)'mp1c:s and of Kor~an Air, was cl13rgtd "This Is a \'ktory tor the proplc
llCl'llmg. And the Olympic dcle- held In Europe and North Amer ~ire only for the rich nnd big roun- with cax evnslon in 1999 and )\IV of Sou1h Koren: l..cc, the coun
Ch~ San.i:hun rrporrtd from gu1cs Sct"mmgly were sw:iycd by lea. s uggesting 11 was tune to give trics." en n 1hrcc-ycnr pri:scm ter m, but t1')"S president, s..'tid from Our
St'Oul, Sou1h KOrt!il. the fnct 1htll South l\orcn's pr<.'SI Asia another chance. South Koren ha..'i &hO'A'n 11..S abtl settled with the JtO\'ernmcnt for ban.

n a final pitch to 1.0 .C. delegates on Wednesday,

I
In addition to being rhe hosr of rhe 1988 Summer
Pyeongcha ng's bid leade rs displayed a map show- Oly mpics, Sourh Korea was rhe co-hosr wirh Japan of
ing rhar 19 of rhe previous 2 1 W inter Games had rhe 2002 World C up.
been held in Europe and Norrh America, suggesting ir
Yee, corru prion in volvin g high-ranking Olympic of-
was rime to give Asia ano rher cha nce.
ficials from Souch Korea has a lso bro ughc embarrass-
Wednesday's vore was in keeping wirh rece nt arre mprs ment to rh e 1.0.C. Kim Un-yong, a former l.0.C.
by rhe O lympics and soccer's World C up to bring vice presidenr, resigned in 2005 after being convict-
rhe world 's biggest sporri ng events to places where ed of embezzle ment. Lee Kun-hee, rhe chairman of
rhey had nor been previously held. T he 20 14 W inter Sa msung, an O lympic sponsor, relinquished his duties
Ga mes wil l go to Russia for rhe firsr time and rhe 2016 as an 1.0.C. delegate in 2008 and was convicted of tax
Summer Ga mes wi ll be held for the first rime in Sourh evasion; he was larer pardoned and resumed his role
America, with Rio de Ja ne iro as hosr. with rhe 1.0 .C. lasr year.

The n1otto of rhe Pycongchang bid was "ne\v hori- Park, rhe head of Sourh Korea's O lympic Committee,
zons," wh ich C ho Yang-ho, rhe bid commitree's cha ir- was convicted of embezzleme nt bur pardoned in 2 007.
man, described as an opporruniry to "expand winter C ho, rhe cha irman of Pyeongcha ng's bid comm ittee
spores to new regions of the world and give opporru- a nd of Korea n Air, was charged with rax evasion in
nity to new peoples to access to rhe W imer Ga mes." 1999 and given a rhree-year priso n rerm, bur serried
wirh rhe governmenr for $ 12 mi llion.
Pa rk Yong-sun g, head of rhe South Korea n O lympic
Com mittee, said that Pyeongchang's victory "gave T he news of Pyeo ngcha ng's victory ca me near m id-
new hope for those developing countries, because in night in Sourh Korea. Jn rhe resorr, villagers danced
rhe pasr we rh ink rhe O lympics a re on ly fo r rhe rich a nd waved nationa l and O lympic flags.
and big countries."
"This is a victory for rhe people of Sout h Korea," Lee,
Sourh Korea has shown irs ability to orga ni ze major in- rhe country's president, sa id from Durban.
rern ariona l sporting events over rhe pasr rwo decades.
Choe Sa11g-hu11 reported from Seoul, South Korea.

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
IN THE NEW YORK TIMES
THENEWYORKTIMES, THURSDAY,]ANUARY14,2010 A16

YOUTH PROGRAM
INSPIRE S
DREAMS OF
KOREAN UNITY
BY CllO E SA.SC- II N

TIIENEW YORK TIMES INTERNATIONAL TIIURSDAY.JANUARY 11. 2010

year-old defector. we sddom


Youth Program Inspires thought about IL I still don' t thmk
11 's possible:. 11\C two econormes
arc much t oodtffcrenL""
Dreams of Korean Unity In I\ SUf'\'t')'Of I.OOO South Kore-
ans conducted 14st June by che
Korta Ptaee lnsutute, a Ctms-
By CllOESANGfl UN ferent -..;iys ot thinking and be- tlan rHearch institute', half 1he
SEOUL. South Korea -
ha\ing; Mr. Yoon srud. w e !Of
When resporwkn1s uiJ umfvlton WM
Ju Jm-ho arm~ hn'e from got th:lt ~ore Korea -..-u d1,1d- not necess:iry u iong as the I Yt'O
North Korea tn 2006, n was as lf ed. "' bv'fd In the same country, sSdes bvC'd in pe:xc. In MOlheT
Mo had ~ to an abtn corn. . matT)ing each ochn'.-
pubbc opimon poll. conduaed in
~t. DOl )use the soulhttn twf of
Undef the program, the Oh
Stptembtr by the Nataona.I Unar,.
the Kattan Ptninsub.. z.em' AllWKe. a O\'K group cation Ad\'ISOI')' COunal, llboot
founded in l996, h.u broug.ht 10-
E\~ lhough M r. Ju. a 1-1-)"Ur nt.'O-th1rds ol the South Keft3ni:
okl lk<rctor. was placed 01 a gtther Studenl5 from K)-unzgi
JUl"\e)'td '3id the) "-an1td any
school v.,th dWdltil a)~ or two Girl$' Jli&h Sc:hool m Stool vmh
young Nonh Kornn defectors uruOation 10 be gradlW 10 l\'Old
)"OW1Jer. most ol his dassm:t.tes pobdcal llnd economic: cbsrup-
Vriere a. htad taUer. 11lty 1ca.wd for enracurncut.v acuvmes.
They attend concerts. ~
uons.
htm, calling him a -~ They Although 3 s p1m o f unihca11on
were fat a.head ol him m sub,eclJ cook, comp:utng N'onh and
South Kort:an dlShcs. The North pttSIMS in the South, m.iny peo-
like m:uhematics. Though he was ple 00.lk nt ''hat is expected 10 be
dC$J)('rntc to make friends, he Kor\'nns, who are adept :it fann
Ing. ha\e shown the South Kore- lhe enormOUJ c:ost ot ln1egm1in1
Md trouble rommumc:ning. the t-..-o economies. Ptr cnpiUl In
ans how to harvest yams :ind
During class br<olcs. Ibey rome In the North a mourns 10
talked about nothing but compul
m3ke scanicrows. The tr-enagen
from tM South gl\'e those from only 6 pc1"Ctnt of ptr capita an
er games. said Mr. Ju. ~ho 1s the North lips on hf:M to come In the South. xconhn& 10
SUCCttd
now 17. 1 sumtd pl~ng 1hm1 so soaally and ocademocally. lb<) lheBonkol~
I couk1 pn tbrir con'"'tfS3oons. I hnn m3dt fne.nds. '"I used 10 oppow unlric:uion,
btcunie addicted.. My f)'esight bK.luse I thought -..-e'd me mctt
........
ckterion.ttd.. M)' grades COl

SU1tt lasl SUmrKr, ho'A-cvtt, bt


When the sludenlS went camp.
Ing IJ1 Octobtt and su.yl"d up late,
Moon SungIJ. :t H)Hr-old North
than we'd g:un, sa;d llur Jt-
)'OUng. a fnshman 11 Kyunw
Kattan. brought the- South K"'" Ju Jinho. crntcr, and Moon Sung-ii, krt. both refogtt from No11h Korea. raJ1ing Yl.' ith Sout h Ko- hlJh school Htt fntnd Um llyo
h3s bttn mrolled i.n 3 MW pro- Je001. ho\\'ie\'ef, S3Jd she 1Uppor1
ans to tean "htn he rttaunled rnn cirlJ u part of" program nm by the Ci1iz.cns' Alliancr for North Korun H uman Ri1:h11.
gram that Sttlts to O\'t rcomc the h1S IWOaftd.a-half)"Uf journey ed 11 beause she saw an econom-
yawning cultural gap that has dc- with ocher dtftttors, -..:hdl took ic odv;unage 111 a largrr domcstJC
\'cloped 111 the six dtcadcs dunng him from North Koren 10 China.
hmt'S the lWt"ra&e lor Soulh K~ at me.'" said Mr. Ju, -..ho MW Bt the North, a Stttt<Mype hM dt- market.
whkh the Communist North and Myanmar nnd a refuge-e e.:unp In
a.n students. occordmg 10 the tmds ttn altt:matlve school for \'doped here of Northemtts AS Afttr mingling Yt1th t he Nonh
the capil.11ist South h3ve been di Bangkok. But he shocked them Educntton Ministry. defect ora aftrr fnihng to ad\1lJKe second-class Koreans. oet<1y Md Kore:m tcen.igen: for a sernester.
vklcd. The program brings to- when he said 1hnt none or
1h:n With the number of Nort h J(o. 10 n rl'gulnr high Khool ""When ~t:irvmg. but al.so surly nod bel the SOu1h Koreans .s..i.id cht:)' bf.
gether Sooth Korean tttnagers was AS d.!liuntlng as " South Kon.... rt'an refugr-es mcrcasmg by trachcrs and s100tn1.s tpoke dis- hgerent. lbe mistrust is mu1u:al. liC\'ed more strongly In unafiCA
:md )'OUng defectors f rom N orth an classroom. nbou1 10 pcrtent annulllly, the paragingly about Nonh Korea. I In t he North, cexhen tell chll 11on, but less for economic rt3
KOtt3 In a rare experiment here 1 could Mrdly undt1"Sland task of lntegr.aung t~m ln10 felt like they -..m Insulting n~... dren th:ll SOuth Kore:i 1s an sons now than for somethmg
In building affinity - and prtpar an)1hlng the teacher srud; he South K~:in toOety hAS bea.:xM Ms. PMk soud ihe used 10 look Amenc:an colony, n 1pnngboard closer to good w1ll
mg for posslhie rt:uruficatlOl'L said. " My cl.usma1es, who "'tn an ('3rly 1rs1 for pMS1b&e un1fica- down on Nonh Kortans. "I asse> for a future lnvilStOtl, m t\ny d~ "'Belore 1.toultd this program, I
J ust bov. far the tV'O 00~ h:we all o. )~3t or 1-.."'0 youngtt than I 1lon. aatttl them -..ith 1omethm1 poor, rcciorssay. ronstdered unificauon Wlth 3 ul
dnlted apon. how radkally dof was. taun1ed me as a poor SOUJ>- "'WhcM'\"tT somtthlrtg b;w1 cbrk Md ncpth"t; she said '" 83ck In the North, \lie seldom cubtor, not with my ht;u1 fOr ftl
fttent tMtr rrames of rtf~ eater from the Non h." I foucht about North Korea came up du.r Althouah many suttt'Uful heard texhen: tan; 3.boul unUa k.M* Koreans ln thC' Nonh; Ms.
ha\~ bcc'omc. 1'":15 ~'idml whfn them Wlth my fiSlS." ing d.lls, c\Cf)-one turned to look South KOTC':al\J ha\'e lhnr rootl m tton. said ON>t llyokdM>I. 19 Uurs.;ikl.
P:u1t Sung~ a IS..)nr-old More than Ii.OOO North Kore-
South Kor-e3Jl.. ~t
Mr. J u DJ\S, about 10 percent or
them
through lhc program in Seoul's teenagers, ha\'C ned 10 the South
bustbng Sinchon district. since f:.m1ne su uc.k their roumry
'"When I :Weed him, ' How did in the mid-1990s. TilC average
you g~ here?' I rxJ)Kled him to journey from th~ Nonh to the
say by bus or subway, M s. Park Sou1h 1nkes 35 months. mostly
S<lid. through China and Southeast
Instead, she rKalled. "he g.ive Asia. Noe everyone ''' ho starts
me the -..hole s tory of his joomty out makes It t o the South; some
from Nonh Korea thr ough Chin:i h:we been caught and ret urned to
:md Myanmar."" when he ned with the North. whtte the)' of1tn end
his family in 2005. up ln tabor c:tmps.
Th< p<ogr:un. c:illed lh< Wttl< When they art: ploced In South

W
end Program ror South~ North Korean s.c:hools. the Northerners en Ju Jin-ho arrived here fro m Norrh
Kort;an Ttt:rl3Cf'S Togethtt. w.u att lorced t o begin nearly from
btgun Wt August by the Rev.
Benjamin H. Yoon. 80. lhe ~ader
scra1e:h. In the North, they spent
as much lJme le3mlng :about the
Korea in 2006, ir was as if he had come to
of the Ouzcns' AJll;incc for North family of th~r ka(lcr, Kim Jong
Korean Human Rig h1s. ii, "-' they did :'lbottt the rest ot n alie n contine nt, nor just rhe southern
'"Although we share the same Kore3n lu.story. F'e w learned
,;enrs. Soi.uh and North Koreans
lhe hke comp letely di fferent iX"O"
Eng.h~h. wluch Is 3 requirement
in Somh Korean schools. Dropout
half of the Korea n Peninsula.
pies. "'ith different accems,. dlf r.1tes nmong defl"C'tors arc fi\"t'

Even though M r. Ju, a 14-year-old defector, was placed


in a school with chi ldren a year o r rwo yo unger, most of
his class mates were a head taller. T hey teased h im , call-
ing him a "red." T hey were fa r ahead of him in subjects
like marhemarics. T hough he was d esperate to make
friends, he had tro uble com mu nicating.
''D uring class breaks, they talked about noth-
ing bur co mputer ga mes," said Mr. Ju,
W hen the students went camping in Ocrober and
stayed up late, Moon Sung-ii, a 14-year-old No rth
who is now 17. " I scarred playing chem Korean, brought che South Koreans co tears when he
so I could join thei r conversations. I beca me addicted. recounted his rwo-and-a-half-year journey with other
My eyesigh t d eteriorated. My grades got worse." defecro rs, which rook him from North Korea to C hina,
Myanmar and a refugee camp in Bangko k. But he
Since last summer, however, he has been enrolled in a
shocked chem when he said that none of char was as
new program chat seeks to overco me the yawning cul-
daunting as a South Korean classroom.
tural gap t hat has d eveloped in the six decades during
which the Communise North and the capitalise South " I could hardly understand anyth ing the teacher said,"
have been divided. The program brings rogerher South he said. " My classmates, who were all a yea r or two
Korean teenagers and yo ung d efecrors from North younger than I was, taunted me as a 'poor soup-eater
Korea in a rare experiment here in b uilding affin ity - from the North.' I fought chem with my fists."
and preparing for possible reunification.
More than 17 ,OOO North Koreans, about I0 percent
Just how fa r chc two sides have d ri fted apart, how radi- of chem teenagers, have fled to the South since fam-
cally different cheir frames of refere nce have become, ine struck the ir country in the mid- I 990s. The average
was evident when Park Sung-eun , a 16-year-old South journey from the North co the South takes 35 months,
Korean, met Mr. Ju through the program in Seoul's moscly through China and Sourheasc Asia. Noe every-
buscling Sinchon district. one who stares out makes it co the So uth; so me have
been caught and returned co the North, where they of-
"Wh en I asked him, ' How did you get here?' l expected
ten end up in labor camps.
him co say by bus or subway," Ms. Park said.
W hen they are placed in South Korea n schools, rhe
Instead , she recalled, " he gave me che whole story of
Norrherners are fo rced co begin nea rly from scratch . In
his journey from Norrh Korea th rough C hina and
the Norrh , they spent as much rime lea rning about the
Myanmar," when he fled wi th his family in 2005.
fa mily of their leader, Kim Jong-ii, as they did abo ut the
The program, called the Weekend Program fo r South rest of Korean hisrory. Few learned English, which is a
and North Korea n Teenagers Together, was begu n lase req uirement in South Korean schools. Dropour rates
August by the Rev. Benjamin H. Yoon, 80, rhe leader among defecrors are five ri mes the average for South
of the C itizens' All iance fo r North Korean Human Korean scudents, according co the Education Ministry.
Righ ts.
W ith the number of N orth Korean refugees increasing
"Alth ough we share the sa me genes, South and North by about I 0 percent an nually, che cask of integrating
Koreans live li ke co mpletely different peoples, with d if- them in ro South Korean society has beco me an early
ferent accents, different ways of chinking and behavi ng," test for possible unification.
M r. Yoon said. "We forgot ch at before Korea was divid-
"Whenever something bad about North Korea ca me up
ed, we lived in the sa me country, marrying each other."
during class, everyone turned co look at me," said Mr.
Under the program, the C itizens' Alliance, a civic Ju, who now anends an alternative school fo r defecrors
group fo unded in 1996, has b rought rogechcr scudencs after fai ling co advance co a regular high school. "Wh en
from Kyu nggi G irls' High School in Seoul with young teachers and students spoke d isparagingly about North
North Korean defecrors for ext racurricular activities. Korea, I fel t like they were insulting me."

T hey attend concerts. T hey cook, comparing North and Ms. Pa rk said she used co look down o n North Koreans.
South Korean dishes. The North Ko reans, who arc adept " I associated them with something poor, dark and neg-
at farming, have shown the South Koreans how to har- ative," she said.
vest yams and make scarecrows. The teenagers from the
South give chose from the North tips on how to succeed
socially and academi cally. T hey have made friends.
A
lthough many successful South Koreans have
their roots in the North, a stereotype has de-
Yeloped here of Northerners as seco nd-class
Koreans, need y and starving, bur also surly and bel-
ligerent. The mistrust is mutual. In the North, teachers
tell child ren rhar South Korea is an Am erica n co lony, a
s pringboard for a future invasion, many defecro rs say.

"Back in the North, we seldom hea rd teachers raJk about


unification," said Choi H yok-chol, a 19-yea r-old defec-
ror. "We seldom thought about ir. l still don't think it's
poss ible. The two economies are much roo different."

In a survey of I ,OOO South Koreans co ndu cted last June


by the Korea Peace lnstimce, a C hristian resea rch in-
stitute, haJf the respondents said unifi ca tion was not
necessary as long as the [\VO sides lived in peace. In an-
other public opinion poll, conducted in September by
the National U nification Adviso ry Council, about two-
thirds of the Sou th Koreans s urveyed said they wa nted
any unificatio n robe gradua l to avo id poli cicaJ and eco-
nomic disruptions.

AJthough a spirit of unificatio n persists in the So uth ,


many people baJk at what is expected to be the eno r-
mous cost of integrating the two econom ies. Per capita
income in the Norrh amounts to o nly G percem of per
capita income in the So uth , according co the Bank of
Korea.

"I used ro oppose unification, because l tho ught we'd


lose more than we'd ga in," said Hur Ji-young, a fresh-
man at Kyunggi high school. H er frie nd Lim Hyo-
jeong, however, said she supported it because she saw
an economic advantage in a larger do mestic marker.

After mingling with the No rth Korean teenage rs fo r a


semester, the So uth Ko rea ns said they bel ieved more
strongly in unification, but less fo r economic reasons
now than for so mething closer ro good wi ll.

"Before I joined this prog ram , I considered unificatio n


with a calculator, not with my hea rt fo r fellow Ko reans
in the North," Ms. Hur said.

Copyright 2010 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY.JUNE 13, 2010 RE4

THE PLACE
'FIT LIKE A JACKET'
BY CONSTA NCE HOSENBL UM

HABITATS/Jackson Heights, Queens

The Place
'Fit Like a Jacket'
Uy CONSTA.."CF. ROSF..NHLUM
OHLIHC: TAILORED TO S UIT
ll E np.mmcm in Jac"'5on

T lle1gh1S. Quttns. "here S.1ng and


MmJa J1 h.1ve h\'td for mnc yc:n'S
fmrty explodes ....,th original nnd un
lit ~':;~::~;:,::oflhehomeof
"fttmu.tOflt/ rolutate
usu:tl Y.'Orks of art.
Abo\'C 1hc sof:i hangs n m1xedmcd1a
pie by the Austrahnn arrnt D:wid
Bromley. a dreamy dcp1c1lon of a boy They quickly bcc.1me a couple, and m
surrounded by Images of cm-s. boms Apnl 2001 tnweled to ..:orca. where Ms.
and airplant'S. O\'erlook111g 1hc1r bed is J1's 1J.arents live, lobe married.
a wa1ercolor on h:mdmade paper show- A )'e:tr earlier l hey h;id srnrted look
ing Viccnnmcsc women immersed in ing for a pem1ancn1 home. a.nd 011e of
1h~1rdruly chon::s. 1he 111"$1 places they saw was thl.s very
Out one of the most fetch np.1rtmcn1.
Ing piccc:s is n creamy while " II felt :'IS if ii fil like a
wall h:u1~ing. IH; surface Ill jacket," Mr. Ji s:'lid, choos-
tC'rru1ncd ouly by a pair of ing an :lprroprfatc meta
sleek golden kol. phor. 1t was over our
Mr. Ji's m1crprctation of budge1, but thanks 10 some
1hc meaning of lh\5 work Is t'rcaiive nmth we m:uJc an CASUAL OUT CLCCANT Minjl.\ nnd S:rng
deeply romantic:. offer. Then it v.-as pu\100 J i both work in fn.shion, nnd t hei r
"lt'sas 1f wi1h asof1 w:wc from the m;irkct. We we.re ap.'lrtnu:.:111 rcOcc1~ it . A wnll h:mging
of her tail, Minj;i \itJ.S invtt hc.1rtbroken. o f fish i t' one of rn:rny :1rl w<>rkt'.
ing me to ch:lSC :dter her," The couple wro1c the
Mr.Ji hkcs 10 say. owner a lcner, saymg thnt
fits wlfc otrcn n less sen if she ever decided 10 rclist Dressen. Mr. J1's hbmry also Includes n
1lmcu1al r eadrng. " In my the ::ip:'lrt ment they were poignant rebc from his duldhood. dol
opinion," Ms. J I S.'lid, " I'm definitely inte~tl"d. They ens of leather-bound classics, :unong
the one sw11111mng behind never heard a \\.'Ord. them " h ':tnhoc; uule Women" nnd
him and JU5t qu1clly "alch And so 1helr srorch con war :\nd ~ace," tht'ir thle3; embossed
mg h1sbadc." tinued, nght up 10 a memorable day lhe Ingold.
Despite their different rt::lct1ons 10 following January. On 1h31 day they This was my mom's :111cmp1to1nnke
1he lnlJge. the Jl5 are In m:my "'' ays v.erc taken to visit a co-op th.:tt, ns de- me read more books." Mr. J1 said. Mll
' 'N')' much nltke. They hnve s1m1lar ram scribed by the broker , sounded eerily fa didn't ex..'\Clly work."
1ly boK:kgrounds nnd ha\'C pursued s1m1 m1ha.r. l11e J1s' .ttpartment h:is one obvK1Us
br <'ilrttrs. And 1hey disco,ered each "We turned a corner. and our heans drn"' b.-.c.k. ~pHe nine-foot ~1hngs.
other Inn New York son or wny. s1.t1.ru.d pounding; Mr. J1 said. "\\.'e <"tc:am-colortd walls and llvmg room
Mr. Ji, who1s35. immigmtcd from Ko- looked nt each other ;u1d asked oor- wmdows that overkx* the ~treet. some
rea "ith his parents whtn I~ \\':\S 10, st'kes, coold 1t be? Then, sure enough, or the rooms cnn be dark.
and was raised in Elmhurst, one sub- we stepped in front of 1his buildmg.M "'So we said to ou(S('l\'es, let's cm
way stop awa)' from wher e he lives 10- The onginal purch:ise pnce of brnce the darkness; Mr. Jl said. Let 's
day. A f!Cr gmdu...'lting from the Fnsh100 $145,000 hnd climbed io Sl65,000 -e\'cn
1ns111u1c of Technology, he went to work
make the a1>artmcnt even dnrker.MThe
more of a financial reach - but the Ji.s The npartmtnt has n dis1111ctly Kore Korean Church of the Nazarene. eJ.rthtoned furniture co11tr1bu1es to tlu.s
as an nssistani p.-iucm maker. Today he were not deterred. an ntmosph<:re.nnd not just because 1he Muny of 1heir furnislungs arc the
is director or technknl strvi<'l'S for the look. as do the cherry-wood blmds CO\"
we didn't want to sctm 100 drsprr J1s nsk ,'i,lto,-, 10 rem(wc their shoes work of marquee-name designers.
dt>Slgner Narciso l~odrlgue"- ering 1he liv111g room windows.
ate," Mr. Ji said. Mwe called that upon entering. ns Is customary In mruiy among them the M ichael Ar a.m s1hcr
Ms. Jl, who islS and immigrated from 11ic couple would be the first to ndmit
C\'Clltng." A~ian households. During the rouplc's candl~licks, the Simon Pearce wooden
t\orea In 1991,nlsogrndumcd from F: l.T. Korean wl"<lding tn p, the)' bought sev bowls and the Barbara Barry cherry th:it ror every decon:u ing triumph there
Their ap:irtmcnt is in a live-story red
She mCl her future huSb.'\1HI when he in crnl pieces of nn1lquc 1urni1urc. nrnong wood che!)t. (TI1c Jis arc adept at shop have bctn :i few awful 111i.s.'!tC1r.>. 111e
bric.k buildmg on 781h Slrcct. :uid laces
1crvlewcd her for an lntern's job ns nn n lush c:ourtyard garden filled with flow- 1hcm a 19tho('entury chcs1srndded with ping sample sales nnd sn:lpping up noor Charles Shack lc101\ cherry-wood M
eUlf)'IC\'CI raucrn m:tker :u J. Crew, ering pl:m1s and marnrc trees. Ever iron hanlwi\rC, :1 low S('holnr's cnblc 1h:u models. ) moire, orighmlly mtcnded for the hviur.
where he was working ni the time. since the building went up neMly a ccu now docs duty ns a 1elevision ~t:\nd. nud A few rnuchcs stnnd ns a reminder of room, ucvcr quil c flt In amJ wns 5:tdly
" llc wn.s ver) tough," snid l\1s. J i. who tury :igo, th is oasis has been one of its nn nrmolre made of Korean ph1c, nola the couple's prorcs.siona.I interests. A exiled 10 the workroom.
Is now,\ dircc1or of tcchmeal design for grc:u scll111g poims. To t he J1s, whose ble for Its densely dcuolcd grain. pair or dressmaker's dummies preside A1\d this Is our 1h lrd rug," Mr. J i S.'\ld,
Ant1 Tuylor. "lie wns not qulle lmppy Oppos11c the bed h:\llg-t :\ hnnd over the Jis' workroom. like 111u1c scn pointing lo the tobacco-colorcd Tibetan
bedroom :md kitchen O\'Crlook the gar
with my work: tries keeping guard. rug from Dolmn 011 L.'\fayenc S1rcc1
den, the big cit)' seems miles away. carved wooden plaque w11h n U1bli<"nl
NOl \.\il hs1a11t11ng this m:1uspicious "We w:ikc up ;md hear b1rds smglng; verse In Korean 1h:u rends in ll:lrt, The shelves that hne a wall of !he din tl1:u wns carted home by subway and
st:crt, 1he two bcjtall da1111g sc:cretly. uuci. "' When we lnut it om 011 the floor,
Mr. JI s.'\id. " We feel 1he sun in our " W11h your blessing 1hc house of your ins nrea arc cr.unmed wilh glossy
f:lc('S. I realite 11 sounds likC' n chch(', ~rvant wm be blessed forever," n wed books on f'igures like Yohji Yamamoto, we were j ust so relieved that ~nict hing
bul it's t rue.~ ding i:,1ft from their church. the Flu.shin~ Y\r~ S.'\1111 Liurcrn nnd llenn earlier finally worked."

M r. ]i's inrerpretation of t he m ea ni ng of t his work is

T
he apa rrm enr in Jackso n H eights, Q ueens,
w here Sa ng a nd Minja Ji have li ved fo r nine d eeply rom antic.
yea rs fairl y explodes w ith o riginal and unusua l
"It's as if with a soft wave o f her tail , M inja was invit-
wo rks o f a rt.
ing me to chase after her," Mr. Ji likes to say.
Above the so fa han gs a mi xed-media piece by the
H is wife o ffers a less sentimenta l readin g. "Jn my opin-
Aust ra lian artist David Bromley, a dream y depiction
io n," M s. Ji sa id, 'Tm the o ne swim ming behind him
o f a boy su rrou nded by images of ca rs, boars and air-
and jusr quierly watching his back."
planes. Overlo oki ng their bed is a watercolor o n ha nd-
m ad e pa per show in g Vietnamese women immersed 111 Despite their different reactions to the im age, the Jis are
their da ily cho res. in m any ways very much alike. T hey have similar fa m-
ily backg rounds a nd have pursued sim ilar ca reers. A nd
Bur o ne o f t he m os r fetching pieces is a crea my white
they discovered each other in a New Yo rk sort of way.
wa ll hang ing, its surface in terrupted o n ly by a pair o f
sleek golden ko i.
bur it's true ."

M
r. Ji , who is 35, immig rated fro m Korea
wirh his parents w hen he was 10, a nd was
The apartment has a disti nctly Korean atmosphere,
ra ised in Elmhurst , one subway srop away
and nor jusr because the Jis ask visitors ro remove rheir
from where he lives today. After graduati ng from rhe
shoes upon entering, as is customa ry in many As ia n
Fashion l nsriru re of Tech nology, he went to work as an
households. D uring the couple's Korea n wedd ing
assistant pattern maker. Today he is director of techni-
trip, t hey boughr several pieces of a ntiq ue furn iture,
cal services for t he desig ner Na rc iso Rod ri guez.
among them a 19th-centu ry c hest studded with iron
Ms. Ji, who is 38 a nd immig rated from Korea in 1994, ha rdwa re, a low schol a r's cable char now d oes duty as a
a lso graduated from F. l.T. She met her furure husba nd television stand , a nd an a rmoi re made of Korea n pine,
when he interviewed he r for a n inrern's job as an entry- notable for irs densely dera iled gra in.
level pattern maker at J. C rew, w here he was wo rking
Opposite rhe bed hangs a ha nd-carved woode n plaque
ar the rime.
wirh a Biblical verse in Ko rea n rhar reads in pa re,
"H e was very roug h," said Ms. Ji , who is now a director "With your blessing the house of your se rvant will be
of tech nical desig n for Ann Taylo r. " H e was nor quite blessed foreve r," a wedding gift from rheir ch urch, rhe
happy w irh my work." Flushing Korean C hu rch of rh e Nazarene.

Norwirhs ra nd ing rhis in ausp icious srart, rhe rwo be- Many of their furnishings are rh e work of marquee-
ga n d ating secretly. They quickly became a couple, name desig ners, a mo ng them t he M ichael Ara m sil ver
a nd in April 200 1 traveled ro Ko rea, where Ms. ]i 's ca ndlesticks, rhe Simon Pea rce wooden bowls a nd rhe
pa rents live, to be married. Barbara Ba rry cherry-wood chest. (The J is are adept ar
shopping sa mple sales and snapping up floor models.)
A yea r ea rlie r they had sca rred looking for a permanent
home, and one of t he first places they saw was t his very A few couches sra nd as a remi nder of the couple's pro-
apartment. fessio nal inte rests. A pa ir of dressmaker's dumm ies
preside over the Jis' workroo m, li ke mute sentries keep-
"It fel t as if ir fit like a jacket," Mr. Ji said, choosing
ing guard.
an appropriate me tapho r. " It was over our budget , but
t hanks to so me creative math we made an offer. Then The shelves rhar line a wall of t he d ini ng area a re
it was pulled from the ma rker. We were heartbroken." crammed w irh glossy books o n figu res like Yohji
Yamamoto, Yves Saint Laurent and H enri Carrier-
The couple wrore t he owner a lerte r, sayin g t hat if she
Bresson. Mr. Ji 's libra ry a lso incl udes a po ignanr relic
ever decided ro relist rhe apart menr they were definite-
from his childh ood, dozens of leather-bound classics,
ly inreres red. T hey never hea rd a word.
among rhe m "Iva nhoe," "Little Women" and "War
And so the ir sea rch conri nued , rig ht up ro a memo- and Peace," rheir rides embossed in gold.
rable day rhe following Ja nu ary. O n that day they were
"This was my mom 's attempt to make me read more
taken ro visit a co-op rhat, as described by the broker,
books," Mr. Ji said . "Jc did n't exactl y work."
sounded eerily familiar.
The Ji s' apartment has o ne obvious drawback. D espite
"We rurned a corner, an d o ur hearts sca rred pound-
nine-foot ceilings, cream-colored wal ls and living
ing," Mr. Ji said. "We looked at each o ther and asked
room w indows char overlook rhe street, some of rhe
ourselves, cou ld it be? Then, sure enough, we stopped
rooms ca n be d a rk.
in front of this bui ld ing."
"So we said ro o urselves, let's embrace t he darkness,"
The origin al purchase price of $ 145,000 had cl imbed
Mr. Ji said . "Let's make the apartme nt even darker."
to $ 165,00 0 - even more of a fina ncial reach - bur
The ea rth-roned furn irure cont ributes to t his look, as
rhe Jis were nor deterred.
do rhe cherry-wood blinds coverin g the living room
"We didn't want co seem roo desperate," M r. Ji said. windows.
"We ca lled that evening."
T he couple would be rhe firs t ro admit chat for every
Their apartment is in a five-srory red brick building deco rating triumph there have been a few awful mis-
on 78 rh Street, and faces a lush courtya rd ga rden fi lled steps. The C ha rles Shack leton cherry-wood armoire,
with floweri ng plants and mature t rees. Ever since rhe originally intended for the liv ing room, never qu ite fit
bu ildin g went up nea rly a century ago, t his oasis has in and was sadly ex iled ro the work room.
been one of its grear selli ng points. To rhe Jis, whose
"And this is our third rug," Mr. Ji said, pointing to
bedroom and kitchen overlook rhe garden, rhe big ciry
rhe robacco-colored Ti betan rug fro m Dolma o n
seems miles away.
Lafayet te Street chat was ca rted ho me by subway a nd
"We wake up a nd hea r birds singing," Mr. Ji said. "We ra xi. "When we la id it our o n the floor, we were just so
feel rhe sun in ou r faces. I realize it sounds like a cliche, rel ieved that somethin g finally worked."

Copyright 20 10 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.


THENEWYORKTIMES, THURSDAY,]ULYJ,2010 DS

KOREAN TRADITION,
ITALIAN STYLE
BY G ISELA \VI LLlJ\J"S

SEOUL, South Korea

F
rom the outside, the home of Simone Ca rena so chat the open ing - and the courtyard - would
and J ihye Shin looks like a rraditiona l Korean face west, offering views over the surrounding roof-
ho use, or hanok, with its carved wooden door tops, roward the sunset. "And towards Iraly," he sa id .
and pagoda-style roof But the cherry red Ducari
The construction cost about $ 150,000 a nd was a con-
parked out front hints at something unexpected in-
stant battle, he said, because skilled traditional build-
side: a modern , lofrli ke space in an eye-popping shade
ers are hard ro find - they work almost exclusively on
of bamboo green.
large jobs, li ke museums or palaces, for organizations
"We wanted a strong natura l color that would bring the that can pay t heir high fees - and most of chem te nd
outside in," said M r. Carena, 41, a fo und ing partner ro be wa ry of unconventional design solutions.
of Moroelastico, an architecture firm with offices in
Needless ro say, there were problems. Soon after Mr.
Seoul and T u rin, lraly. "Simila r ro the conrrast you get
Carena and Ms. Shin moved into t he two-story,
from bamboo leaves against a backdrop of black tiles."
1,100-square-foot home in Apri l, they discovered
T he couple bought the property in the Samcheong- leaks around the windows above the kitchen cabinets.
dong district in the spri ng of 2007, fo r 280,500,000 So M r. Carena came up with a n innovative solution:
South Korean won, or about $300,000 ar the time. a "little microsystem," as he put it, that uses gutters
and plastic funnels to direct ra inwater into fl ycatcher
"Everyone we knew here thought we were crazy ro buy a
plants and a miniature herb ga rden.
hanok," sa id Mr. Carena, who moved ro Seoul from Italy
in 2001, ro reach at the International Design School fo r The house is full of co ncealed storage and clever de-
Advanced Studies, now part of Hongik University. sign ideas. A wi ndow cut into the courtyard floo r and
framed with mirrors brings light into the cellar room
At first, so did his wife, a fashion designer who grew
below and offers a " kaleidoscopic view" of the archi-
up in a hanok nea rby and remembered what it was like
tecture, Mr. Carena said. A tiny terrace set on rop of
ro live in a house without modern amen ities - and
the kitchen offers the co uple a nd their I-year-old son,
the inconvenience of having ro use an outhouse, espe-
Felice, a place to enjoy the view of Mount Inwang dur-
cially during Seou l's harsh winters.
ing the summ er.
"Even my parents advised us aga inst it," said Ms. Shin,
And unusual decorative elements - like the enor-
3 1. "But l believed in Simone."
mous convex mi rror (typically used ro provide visibi l-
le tu rned our ro be the right decision. In recent yea rs, ity around tight turns on roads) and the stud io lights
the neighborhood has become one of Seoul 's most in t he living room - create "the feeling of a film set,"
fas h ionable districts, w ith a new cafe or ga llery open- he said.
ing every few months, Mr. Carena said, and rhe prop-
"This house is a puzzle of open views and hidden sror-
erty has tripled in value.
age," he continued. Of course, a ll those open views
Because the house was in "very bad cond it ion," he said, make it easy for others to look in.
they decid ed ro tea r it down and build a new one in-
"One of our neighbors warned us one day t hat he saw
stead of renovating, reusing the origina l roof tiles and
us dancing in t he kitche n," Mr. Ca rena said. "We
found ation srones.
didn't mind, but J buil t a smal l bli nd for his sake."
Mr. Carena and his partner at Moroelastico, Marco
Bru no, designed a U-shaped structure, positioning it
O N LOCATI ON

Korean Tradition, Italian Style

I. To make the smaH


house loo! as spa
cloos as poss:t>ie -
and to bring the out
doorS:ll"l~
Simono C3t'M3 Cle.31
ed a U-Shaped floor
!)kin thJI a!Jows lhe
kd.chen and Mng
room to look out onto a
coortya.rd, where an
~pocot ltee grCM-'S A
1.indow 11"1 tne COi.Wi
ynrdfloor. frarned -A1:tl
nwrors. lets light .n10 a
col\.:ttroom

2. Mt. Carcro hfs


....,10. Jtrye Sh.n; and
their son. Fellc:e. llvo in
a trad.t.ional Korean
hOuse, Of hnnok, thnl
IS onyth1ng but l1ad1
11onal on the 11'\Sido

3. ln51ead ol rcnc:Nat-
ing the ooginal house
on mo site, ""i\oeh was
in OOd st\.lpe. they
1ore 11 <-n and bu:JI a
new one. rrusaigthe
old rod lales and Joun.
"""""Slones
4. The Wing room has
a stnr.en S4tJng are.i
MCI unusuat deeora-
INC clcmcnts, kko a
1ralhc minoc. studlo
lights and a gr.in! re.
mote con1101. lO create
"lhc rcehng of a film
sel. Mt. Qlrena said

S.. Al1Cf Fei.ce was t>om. Mr Catena created a ro


1rac1.abio Shell bcSldo the library shetvtng an lhe
bcdlocm !h.31 could be USCd as a bnby bO<J. nt:JN
A tear-down in Seoul Fo!ic<I USCi 4 as a rcad:ng tab6t
becomes a modern loft li ke
6. Mr Catena dcsctlbed me \eat.green kl.1Chen as
space fo r a young fam ily. thO ongine ot Che house Ifs "v.'tiefe tho C:Jpcali
~he sa.id. bocause you can sec~ all tno
Outside, a Ducati. othof rooms frcm there

7. ThocclbtroomtSusedla$10t300,andasa
playroom and bedroom f0t Felce

By CJSEL\ Wll.UAMS
SEOUL. Scxuh Korea 8. In the office arc.a. the desk on the nght whdl
ROM theotll~dc. the home of SnnOlt("
racos thO sunken seating arC.l in lhO IMOQ rocm

F
Clren:i and Jihye Sh in looks hke a tm OOublcS as o drning room table Ovcrhoad IS a
dition:il Korean house. or hnnok. w11h IOI! bed. bu"'t into the cc1:.ng
its carved v.1)()(Jcn door :md pagoda
style roof. But tht' cht'rry red Duc..itl
9 . Tr\O nouso h3s two smau OO:lhroom5 ThO ono
parked out front hintS at S01nc1hing
uncXP<"Clt"d inside: :i mOdcm. loflhke odJClff"ll"IQ !ho bedroom IS lined wnh mosatc 111o~
sp.1ce i n M cyt--pOpping sh..~ of bamboo J;retn. wchased llomsevcrol ShopS., South Korea
"' We 'N'aflled a slrong na1ural color ltull would
bnng the outside In,'" said Mr. C:lttn:t. -41, a foond
Ing 1>3r1nc:r ot Motoebsuc:o. an :1rd11ttorc firm
with omccs an Seoul 3nd Thnn. Italy. Sim1W 10
the contruc )'OU g et from bamboo ktli\"t"S 11gl\ln!>t :11
bocl<dn>p ol bl.xk . -
The coupit bouJ:,ht the propmy in the Som
c.hlin&-don& dmnct In 1he 5pnn.s ol %001. for archumure, Mr. sakl.
280.$00,000 South Kt'.nJ.n ""On. or about SJ00.000 at mos1 f:Wuonab&c dlStncts, with a nt'Vo' o.tc or ! dUSil\"dy on ~ )Obs.. bkt museum1 or palacu.. sropte vtr'W. of~ Cl~

u.. .,,,,., ~ optnin,g t"\'try few months. Mr. C:.U-m.i. ukl, for i.wp.nu.:auons chat can pay thttr high ftt::s - A 1my ICl"f:.l set on lop al the knchm olfers the
ilnd the property~ 1npled In value. and ~ ol lhern t~ 10 be wary of uncon\"Cfllion- roup&e and lht-ir I-year-old son. Feta, ., pbct' 10
E\"C'f')"OJ\C' ""Cknew h~ thought we wtre
~U$C tht house WM ~n "'\'tt')' bad condl- 3l dt'SllJ\ solutJOns. t'njoy 1he ~of Mount lnwang dunng thf: ~m
uaiy to buy ah."lnok; $3id M r. Cattn.l. who 100\'ed
10 Seoul from It.My an 2001. 10 IC.-.Ch :u the In..
ltm.tlt!Oml Design Schc:lo' for Adv:mcN Studlt'S.
uon; he s."Ud. thty dtodtd 10 lr:at ~t ctov. n and
build a new one in.:Mead of r enov01;t1ng. rtullnJ lhc
Nttdltss to s::iy, there tr-e probk-ms.. Soon ;,f.
1er Mr. Carcn:a and Ms. Shin f'OO'\'Cd inco the cwo- """And unus~ dccorauve eltmcnts - hkc 1hc

on1tirull rool 11ln 3:11d found:l.uon stOOM. scory, 1,100-squace-f(IO( homt m April, 1hcy dlscov enormou i con\-cx mirror (l)'J)IC.311)' used to provide
now pan of Hong.ik Univtrsay. t'red ~aks around t~ windows nbo\'e lhe k1tthnl \'1slblh1y around tight turns on ro.ids) ruid the stu
At first. sod.id his ....-ire.a fashion designer who Mr. Cotren3 and his 1>attner :it Motocl.-uuro,
catkneu. So M r. Can:na came up with an lnnov3- d10 Ughts an the IMng room - cre:ue "'th(- fee-ting
grew up In 3 tunok nea rby :md remembered \\hat M:u-co Hru no. deslg.ncd ::i Ushaped struc1ure. PC>S m e solution: a "little: microsys1em." as he put 11. olufilm sei .-hes.\id.
It was like 10 h\e inn house wnhout rnodun amen 11oning i1 so lh<'I the opening - and 11\e tour1ynr1I 1hat u~ guuers aod plasuc funnels 10 cllrect mln 111Js house Is a puule of open views alld hid
i1ics - and the inconvenience o f h.'lvm~ 10 use nn - would face v."t offtnni: vi~ s O\'tr the a ur water Into flycatcher pl:i.ms and a mlnl;uure herb de n !i l orag~.p he continued. or ('()Ur$(', :tll t hose
outhOUSC', tspeciallyduring Sooul's hllr.Sh winters. rounding rooftops. towa.r d Ille s uns.et. "'A1XI 10- .:.irdm. 01>en \>Jews make It C'J.S)' for othen to look m.
"'E\en my parents at.lvut'd us .,~'\Jn" h; "--Ud ward s l1aJy; hes.'\id. The house Is f ull ol conccal~'11 stora.gt' nlld one of our ncighbors w:1.med us one I.by t hat
Ms.Shin.JI. nut I bei1C\'t.-d In Sunooe.- The construction cost nbout SIS0,000 ;md wa" c~"er dnla.n Micas. A window cut ln10 I' court he S<IW us d.i.ncmg 111 thc kuche:n. Mr. Caterui said.
11 mrntd out 10be1hc nght dlsion. In rtttlll a COllSU'.llll 00tt~. he S3Jd, bc~U~ ilul ~ tradition )'ard floor and frarntd "'ith m1rron brinltS hatn .. We didn't mmd, but I built a s mall blind fOf" !us
years. the netghborhood tw ~ oot of Seciurs :ii bulklcrs arc h.lrd lO find - they 1A'Of1' 3lm0it ex Into the <'tll.lr room below Md offers a pka16do- sak~.p

Copyright 2010 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2010 TR13

SEOUL
BY J\H IC Cl I EN

....ar1.-"l'"l1 llT fllU.C.OIDl.O ll llte._,Ollt;; l n . \

FROM LEll"T Cooling off artcr a sauna at the 11prnwlio g Dragon I !ill Sp11 & Resort ; sam pling burbccut..'tl pork belly ni "IAclak ne~r the Hongdae 11i wlit 1ife di suict; neon.lit strec1scene in Hongdne.
0

Uy ARICCllEN 7:lOp.m.
ASTILY rebuilt after the

H Korean War, Seoul is shed 0 Kimchi Redux ONLINE: READERS' THOUGHTS

ding its once-gritty im:igc


to become one or Asia's
It was only n matter of 1lme before Ko-
re:m CUl.$ine go1 the nou\1!lle lrNU )t ~~:~:a:~~1~::00!:~ ~;:l~~~ire
most g litte ring me1ropolis ment. ond n pJOneer in th is gro\\ing whert: to Mt 011d what 10 do.
CS.Under itJ design-obsesstd mayor, mo\"etnCnt is Jung Sik D:ing (JF, Acros nytJmes..com/ trvel/ uoul
Oh ~hoon. thc city has been spifred up 8/0, 6497 Sinsa-dong, Cnngn."Ungu;
Wlt h C\'ff}'t hmg from sJeek bus shelters 822517..SGS-C; Jungs1kd1U1g.com), next
todttktd-out bridges. What's more, it to Dos.1.n Parit. ll1e dining room Is mod- It'd and bean p..i.ste: fix ings. The pnces
was named 1his )'ears World Design ern and subdued, "11h Y.h1te 1able- nre Ju~t M p.:alatablc: 10.000 won l)Cf
C3p1t:i.I by M in1ema1ionaldesign aU1 d01hs and leather ch:urs. The rotating one-JX'rson pom on.. A serving of cold
:u'ltc. But lhat 's just the beginning. set m enu (100,000 or 120,000 "-Oil, or mltng m)'un noodlt'.s 1s .f.SOO won.
SOOul hns n booming COfltemporory arc about S92or $110 01 1,0&5 won co the dol-
scene, fashionable stores throughout lar) might include sea squ1n b1bimbap, ll p .m.
the urb.'U1 landsetpe, and a thriving pop anchovy p..1ella nnd "Five Senses Saus-
nnd youth culture that now rivals that fac1ion l'Ork Hclly." There is just a 0 Where the Kids Roam
or other ASlnn capitals like Tokyo. lmndfol of rnblcs, so be sure to make a Seoul has its share or sleek bars and so-
rcservnt1on. phis11cn1ed clubs, bu1 ror a bit of urban
Friday a111hro1>0logy to go \\'Ith your drin k,
JO:JOp.m. head to llongdnc. Packed with 1een
4p.m.
agcrs, uriiversily studc n1s nnd o ther 20
0 Culture, Then and Now 0 Seoul After Dark Seoul ,,....,,.,s.....,.. so111cth\ngs. th1s carnivalcsquc, neonht
SCoul Ms a p..1noply of night-life dis- fl,t...,.,.. f11A11 nrt:i1 1s where on weekend nights you
TI1c convergence or nrt and architcc might find )'Ourself dodging a st ill walk
ture, Korean nnd Western, old and new,
tricts that cater 10 d1rtcrent crowds, bm
perhaps 1hc 1rtnd1es1 Is Garosu-gil. It's
0 er as a rock band pla)'S nearby. On 1hc
flnd3 a m.i rquee home at 1he Leeum, home to cute c...res und Immaculate main drag. you can't miss Luxury
Samsung Museum or An (74i18 ffan boutlques like p. SJ2 and llmo Outlet, Norebang (36739 5eogyo-dong. Mapo-
nnm-dong. Yongsan-gu; 822201'16900; but at mght ns 1n..'\ny OOrs throb 10 life. gu; 822322-3111), a mullistory karaoke
leeum..samsungroondation.org). Squ1r Two cool SJ>OlS Include Cafc! des Arts pal.lee t hal looks hke Ptt \ 1.'ee's Pia)"
re.It'd away tn n hilly residenllal section (?F,5'15 Sinsa-dong, Gangruun.gu: 82-2 house M dt'C':ormcd by L:turn Ashley.
ol 1hc l~on ar 'a. the museum show 541~. with 1t.s l>(>er and flea market 1- or a more upscale party vibe. check
cast"S tht Samsung Foonda!ion's im vibe. and t he yupp1e-l.sh, dMkand- out Lound (83l3 Cheongdam-dong.
pttSSl\c nn colltction in a campus or m oody Wine & Dine (5351SSinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu; 82~2-517-7-112:
bwldmgs designed by Rem Koolhaas, Gangnam-gu: 82151S.6677). i 41ound.cam), \\hich dro"-s a f3Sh1on
Jean Noo\-el and Mario Botta.. Pies nble set to its hypcrshtk sp."lccs.
da!e from histonc Korean Buddhist
p.i.Jn11ngs nnd ccladon ceramics to Saturday
works by Mark Rothko, Anish Ka poor 1oa.n1.
Sunday
nnd N3m June P,llk. Then, for a con 11 1t.m.
1ms1 10 t he Lc-eum's polished presenta 0 Design Digs
1ion, " 'alk five minutes to Ggoon (6833 1 The Dongdnemun Design Pint.'\. a m ns
<D Tapas With a View
llnnnnm-doni:;. Yongsan-gu ; 82-i0-4127 slvc complex dcsigm.'<I by 7-i ha l-lndid, llavc brunch with the in-crowd at Be-
&168; choijeonghwa.com). The e xpcri (9722 Nonhyeon-dong .. Ga11gn:m1-gu: Slnsa-<long. Gangnam-gu: 82231<12
will be n ccntcrplccc of Seoul's design 8223447-1191: kuns1halle.com), nn al 2570; anndcmc ulemccs1cr.bc): the n ew tween (12-1-7 Yongs.111-gu, 1t.1ewon
mcmnl artist Choi Jeong llwa has tr:rnsronuntion when it is complc1ed as doug; 822-795-61&1), n multilevel l!nl-
1uru<"d !his former hovel i1110 n riotous, iemativc art space b111lt fro111 scackcd concn:tc-on-concrc1c Rick Owcu.s (651
c.1rly as 2012.. Tliough Slill under con shippingoontnincrs .. Sinsa-tlong, Gangnami;u: 822516 mn nml S1>anish tapas restaurnnl. wllh
well. hovel Ihot doubles as a cafcnnd nl- slruction, 11.s hnpresshe, space-age n terrace and lounge, that opened carli
1ernnl1\'C gallery. 2217: rickowens.eu); or 1hc unnpologct
s kelc1on l.s already worth n look (2 Eul- icnlly dec01dem 10 Corso Como (i9 Che er 1his ycM. ll s airy, contempor.iry in-
l :lOp.m. terior Is nn ideal pince 10 wake up with
ji-ro 7-g..1. Jung-Ku: 82-22266-7330: ongdam-dong, Gangnnm-gu; 822-3018
R<>uldeslgn.or.k r). So Is t he new lladid 1010; IOcorsocomo.co.kr). For home- nn eggs Bcnroic1 (16,000 won) or pro-
I F YOU GO d cslgr1ed p.1rk 1hat surrounds it. which
0 Cheap or Chic scmuo s.1ndw1ch (17,000 won) nnd good
grown luxury emporiums, Slop by Boon
The !SS-room Park tly.ut Seoul etegnntly incorpor.ues recent!)' d1sc.ov For lunch In 53mchoong-dong, try the lhe Shop (89.J and i913 Chl"Ongdnm pcople-wntching.
(99$-14 Daechl 3-dong, Gangnam- c~ rums. lncludmg n military corn KuJ.;jt- Gallery's upscalc continent.'\J dong, Gangnamgu: 822S428006:
gu; 8222016-1234; ~lpark.hyau plex f rom the Choson dyn=-sly (1392 restaurant (18.000 won for the scallop boomheshop.com) and 1he edgier Daily 12:l0p.m.
.com) occup1e5 n 2.f story gLus 1910). Snu.11 design cxh1bttions accom- risocto). Or slip into ont! ot the holc-m Projec:ts (124 Choongdam-dong, Gang
ll.nd-sittl building in tM- centr.il p..'1ny a mu~um chronicling lhe s11e's the-wall resta.urant.s 1ucktd Into the nam-gu; 8223218-40i5; cbilypro,ec:ts ID Bath and Beyond
Gangnrun district. Floor-to-ceilmg htstory. hall~ side stree1s. like Cheonjm Pojn .kr). And ror local sk.1ttt and slrttt
(l4S.5 Sokeuk-dong, Jongro-gu; 822 A sinplc or Korean life has long been
windows. wnnn wood finishes and wear design, llum:intree: (<IF, 6.531 Sm the iJ11n11lbang, or b..1thhousc. And per
gmmte baths outfit its sp:tcioos. l l a .m
739-6086), "here an order of pork man sn-dong, Gnngnam-gu ; 822-514-3464;
doo dumphngs wl11 set you b:\C:k 4,000 Imps the bl&gest and most cxtr.wagam
modem rooms. Doubles stnn at humnmree.info) sh<M'S off Its hood1es o f them all is the seven.story Dragon
li0.000 won (about $249) . 0 White Cubes won. TI1crc's also aA (SS SOkcuk-dong, aml Tshins nex1 t o n Pl.:anct of the
Jongro-gu; 8227221211), a new four 11111 Spa & Resort (40713 Hangang-ro
The new 11' Routlque Hotel (737- A~blow-updoll.
TI1e d 1y s comempornry an S<"t'ne is l e\'CI temple to vlnlnge modern furnl 3gn, Yongs:mgu; 822i9SOIH;
32 l lannnm-dong. Yongsan-gu: 82-2 blossoming nnd ll"s ccntcred In pl c;i,s- drngonhillsp..1.com). Something l i ke nn
3702-8000: lpboutiqueho1el.com) is turc, thm1gh 1hc drnw is more the D;m-
;uu Sruncheong-dong.. Ulue-c.hip spaces 7: 30p.m. nmuscment park with n touch of '80s
co11\cnlcn1ly sltumed in ltnewon.. I t ish ligh1ing 1han 1hc.8,000won ham nml
inclmlc Gnllcry llyundni (80 S.1ga11- Bric sandwiches. Wgois, oomplc1e with pyr.:amids ruul a
has n colorful fncadc th:n matches 0 Fash ion Barbecue
dong, Jongrt.>gu; 8222287-3570; Native American-t hemed pub, this fnm-
the 132 comforinble rooms within : Given thnt its proprietor Is n former ilyfricndly spot comes with sex-scgn.
1111nk lots of white with splashes of g:i11c ryhyundlli.com); Kukje Gallery
(591 Sokeuk-<lon~. Jonj;ro-gu; 822i3S Jp.m. editor nt Vogu e Koren. you might ex gntcd spa areas, shared saunas, out
Pop color . R:i1es st.1 n at 200,000 door pools. Jacuuis and more: picture
8H 9; kukjcgnllery.com); nnd Arnrio pec:t Tndak (4 1229 tlapjeong-dong,
won, whh frcquen1d1stou111s avail
Gallery ( 1192 Sokcuk-dong, Jong~gu ; 0 Credit Crunch Mnpo-gu; 82-2-333-65&1) 10 be a tnd nail salons. video arcades, an Internet
nbk!. S2272Hi190; arariogallcry.com). An- Thcrcs no shortage ol ways IU m.1x out pretentious. Qui1 c the opposi1e. Stylish cnfe, even o c.lnem:a and puuing green.
Situmed In 1he he3rt of fashion
c:honng 1he nren is the Aruonje Ccn1cr ;i, cr edit card In Seoul. The hean of yet lowkcy, this wnrmandwoody Ko- ( Admission 10,000 to 12,000 won: sp.1
able Gar osugil.1he llottl Tea Trff
( l -2 Sokcuk-dong, Jongro-gu; 82-2 temptation lies in the Cheongdrun dong rean barbecue restaurant opened carli 1>.Jck3gcs from 100,000 won.) A Zen re-
& Co (S3512 Sinsa-dong. Gangnam-
733~1$: anson1e.org). founded in 1998 d ast nct, and spreads out from there. er this year near the Uongdac s1udcnt 1n~a1 1his is not. But it's a run (a.nd fun
gu; 821542-m.1: teatret:hotel.com)
to support contemporary Md cxpen W;i,t ch intema1k>n3l brru1ds try to outdo mg_ht-life di.$trkL Bttf. pork :llld vcge- uy) place ror a few hours of entertain
opened W t year wi th 38 spar e ret
mental :m . M can~h1lc, over in lhe Chc- one another. be it with the v-e-gctallon mbles are grilled O\"Cr wOOd ch3rco.il :u rncnt - nnd m:iybe some r elaxation,
coz.y room s. Standord rooms sum at your table, accompanied by all the pK:k
96,SOOwon. ongcbm aren iJ the Pliuoon Kunsthalle CO\'Cred Ann Dcmeult:nleesler (MO-I-I 100.
Friday

4 p.m .
l) CU LTURE, T H EN A N D NOW

H
ast ily rebui lt after the Korea n War, Seoul is
shedd ing its once-gritty image co become one T he convergence of arr and arch itectu re, Korea n a nd
of Asia's most glittering metropolises. Under Western, old and new, finds a marquee home at the
irs design-obsessed mayo r, Oh Se-hoon, rhe ciry has Leeu m, Sa msung Museum of Art (747- 18 H anna m-
been spiffed up with everythi ng from sleek bus shelters dong, Yongsan-gu; 82-2-20 14-6900; leeum .sam su ng-
co decked-out bridges. What's more, it was named this foundarion.org). Squ irreled away in a hi lly residentia l
yea r's World D esign Capita l by a n internat ional de- section of rhe Iraewon a rea, rhe museum showcases
sig n all ia nce. Bur rhar's just rhe beginni ng. Seoul has rhe Samsu ng Foundatio n's impressive art collectio n
a boom ing contempora ry a rr scene, fashionable scores in a campus of buildi ngs designed by Rem Koolhaas,
rh roughour rhe u rban landscape, a nd a thriving pop Jean Nouvcl and Ma rio Borra. Pieces dare fro m his-
and youth culru re t hat now rivals t hat of other Asia n toric Korean Buddh ist pai ntings a nd celadon cera mics
capitals like Tokyo. to works by Mark Rorhko, A nish Kapoor and Na m
June Paik. T hen, for a contrast co t he Leeu m's pol-
ished presentation, walk five m inures co Ggooll (683-
3 1 H a nnam-dong, Yongsan-gu; 82-70-4 127-6468;
choijeonghwa.com). T he experi mental arrisr C hoi
Jeong Hwa has tu rned t his fo rmer hovel into a riot-
ous, well, hovel that doubles as a cafe and alternative
ga llery.

7:30 p.m.
2) KIMCHI REDUX
It was only a matter of t ime be fore Korea n cu isine got
rhe nouvelle treatment, and a pioneer in this growing
movement is Jung Sik Dang (3F, Acros BI D, 649-7
Sinsa-dong, Ga ngnam-gu; 82-2-5 17-4654; jungsik-
dang.com), nex t co Dosan Park. T he di ni ng roo m is
modern and subdued , with white tablecloths a nd leath-
er c hai rs. The rotating set menu ( I00,000 or 120,000
won, or about $92 or $ 110 at 1,085 won co t he dollar)
m ight include sea squi rt bib im bap, a nchovy paella and
"Five Senses Satisfact ion Pork Belly." T here is just a
handfu l of rabies, so be sure co make a reservat ion.

10 :30 p.m.
3) SEOUL AFTE R DARK
Seoul has a panoply of night-life districts that carer to
different crowds, bur perhaps rhe trendies t is Garosu-
gil. It's home.; to cure cafes and im maculate boutiques
like p. 532 and l imo O utler, bur at night its ma ny bars
throb to life. Two cool spots include Cafe des Arrs
(2F, 545 Sinsa-dong, Ga ngna m-gu ; 82-2-54 1-0507),
w it h irs beer and flea market vibe, and the yuppie-ish,
dark-and-moody W ine & D ine (535- 18 Sinsa-dong,
Ga ngna m-gu ; 82-2-545 -6677).
Saturday Seoul. The hea rt of temptation lies in the Cheongda m-
IOa.m . dong distric t, and spreads o ur from there. Watch inter-
national brands try to outdo one a nother, be it with
4) DESIGN DIGS
the vegetation-covered Ann Demeulemeester (650- 14
The D ongdaemun Design Plaza, a massive complex Sinsa-dong, Ga ngna m-gu; 82-2-3442-2570 ; a nnde-
designed by Za ha Hadid, will be a cemerpiece of meulemeester.be); the new concrete-on-conc rete R ick
Seoul's design transformation when it is co mpleted as Owens (65 1 Sinsa-d ong, Ga ngnam-gu; 82-2-5 16-
ea rly as 201 2. Though still under construction, its im- 22 17; rickowens.eu); or rhe u napologerically decadent
pressive, space-age skeleton is already worth a look (2 10 Corso Como (79 C heongdam-dong, Gang nam-gu;
Eu lji-ro 7-ga, Jung-gu; 82-2-2266-7330; seouldesign. 82-2-30 18- 1010; JOcorsocomo.co.k r). For homegrown
or.kr). So is the new H ad id-designed park that sur- . lu xury emporiums, stop by Boon the Shop (89-3
rounds it, wh ich elega ntly incorporates recently dis- a nd 79-1 3 C heongda m-d ong, Gangnam-gu; 82-2-
covered ruins, includi ng a military complex from the 542-8006 ; boonrheshop.com) and t he edgier Daily
C hoson dynasty ( 1392-19 10). Small design exhibitions Projects (1-24 C heongdam-do ng, Ga ngnam-gu; 82-2-
accompa ny a museum ch ronicling the site's history. 3218-4075; dai lyprojects.kr). And for local skater a nd
streetwear design, H umantree (4F, 653-1 Sinsa-dong,
11 a.m
Ga ngna m-gu; 82-2-514-3464; humantree.info) shows
5) WH ITE CUBES
off its hoodies and T-shirts next to a Planet of the Apes
T he city's conte mpora ry arr scene is blossoming and blow-up doll.
it's centered in pleasa nt Samcheong-dong. Blue-chip
spaces include Ga llery H yundai (80 Sagan-dong, 7:30 p.m.
Jo ngro-gu; 82-2-2287-3570; ga lleryhyunda i.co m); 8) FASHION BARBECUE
Kukje Gallery (59- 1 Sokeuk-dong, Jo ngro-gu; 82- G iven that its proprie tor is a former ed itor at Vogue
2-735-8449; kukjegallery.com); a nd Ara rio Ga llery Korea, you might expect Tadak (412-29 Hapjeong-
(149-2 Sokeuk-dong, Jongro-gu; 82-2-723-6190; a ra- dong, Mapo-gu; 82-2-333-6564) to be a rad preten-
riogallery.co m). Anchoring the area is rhe Arrsonje tious. Quire rhe opposite. Stylish ye t low-key, this
Center (144 -2 Sokeuk-dong, Jongro-gu; 82-2-733- wa rm-and-woody Korean barbecue restau ra nt opened
8945; a rtsonje.org}, founded in 1998 to support con- earlier this year near the Hongdae srudenr night-life
tempora ry and ex perimental art. Meanwhile, over in district. Beef, pork a nd vegetables a re grilled over wood
the C heongda m area is the Platoon Kunsrha lle (97- charcoal at your cable, accompan ied by all t he pickled
22 Non hyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu; 82-2-3447-11 91; and bean paste fixings. The prices are just as palatable:
kunsthal le.com), an alternat ive art space built from 10,000 won per one-person portion. A serving o f cold
stacked shi pping con tainers. naeng myun nood les is 4,500 won.

1:30 p.m. 11 p.m.


6) CHEAP OR CH IC 9) WHERE THE KIDS ROAM
For lunch in Samcheong-dong, cry the Kukje Gallery's Seoul has its share of sleek ba rs a nd soph isticated
upscale continental restaurant (18,000 won for t he clubs, bur for a bit of u rban anthropology to go with
scallop risorco). O r slip into one of the hole-in-rhe- your drink, head co Hongdae. Packed with teenagers,
wa ll restaurants tucked into the hilly side streets, like university students a nd other 20-somethings, this ca r-
C heonjin Poja (148-5 Sokeuk-dong, Jongro-gu; 82-2- nivalesque, neon-lit area is where on weekend nights
739-6086), where a n order of pork ma ndoo dump- you might find yourself dodging a stilt wa lker as a rock
lings will set you back 4,000 won. There's also aA (55 ba nd plays nea rby. On the main drag, you can't miss
Sokeuk-dong, Jongro-gu; 82-2-722-1211), a new four- Luxury Norebang (367-39 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu;
level temple to vintage modern furniture, though rhe 82-2-322-3 11 1), a mu ltistory karaoke palace that looks
d raw is more t he Danish lighting than the 8,000-won like Pee Wee's Playhouse as decorated by Laura Ashley.
ham a nd Brie sandwiches. For a more upscale party vib e, check out Lound (83-
13 C heongdam-don g, Gangnam-gu; 82-2-5 17-7412;
3 p.m.
74 1ound.com), which draws a fash ionable set co its hy-
7) CREDIT C RUNCH
pers!ick spaces.
There's no shortage of ways to ma x our a cred it ca rd in
Sund ay IFYOU GO

The 185-room Park Hyatt Seoul (995- 14 Daechi 3-dong.


II a. m .
Gangnam-gu: 82-2-2016-1234: seoul.park.hyatt.com) occupies
10) TAPAS W ITH A VIEW a 24 -story glass-and-steel building in the central Gangnam
Have b runch w irh rhe in-c rowd ar Berween (124-7 district. Floor-to-ceiling windows. warm wood finishes and
granite baths outfit its spacious. modern rooms. Doubles
Yongsa n-gu, lraewon-d ong; 82-2-795-6164), a mulri-
start at 270.000 won (about $249).
level lrali an a nd Spanish rapas resraurant, w irh a rer-
race and lounge, rhar opened ea rlier rhis yea r. lrs airy, The new IP Boutique Hotel (737-32 Hannam-dong. Yongsan-
gu: 82-2-3702-8000: ipboutiquehotel.com) is conveniently sit-
contemporary interior is a n idea l pl ace to wake up wirh
uated 1n ltaewon. It has a colorful facade that matches the 132
an eggs Bened ic r (16 ,000 won) o r prosciurro sa ndwic h comfortable rooms within: think lots of white with splashes
(1 7,000 won) and good people-warch ing. of Pop color. Rates start at 200,000 won. with frequent dis-
counts available.
12:30 p.m.
Situated 1n the heart of fashionable Garosu-gil. the Hotel Tea
11) BATH AND BEYOND
Tree & Co (535-12 S1nsa-dong. Gangnam-gu: 82-2-542-9954:
A s raple of Korean life has long been rhe jjimjilba ng, o r teatreehotel.com) opened last year with 38 spare yet cozy
barhhouse. And perhaps rhe biggest a nd m ost ex rrava- rooms. Standard rooms start at 96.800 won.
ga nt of rhem a ll is che seven-sto ry Drago n Hi ll Spa
& Reso rr (40-7 13 H anga ng-ro 3-ga, Yongsan-gu ; 82-
2-798-01 14 ; dragonhi llspa.com). Som ething like an
amusem ent park w irh a touch of '80 s Vegas, complete
wirh pyram ids a nd a Narive Am erica n-rhemed pub,
rhis fa mily-friendly spot com es w ith sex-segrega ted spa
areas, shared sa un as, outdoor pools, Jacuzzis and more:
picrure nail sa lo ns, video arcades, a n I nterner cafc,
even a cinem a a nd purring g reen . (Admission 10,000
co 12,000 won; spa packages from 100,000 won.} A
Zen rerrea r chis is nor. Bur ir's a fun (a nd funn y) pl ace
fo r a few hours of ente rrainment - a nd m aybe some
relaxatio n, too.

Copyright 2010 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
THE NEWYORKTIMES, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2011 D6

A GRAZING TOUR
OF KOREATOWN
BY BET SY 1\_\'D HE\\'S

T
S25 /\N I> UNl) ER here's a wonder of t hi ngs to ear in Korearow n:
marin ated bu lgogi, mi lky beef-bo ne soup, siz-
A Grazing Tour of Koreatown zli ng bibi m bap. Bur, wit h the bancha n, the
llt:'tL 'S.'llllikrofth111P

T.....
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to UtllllClA'ellO'<>"'ll INifl
iutlfd~l'lbt\..V bttf.
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(UH)Tht"'hil.IJlil'Jf-"'loml.
.oftMlll'tfyq&y.lllpkntyd
ft.-lyrM-htbs~klo.ir
rableside gril ling, and the communa l g razing, d ining
S-.OIM~llw~
Wt.,....MdWt.-...1
dllklGl6'1rolir.-d~
tt.l"">- here ca n be a commitment.
:=-..:"""'c-bt ~'l.t,.IW'W\l&lllir
..,,..... o1 r ooocu.1LUn" U ,/I
WhAt lO<lotl)W'rtlwlM'rllll J \11.UlktSll'W'L(lll)M1!6;ia
lortJinchllnbuffJ?LIKlll)' r-s*illlh;oowbnMOWll Kl).
__.._....,_..."'*""
thrn-."""1tra1~ ,_nfl-toa~.~ W hat to do if you're ha nkering for k imchi in a hurry?
MWntM'-".-~.n
..........
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lbblibnftlllrt'~ -~
~nit~~
~yte~10Kn1
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lc'u""'PJ...:otk'-t_,chdlJhl' Luckily there are plenty of opportuni ties, new or lesser
111c"mwJ..lt1llciM1UfJ.buttt hlinarealf'W"IM!lot'"""-
l~ln l lwlMO!., hrn loa.t lhtJbof\Jthl 1tw.-.in..i
~f'<_.,.~at.1)1.t b)'l/'wT....._,..h)-.J11ld.
"-0..:0wwwrty~'YCC'nv
known, to snack.
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~--.ClllllUOO'"' rm~ l'"""at~. ah ... ~n. ..ld}..ftttt-*MudN_...
.iSooxbltarfl,t oolc:dl" porl ""r.o-nt~.
Its ba keries offer scru mptious surprises. T he Japa nese
b.o.ll'tt,.~l,.,..,..., .. f'fl'll(
lt'C~U~lual'iriJol
rrt'mlpuflJ.Al l lwtbtftf'llluJ1
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NAISUGUITIL 'lt'"'l."'a4
llM~ryrNQkl.naataiklY
tllllldoc(,.loollflllotl$NOllfVIJ
ltwKuir.aA'A',N)"*IO'W'ftVU""ll
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'""'')'. fillrdp.&~f)'
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...
mu>flnlosm;,cklftlfttmpand
't'~K ... llllWlllbGn\tl
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brought Parisian-style baking ro Korea in rhe m id-20rh
11-.~(ll') o.u.-~.dW'
SltM.{ZU1tIHU.p.:n'lllo:I Al l(CMr'l"OOIJ;C J/V. .... l?at ~~NNd-.Ut:ortkm ~rd'rnilf'dl.Mldlrlolle
~blfn.M)"r..1 .. nt.abllllobrd[\loKJ-lhe
tin.ditd-llf9'1Jl,r~"f0-
latllpurffanddlrditbtutto.
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ICf""-Spc)l.-.fllf'Jlf'dlllntt
MClroorlWll;llda%oft.P'*fl
century, bu r ir boomed in the 1980s, w he n a soa ring
WUnlt.f'IK(SUO) ;tn1r>thy tll'M1C""ln Qvnm,1Mdd- ~IJnlotT. lhh I rnoft ~M Citrin)' (lVl'OO,otl'ol'llll'ld"''ftlpocJtd
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economy bro ught a taste fo r fo reig n luxu ries.

n:n.a"""pa.wry1W"1QllCl('(I doMioool.a~........~pl>- .iu-rt.cOOPt.l~cddt""hnld<i 1w.... uor-1..,J 1~"<rrl'f'al


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pt.HUldboilN'l&.bcoa~s t U.M)and~\filpl('t.if:h"""
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...lllstrft&Ul"nlhtbtf"tldna. WIO'.rt.5Wi'ttd ..tth"11lff, rc--n~
T
hat's whe n Paris Baguerre, which has more Beyond the ba keries, a bes t-kept secret is the prepared
than 2,000 outlets in South Korea, rook off. food ac the cha in grocery H-MART, 25 West 32nd
Its bakers, though tra ined in Fre nch tech- Street, (2 12) 695-3283, hmart.com . The cold case
niques, range far afield of cream puffs. Ar che cheer- holds vermicelli in spicy sesame sauce ($5.99) a nd trays
fu l six-month-old Manhattan branch of PA RIS of pickled vegetables ($5.99). But t he most delicious
BAGUETTE, 6 West 32nd Street, (212) 244-0404 , items are wa rm. Moist, fragra nt soond ae, Korean blood
parisbaguetteusa.co m, a long flaky twist is braided sausage, is stuffed with sweet rice, scal lion and sweet
with earthy sweet-potato puree and dotted with black poraro nood le ($5.99). The w hit ing pie - warm, sofr
sesame seeds ($1.80); crunchy oars and sour rye add and very eggy, with plency of fla ky fish - is the fabu-
interest to the "grain cream cheese pastry" ($2 .50). lous love chi ld of a fishcake and a n omelet ($3.99).
Though t he chestnut pastry tastes like nothin g of the
Korearown's big news is the opening of FOOD
kind ($2.80), and t he brioc he is too sweet for its crea m
GALLERY 32, 11 West 32nd Street, (2 12) 967-1678,
cheese filling ($2), a pu ff-pastry leaf topped with cara-
a complex of hawkers serving Korean riffs on Chi nese,
melized sugar is nutty with butte r and ni cely balanced
Japanese and American fare, as well as some traditiona l
by lemon and salt ($1) . Savory pastries are either an
dishes, to a young, mob ile crowd . Am id the kerchupy
adventure (kimchi-stuffed croquettes, $ J. 80) or lov-
noodles a nd du ll stir fries are a few streetwise gems,
ably fa m ilia r. A croissant-like pastry e nfolding agar-
li ke the z hong zi at the sta nd run by the Taiwanese
licky hot dog (a food adopted during the Korean War)
food truck, Bian Dang (formerl y NYC Cravi ngs). This
is an overgrown pig-in-a-blanker, which is to say it's
gooey, gargantua n sticky-rice tamale stuffed with pork
del icious ($2).
belly, C hinese sausage, mushrooms, dried shrimp a nd
A c KORYODANG , 3 1 West 32nd Street, (2 12) 967- vegetables is a n umami bomb w rapped in bamboo
9661, koryoda ng.com, a spacious, rony cafe with leaves ($4).
branches in Queens, the displayed lists of in gredients
The Korea n-style sushi ar Boon Sik Z ip's stall is bigger
only deepen excite ment. W hat is "al l t rumps" or " full
and more expertly rolled rha n at the long-established
strength "? "All trumps" turns our to be a high-gluten
E-M o across the street. Spicy tuna wrapped in rice and
flour, used in pastries like t he karoke, deep-fried and
nori wi th daikon, spinach, ca rrots, omelet and sweet
plump with various fi llings. Puree potato ($ 1.50), dot-
pickled burdock is a tasty, many-flavored finger food
ted with carrots, peas and boiled egg, betters a k nish.
($5.99).
A joy if only for its incongruity is one filled with may-
onnaisy, peppery tuna sa lad ($1.50). " Full strength " If you must sir, cl imb past t he cramped mezzan ine
is the bread flour used co ma ke the durch, a crusty, to the top floor, where you can watch Asi an music
chewy, filled pastry. The bacon-fil led dutch ($2) is so videos w hile tack li ng a hare-size "red ra bbit" crepe at
substant ial, it practically oin ks. Crepe Monster. Rolled, Tokyo-style, into a cone filled
wi th nutty bean paste, chewy mochi a nd red bean ice
O n the sweet side, t he sour cream orange bread 's label
cream ($7), it's a grand Asian-fusion finale to a day of
lists the ingred ient "orange feel ," bur with orange oil,
Korearown snacking.
zest and Grand Marn ier, this is mo re like citru sy ful l-
body concact. It's very good ($2.25).

Copyright 2011 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
IN THE NEW YORK TIM ES
THE NEWYORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW. SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 2010 13

DEATH PUR SUE S HER


In T EHH E\ CE RAFFEH'n

Death Pursues Her


-... -
C
hang-rae Lee is fond of words li ke "accrete"
J'lltbt-.ct'. 1.Un:an ______
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,......_ _____..,. ____ "'"
.,..__.., ___ -. -
, . . . _ . . , . . ._ _ _ _ _
and "accrue," words that try ro name the slow,
c=~=-.::::::.::.
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=~=EE"-=
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_ _ _ ..,. _ _ _ _.. i...

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,.__
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u ... - . ..... - - . - , . . . - - ... - - - . _ . _ . , . _

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__ _,,...,._ ==.;...:::::.:;:
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_..,. _
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_,,.,._..,.._,..., , _ _
imrr..&.,.... )tw.a/
-- almost imperceptible processes by which ex-
perience acqui res weigh t, mass a nd, if you're lucky,
mea ning. "Life, ga thering," reads one full sencence in
"_ _ _ ..

u.---. v.....- ---


n . - ... --. ......
..,_........_ ... _
--
. __
. . - ..........
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. . . . -.....- .......---
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............ _ _ _ _ l _
,........,._ ....,,. .... --....
n. ... _ _ _ ...,. ..........
_ _ _ _, .. , .........
- ....
" ' " " - - - - -...
his ferocious a nd lyrical new novel, "The Surrendered,"
and you couldn't ask for a better two-word descrip-
_.,_,.___
::..."':"".:;=.=.':""..:::: ....,_._ ____
------
::-..::=::=:.-:=:.
........ _ .... _, ....n.
., __
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.......

-----_____ ___.. _
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----.., ....._.......- tion of what good fiction asp ires to. This novel, his

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~

--""'--- --.--.
.... --i.-- fo urth , gathers li fe g reedily, hungrily, but w it h a cer-
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_"'
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ta in stealth: Lee doesn't bolt it all down at once, as the
-

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re fugee chi ldre n in his story do. "The Surrendered,"
his largest, most a mbitious book, is about the horrors
=:::=.-:=.e:.!: ........ _.. __..
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--...............
----........
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___
...___ ____
____
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of war and the sorrows of surviva l, yet its man ner is
......... -- _-......._
~-__.

........
__ ---- qu iet, watchful, expectanc, as if everyone, including
______
....
_..,
_,
.,. ....-...,,.._..,.
..
............. ..,_
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-.- -.-
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....,..,._ .... _.. ...- Lee himself, were wa itin g to see what might accrue.
. ......., --
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----- --:-..::-:.....
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----~
..:;::=::-.-:-:..-: .. In this respect, he has something in com mon with
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---~-
h is heroine, a "d iffic u lt" woma n na med June Singer
(nee Han), orphaned by the Korea n War a nd now, in
=~~- =.;:.::::.-.:: New York in 1986, suffering t he end stages of stomach
cancer. " Her talent, her gift," the novel tells us, "was
an instantly patent resolve," a sometimes frightening
determina tion ro survi ve by any mea ns necessa ry. Her
story beg ins in Ko rea in 1950, where withi n che space
of a few pages she loses her encire fami ly: her fa ther a nd
older brother are taken away, never to be seen again;
her mother, two siste rs and a little brother perish, one
by one, on the road. She is by tempera ment a tough-
minded girl - Lee never tries to convince us her hard
shell is solely t he product of her wartime ordeal - a nd
her capacity to leave even the most cherished people
a nd possessions behind helps get her through t he trials
fate, or hisrory, has a rranged. As a c hild in wa rtime
she lives in the present, in fu ll flig ht, aware always of
"the suspension of any future save the one in which
they persisted, kept on ." As a dying adult, adrift in a
morphine haze, she becomes more reflective, but she
still ca n't seem to let herself rest: in the last days of her
brief life (she's 47), she sets off for Europe in search of
her waywa rd son, Ni cholas. To the end, she persists.
I
t's no easy task for a novel ist to make sheer dogged- in the pasr, a nd because omniscience does nor, l sus-
ness beauriful, or even, fo r the length of a nea rly pecr, come narurally to him: to his credir, Lee has never
500-page na rrative, interesting, but Lee trusts his seemed com fo rtable playing God. Whatever desrin ies
own patience, his stubborn reso lve to get to the bot- he dreams up for his characters are w har rhey have ro
tom of things. H e moves back and fo rth in ti me, cir- live wirh, and if he burdens them too heavily rhe re's
cling his cha rac ters, sizing rhem up - trying, as June the risk rhar rhey' ll stop crying co explain themsel ves
does, to "see each moment from every side." H e shifts to rhemselves, char they' ll stop persisting.
po int of view frequently to give us so me relief from his
But in "The Surrendered" Lee rakes that risk, enlarg-
heroine's blurred, in-a nd-out consciousness. A good
ing the operations of fare a nd challenging his char-
deal of the story is seen thro ugh the eyes of a root-
acters to assimilate, somehow, the rhings rhat have
less ex-G.I. named H ector Brennan, who is Nicholas's
befallen them. June cha rges ahead ; H ector fu mbles
long-absent fa rher and whom June enlists to a id her in
along, dragged kicki ng (but not screaming) inro some
her search. Lee describes Hector, a ha rd-dri nking jani-
kind of sertling in to h is ow n ba ffled life. They're very
tor, as a man who, in his mid-50s, is still "nor yet fi xed
different, bu r rhey sha re the memory of an orph a n-
into his own li fe": a ma n who, a fter serving in Korea
age missionary named Sylvie Ta nner, w hom th ey both
and then lingering there doing odd jobs ar a n orphan-
loved a nd who made her accommodations w irh dread-
age, has preferred to be "happily ignored , free to go his
ful experience rather ha lti ngly and nor, in rhe end, suc-
unsung way." H e is, not to put too fine a point on it, a
cessfull y. She is the sing le most touching figure in "The
classic loser, someone who has let life get the better of
Surrendered " a nd rhe validatio n of Lee's rhird-person
him. And he believes his very presence is desrrucrive to
ga mble. Seen mostly from the outside, mostly throu gh
others: he survives everything, wirhouc much ca ring
the eyes of Ju ne and Hecror, she's un forgerrable.
ro, a nd buries rhose he loves.
Fi nally, though, "T he Surrendered " must d epend on
W hat has always mosr concerned Lee, from his firsr
Lee's own vo ice, the one he has adopted to tell these
novel, "Narive Speaker," through "A Gesture Life" and
people's stories in a way they ca n't, or won'r, themselves.
"A loft," is t he way people interpret rheir own lives, rhe
Senrence by mournful sentence he keeps on, srrug-
accommodations they make in order to live with all
gling a bit ar times bur constantly pushing forward,
they've seen a nd done. T he evenrs, t he specific experi-
raking his cha racters however he ca n co a place where
ences, are important, bu r there's an awful randomness
they ca n rest. A nd at the end of their journeys - for
to them, which ca n be accepred or denied or, most
June and H ector, the stopping point is Solferino, Ira ly,
ofren, willfully ignored. For both June and Hector,
where a bloody battle not their own once rook place
war and irs aftermath make capric ious experience
- there's a sense char something has gathered there,
unignorable: "You could never anticipate whar might
th at some value has mysteriously accrued. D eliverance
happen nexr, the eanh-sharcering a nd the trivia l in-
might be coo strong a word for what awa its chem: it's
terspersing wirh the cruelest irony. You could be saved
more like a profound, bone-deep sense of relief. Bur
by pure chance, or else ruined. T hat was rhe terror of
they've ea rned it, in the ir different ways, so it feels, to
ir." Throughout "The Su rrendered ," both in the past
them and to us, li ke a great victory on rhe field of wa r.
a nd in the presenr, terrible things happen, some purely
In the long course of "The Surrendered," Lee makes
accidenral, some d eliberately inflic ted, and many that
us understa nd, in painful increments, rhe virtue of en-
seem to exist in a kind of causa l no man's land: no-
durance and the blessing of simple surcease.
body's fault, and everybody's.
Terrence Rafferty is t1 Jrequ em contributor to the Book Review.
There are more of those events in "T he Surrendered "
than in any of Lee's previous novels. T he body co unt
is high: Lee invents an extraordina ry number of vivid
characters, many of whom prove to be just passing
through on their way to viole nt, senseless ends. T he
exponenria lly increased evenrfulness of this book,
compared with Lee's others, is perh aps the result of
a d ecision co do something here that he's never done
before - to cell a story in the traditional omniscient-
narrator manner rather rhan rhe particula r, self-in-
terpreting voice of a n individual. It's a leap of fa ith
because the first-perso n mode has served him so wel l

Copyright 2010 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, JULY 11, 2010 A19

EX ACTING
TE AC HIN G MACH INE
ST ICK S TO TH E SC RIP T
IN SOUT H KORE A
BY Cll OE SA \'G-1 I L)N

Exacting Teaching Machi ne Sticks to the Script in South Korea


ByCllOE SANG-llUN able. Dr. Choo says th e fema le model smaller puppy robot helps leads gym-
SEOUL. South Korea - Carefully seems more crrcctive in teaching. ) nastics and flashes red eyes if touched
trained by a gO\ernment-run lab, she She then led the boy to a shelf stacked too roughly.
i s the t::ues1 and perhaps most innova with plastic rrnit. Even though they arc linle more
live rccn1it in South Korea's obsessive " I l ow can I help you today?" Eng than fancy toys, experts say, these ro-
drive to teach its cluldren the global key said. bots prepare children for a fast-ap-
language or J;nglish. " Do you lmvc nny fruits on sal e?" proaching robotic future.
Over the years, this country has im the student said. Early this year, w hen the insmute
ported thousands of Americans, Cana- wow! Very good! " Engkey exult- did :m experimental run of Engkey in
dians, Sou1h Aricans and others to ed. She sounded a fanfare, spun and Masan on the south coast . there \\'as a
supplement local teachers of English. raised her left arm ror a high-five. A mad rush among children 10 be se-
But the program has strained the gov scr een on her chest showed stars lected for the program, said Kim Bo-
crnment 's budge1, and it is increas grading the student. yeong. an English teacher.
ingly difficult to get nati ve English The studcms were amazed. n1ey all loved robots. They get shy
speakers to live on islands and oth er .. It's cool - a machine hearing and before a foreig n native speaker. afraid
remote areas. responding 10 me,'' said Ya ng Ui-rycol. to make mistakes," Ms. Kim said. "But
Enter Engkey, a teacher wnh ex- "There seems to be a life inside it." they find robots much easier to talk
acting standards and a silken voice. Still, Engkcy has a long way to go to to."
She is JUSt a little penguin-shaped ro- fulrill her creators' dream. The robot An indcpcnde111 evaluator of the
bot, bm both symbolically and practi- can help students practice only script- trial noticed that Engkey required the
ed conversmions and is at a loss i f a constant presence or a technical 01>era-
cally, she stands ror progr ess. achieve-
student veers off script, as Yang did
ment and national pride. What she tor. Engkey has a long way to go if it
dunng the demonstration. wants to avoid becoming an expensive
does not stnnd ror, however, is bad pro-
-1 love you." the boy smd to ap1>ease yet ignored hea p of scrap metal at the
nunciation.
Engkey alter he was chastised ror a corner or the classroom." said B:m Jac-
"'Not good this lime!,. Engkry ad
bad pronunciation. Engkcy would chun. an education professor at
monishcd n sixth grader ns he stooped
nwkwardly over her. "You need to fo-
have none or it; i t was not in her 1no- Yang Ui- ryeol, n sixth grader in Chungnam National University.
grammed script Seoul. pracliced a conversation in Dr. Choi knows the challenge. Alter
cus more on your accent. Let's try
"You need to work on your accent... English wi th Engkcy, a robot teach- tests in more schools this winter, he
again...
the robot repeated. er thal recognizes human speech . hopes to commercialize Engkey and to
Engkey, a contraction or English Wh en Yang s.id. 1 don't like ap-
iockey (as in disc i ockey), is the great reduce the price, currently S24.000 to
ples mstcad of 1 love apples; as he S32,000. to below SB.OOO.
hope of Choi Mun-tack, a team leader was supposed to, Engkey froze. The wit h Nonh Korea with a never -sleep
at the Korea lnsti tme or Science and Dr. Choi said his team was racing to
boy patted her and said, " Hello. are ing camera eye. 111gh1 \"ision and le1hal
Technology's Center for Intelligent Ro- improve th e robot's ability to recog-
yo u alive or dead?" fir e power.
botics. "' In three to rive years, Eng.key nize students and to discern and re-
The trials and errors at the Korea But the mos1 nocable step was thi s spond to a studems voice amid noise.
will mature enough to r eplace native l nsmute, a wooded top-securit y com- country's plans to use robots as teach
speakers." he said. It is also cramm ing Engkey with more
pound for the country's best scientific ing aids. In February, the EducOltion co nversational scenarios.
Dr. Choi 's team recently demon- minds. r epresent South Korea's nm Ministry began deploying hundreds or
strated Engkey's interactions with For now, though. Engkey's limits
bi tious robouc dreams. them as part of n plan to 0<1uip all the
four sixth graders rrom Seoul who had quickly be<:ome apparent Hahn Yesle,
Lust month, it announced a trial nation's 8,400 kindergartens with ro-- w ho participated in the recent demon
not met th e robot. Engkey tracked a service for II types of omelligent ro- bots by 20!3.
student around the room, whechng to stration. said: " Engkey is fun. But she
bots this year. They include "kiosk ro- One t ype or robot, toddler-size with
a stop a loot away, and extended a is not human. Repenting th e same dia-
bots" to rom11 amusement 1>arks sell a domed hea d and boxlike body on logue i s what she does. I wish she
greeting in a synthesized female voice. ing tickets, and robo soldiers that wheels. takes attendance. rends fairy would become more expressive and
(Although a male voice is also avail- will man part or the 155-mlle border tales and sings songs \loith children. A r esponsive, hke a human 1eacher."'

SEOUL, South Korea

C
arefully trained by a governmcn r-run lab, she Enrc r Engkcy, a teacher w ith exacting standards and a
is the latest and perhaps most in novative re- sil ken voice. She is just a little penguin-sh a ped robot,
,
cruit in South Korea's obsessive drive ro reach bur both symbolica lly a nd practically, she sta nds for
its children rhc globa l language of English . progress, ach ievemenr and national pride. What she
Over rhc years, this counrry has im ported thousands docs nor sta nd for, however, is bad pronunciat ion.
of Americans , Ca nadians, South Africans a nd others "Nor good this time!" Engkey ad monished a sixth
ro supplemen t local teachers of English. Bur the pro- grader as he stooped awkwa rd ly over her. "You need to
gra m has strai ned rhe governmcn r's budget, and ir is focus more on your accent. Let's rry again."
increasingly d ifficu lt ro get nat ive English spea kers to
live on islands and other remote a reas.
ngkey, a contraction ofEnglish jockey (as in disc

E
der with North Korea with a never-sleeping camera
jockey), is the great hope of C hoi Mun-raek, a eye, night vision a nd lethal fire power.
tea m leader at the Korea Insti tute of Science
But t he most notable step was this country's pla ns to
a nd Technology's Center fo r Intell igent Robot ics. "In
use robots as teaching a ids. In February, the Education
three to five yea rs, Engkey will mature enough to re-
place native spea kers," he sa id. Ministry began deploying hundreds o f them as part
of a plan to equip all the nation's 8 ,400 kinderga rtens
Dr. C hoi's team recently demonstrated Engkey's in- with robots by 20 13 .
teractio ns with fou r sixth graders fro m Seoul who had
O ne rype of robot, toddler-size wirh a domed head and
nor met the robot. Engkey tracked a student around
boxli ke body on w heels, rakes attendance, reads fairy
the room, wheeling to a stop a foot away, a nd extended
tales a nd sings songs with c hildren. A smalle r puppy
a greeting in a synthesized female vo ice. (A lthough a
robot hel ps leads gymnastics a nd fl ashes red eyes if
male voice is also ava ilable, D r. C hoi says the fe male
touched roo ro ugh ly.
model seems more effecti ve in reaching.) She then led
the boy co a shelf stacked with plast ic frui t. Even though they are little more tha n fa ncy toys, ex-
perrs say, these robots prepare child re n For a fast-ap-
"How ca n I help you today?" Engkey said.
proaching robotic fu ture.
"Do you have any frui ts on sale?" the student said.
Ea rly this year, when the insti tute did a n experi mental
"Wow! Very good!" Engkey exulted. She sounded a ru n of Engkey in Masa n on the south coast, there was
fanfare, spun and raised her left a rm for a hi gh-five. A a mad rush a mong children robe selected for rhe pro-
screen on her chest showed stars grading the student. gra m, said K im Bo-yeong, a n English teacher.

T he students we re amazed . "They all loved robots. T hey ger shy befo re a foreign
native speaker, afra id to make mistakes," M s. Kim
"It's cool - a machine hea ring and responding to me,"
said. "But rhey fi nd robots m uch easie r to talk ro."
said Yang Ui-ryeol. "The re seems to be a life inside it."
An independent evalua ror of the trial noticed that
Still, Engkey has a long way to go to fulfil! her c re-
Engkey required the consta nt presence of a technical
ators' drea m. The robot can help students practice only
operator. "Engkey has a lon g way to go if it wa nts to
scripted conversations a nd is at a loss if a student veers
avoid becoming a n expensive yet ignored heap of scrap
off script, as Ya ng d id during the demonstration.
meta l ar rhe corner of rhe classroom," said Ban Jae-
"I love you," rhe boy said to appease Engkey after he chun, an ed ucation professo r ar C hungnam National
was chastised for a bad pronunciation. Engkey wou ld Universi ty.
have none of it; it was not in her programmed scri pt.
Dr. C hoi knows rhe challenge. After rests in more
"You need to work on you r accent," the robot repeated. schools rhis winter, he hopes ro commercialize Engkey
and ro reduce the price, currently $24,000 ro $32,000,
W hen Ya ng said, "I don't li ke apples" instead of "I love
to below $8,000.
apples," as he was supposed to, Engkey froze. T he boy
pan ed her and said , "Hello, a re you alive or dead?" Dr. C hoi said his tea m was racing ro improve the ro-
bot's ability ro recognize students and to discern a nd
T he trials and errors at the Korea l nsti tute, a wooded respond ro a student's voice amid noise. It is also cram-
top-security compound for the country's best scien- ming .Engkey with more conversational scenarios.
t ific minds, represent South Ko rea's a mbi tious robotic
drea ms. For now, though, Engkey's limits quickly b ecome ap-
parent. H a hn Yesle, who pa rticipated in rhe recent
Last month, it a nnounced a trial service fo r 11 types demonstratio n, said: "Engkey is fun . But she is not hu-
of intelligent robots this yea r. T hey include " kiosk ro- man. Repeati ng the sa me d ialogue is what she does. I
bots" to roa m amusement parks selling tickers, and wish she wou ld become more expr.essive a nd respon-
"robo soldiers" that will man part of the 155-mile bor-
sive, li ke a human teacher."

Copyright 2010 byThe New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
THENEWYORKTIMES, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER2, 2010 AS

KOREAN ISLE LOOKS


ABROAD FOR
AN EDUCATION AT HOME
B'i Cll OES \\ C-lll \

Korecm lslc Looks Abroad


For an Education at Home
~-- - -
~~~~3~-~ ~
---- ----- It
:::::--::-~ =:.~=~ ' t

ia~ ~ \

----....- __ __ ==.._____
=~-=- ==--=-:: -----
.=- ----
;::::::-..:-.::.-::-..-=
....... ==-==~

.......:;~ ~:~~
---~ _ _______
... .._..._----
~~~; ~~:;. ~~~- ~.~~- --~

SEOGWIPO, South Korea

H
ere on Jeju Island , famous for its tanger- keep rheir fam il ies toge cher wh ile givi ng their children
ine groves, pearly beaches a nd honey moon a more global and E nglish-lang uage curriculum begin-
resorts, South Korea is conductin g a bold ning w ith elementary school, and by governments hop-
educational experimenr, o ne inrended to bolster oppor- ing for economic rewards from maki ng cheir councries
tunity at home a nd attract investment from abroad. more accraccive co foreigners w ith money to invest.

By 2015, if a ll goes according to pla n, 12 prest igious "We will do everythi ng human ly possible to create a n
Wes tern schools w ill have opened branch campuses in a environmenr w here your children must speak English,
gove rnmenr-financed, 940-acre Jeju G lobal Education even if rhey a re not abroad," Jang Tac-young, a Jeju of-
C iry, a self-conrained community w ithin Seogwipo, fic ial, recencly rold a group of Korean parents.
where everyone - srudenrs, reachers, ad ministrarors,
By inviting leading Western schools, che government
docrors, store clerks - will spea k only English. The
is hoping to address one of che notorious stress poincs
first school, North London Collegiace, broke g round
in South Korea n society. Many parents wane ro send
for its ca mpus th is month.
ch ildren abroad so chey ca n learn English a nd avoid
Wh ile rhis is rhe councry's firsc enclave constructed the crushing pressure and narrow focus of the Korea n
ex pressly around fore ign-scyle educarion , individu al educational syscem. T he number of South Korea n stu-
ca mpuses are open ing elsewhere. Dulwich College, a dents from elemencary school eh roug h high school w ho
privare British school, is schedu led ro open a bra nch in go abroad for ed ucation increased to 27,350 in 2008
Seoul, rhe capita l, in a few weeks. A nd che C hadw ick from 1,840 in 1999, acco rding to government data.
School of C aliforn ia is sec ro open a branch in Songdo, a
Bue ch is a rrangement ofren resulted in che fracturin g of
new rown rising wesr of Seoul , around the sa me ti me.
families, wich che mocher accom panying rhe child ren
What is happening in South Korea is pa rt of che global abroad and t he facher becoming a "goose" - by sray-
expa nsion of Western schools - a complex trend fueled ing be hind to earn che mo ney to fi nance these ventures
by pa rencs in Asia and elsewhere who want co be able to a nd raking occasio nal rra nsocea nic flights to visir.
l~is trend has r~ised ~ la rms abour broken fam i-

T
In South Korea, English proficiency and a d iploma
lies and a bra111 dram from a counrry rhar is fro m a cop American un iversity are such important
already suffering from one of rhe world 's low- sracus ma rkers char some dcliberacely sprinkle rheir
est birch races. Many of che chi ld ren who scudy abroad Korea n conversation wich English phrases.
encl up staying abroad; chose who return ofcen have
T he counrry sends more nonimmigranc scudenrs -
trouble fi nding jobs ac Korean companies, regaining
113,519 in the fiscal yea r char ended on Sepe. 30, 2009
their language fluency or adapting co che Korean way
- co rhe United Scares rhan any other country ex-
of doing business.
cept China, according ro rhc United Srarcs Office of
Lee Kyung- min, 42, a pharmacist in Seoul whose Immigracion Scaciscics.
12-year-olcl daughter, Jeong Min-joo, arrended a pri-
In a 2008 survey by South Korea's National Sracisrica l
vate school in Canada for a year and a half, said she
Office, 48.3 percent of Sourh Korea n parents said they
knew why fami lies were will ing co make sacrifices ro
wa nted co send cheir chi ld ren abroad co "develop glob-
send their child ren away.
al perspectives," avoid che rigid domesric school sysrem
"Jn South Korea, it's all rore lea rning for college en- or lea rn English. More rhan 12 percent wanted ir for
trance exams," Ms. Lee said. "A srudenr's worch is cle- rheir children as early as elemenra ry school.
rerminecl solely by whar grades she gers." She added
Critics say char rhe Jeju schools - wirh an nual ruirion
rhar compecirion among parenrs fo rced rheir children
fees of $ 17,000 co $25,800 and their English-language
co sign up for exrracurricular cram sessions rhac lefr
curricu lum , aside fro m che Korean language and his-
rhem with liccle free rime co develop chcir creacivicy.
rory classes for Korean scudenrs - will create "schools
"Children wither in our education system," she said .
for rhe rich." But Kwon Do-yeop, a vice minister of
So Min-joo's parents bel ieved char exposing her co a land, transport and maritime affai rs whose depart-
Western school system was worth che $5,000 they paid ment oversees rhe project, said ic could save Souch
each month for her cuirion and board, 10 rimes what Korea $500 million annually in what is now being
they would have spent had she scucl ied ac home. spenr ro educate children overseas.

Bue Ms. Lee said her heart sank when Mi n-joo bega n "Jeju schools cost half what you spend when you have
forgeccing her Korea n gram mar and sropped ca lling your children studying in rhe United Scares," said
home. Sti ll, she did noc wanr ro leave her husband be- Byon Jong-ii , the chief of the Jeju Free lnrernarional
hind co join her daughrer, because she had wicnessed C iry Development Cenrer, which is managing che
in her own neighborhood how often rhe loneliness of education projecr as pare of an overall plan for rhe is-
"goose" fachers led ro broken ma rriages. land. "Noe everything goes right when you send your
children abroad."
"O ur fami ly was losing irs bonds, becoming just a
shell," she sa id. Some of rhe things char can go wrong have been high-
lighted by rhc economic downturn.
In June, chey brought M in-joo home, and rhey plan co
en roll her in one of che inrernarional boarding schools "Ma ny of rhc students who were senc abroad in che
in Jeju, often roman ized as C heju , nexr year. For Ms. 1990s have since recurned home," said Shi n Hyun-
Lee, chis is rhe closesr she can gee co sending her daugh- ma n, che president of CareerCare, a job placement
ter abroad wirhouc leaving che country. company. "Despite rheir foreign diplomas, they we re
unable co find jobs abroad because of rhc global re-
"There is an expressed desire in Korea ro seek rhe cession. Bur rhcir Korean isn't good enough, and rhey
benefits of a 'Western' or 'America n' approach ro pre- don'r adapt well co rhe corporate culrurc here."
collegiare education," said Ted Hill, headm aster of rhe
Chadwick School, whose Songdo campus has been Jimmy Y. Hong, a graduare of Middlesex University in
deluged wirh applicants ro fill rhe 30 percenr of slors London and now a marketing official ac LG Electronics
reserved for Korean students. T he balance of rhe stu- in Seoul, sa id char when he returned ro South Korea in
dent body will be recru ited from ex patriate famil ies 2008, he enrolled in a business master's degree progra m
living in South Korea and Ch ina. ac Yonsei University in Seoul ro help compensate for his
lack of local school con nections, which can be critica l
"When we explain ro Korea n parents whar we cry ro co making friends, landi ng jobs and closing dea ls.
do in rhe classroom, we sec their eyes light up," sa id
C hris DeMari no, business development direcror at "[ feared I might be oscracizcd for studying abroad,"
Dulwich College Ma nagement lnternarional, which he said.
has a government-sec 25 percent ceil ing on Korea n
scudents ac its Seoul school. "There is a tremendous
demand for what we offer, bur, un fort unately, we have
to cum many of chem away."

Copyright 2010 by The New York Tomes Co. Reprinted with perm1ss1on.
THENEWYORKTIMES, FRIDAY,NOVEMBER26,2010 Al,A14

IN A LAND OF THE AGING,


CHILDREN COUNTER
ALZHEIMER'S
In P.\ \I BELIXCK

- - - - .... ...._ ___......_..___


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In a Land or the Aging, Children Help Ease the Bite or Alzheimer's

In a Land of the Aging, Children Counter Al zheimer's


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-~-~-~~~--~ -~
.___ . . . . .....__. ._ =._:.J?~~.::
. ---1-________
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SEONGNAM , South Korea

pied since 2008. Other dementia programs, providing

T
hey were srooped, hobbled , disorienced, fum-
bling arou nd rhe house. They got confused day care and home care, have increased fi vefold since
in the bathtub and struggled up stairs rhar 2008, ro nearly 20,000. C are is heavily subsidized.
seemed ro swim before them.
And a government dementia database allows families
"Oh, ir hurts," said Noh Hyu n-ho, sinki ng ro rhe ro register relatives and receive iron-on identification
ground. numbers. Citizens e ncountering wanderers wi rh de-
mentia report t hei r numbers ro officials, who contact
"I thought I was going ro di e," said Yook Seo-hyun. families.
There was surprisingly little giggling, conside ring To finance this, South Korea created a long-term-ca re
t hat Hyun-ho, Seo-hy un and the o thers were actu- insurance system, paid fo r with 6.6 percent increases in
ally perfec tly hea lthy 11- ro 13-year-old children. Bur people's national health insurance premiums. In 2009,
rhey had strapped on splines, weighted harnesses and about $ 1 bill ion of government and public insurance
fogged-up glasses, and were given tasks like "Doorknob mo ney was spent on dementia patie nts. Sti ll, w ith rhe
Experience" and "Bathroom Experience," all to help over-65 popu lation jumping from 7 percenc in 2000 to
them feel what it was like ro be old, frail or demenced. 14 percenc in 2018 ro 20 percenc in 2026, dementia is
"Even though they are sm iling for us, every day, 24 straining the country, socially and economically.
hours, is difficu lt for them," Jeong Jae-hee, 12, sa id "Ar least one family member has ro give up work"
she learned. "They lose rheir memory and go back ro ro provide caregiving, said Kwak Young-soon, social
childhood." welfare direcror for Mapo District, one of Seoul's 25
lr is part of a remarkable South Korean campaign ro geographic districts. Because South Korea encourages
cope with an exploding problem: Alzheimer's d isease people ro work well past retire ment age, families may
and other demencias. As one of the world's fastest- also lose dementia sufferers' incomes.
aging councries, with nea rly 9 percent of its popula- Most fam il ies no longer have generations living to-
tion over 65 already afflicted, South Korea has opened gether to help with caregiving, and some facilities have
a "War on Dementia," spending money and shining long waiting lists, bur "we can't keep building nursing
flood lights on a disease that is, here as in ma ny places, homes," M r. Kwa k sa id. "We call it a ghost. It's basi-
riddled with shame a nd fear. cally eati ng up the whole house."
South Korea is traini ng thousands of people, including D ement ia Epidemic
children, as" demencia supporters," ro recognize symp-
toms and care for patiencs. T he 11- ro 13-year-olds, South Korea is at the forefro nt of a worldwide erup-
for insta nce, were in t he governmen t's "Aging-Friendly tion of dementia, from about 30 million estimated
Comprehensive Experience H all" outside Seoul. cases now ro an estimated 100 million in 2050. And
Besides the aging simulation exercise, they viewed a while Sourh Korea's approach is unusually extensive,
PowerPoint presentation defini ng demencia and were even in t he Uni ted Stares, the National Alzheimer's
tra ined, in rhe hall 's Dementia Experience Center, to Project Act was introduced this year ro establish a
perform hand massage in nursing homes. sepa rate Alzheimer's office to create "an incegrared
national plan ro overcome A lzheimer's." Supporters of
" 'What did I do with my phone? It's in rhe refrig- rhe bill, currently in com m ittee, include Sa ndra Day
eraror,' " said one insrrucror, explai ning memory loss. O 'Connor, whose late husband had Alzhei mer's.
" Have you seen someone like rhar? T hey may go m iss-
ing and die on rhe street." South Korea also worries rhar dementia, previously
stigmatized as "ghost-seeing " or "one's second c hild-
In a nor her striking move, South Korea is also push- hood" cou ld "d il ute respect for elders," Mr. Kwak
ing ro m ake diagnoses ea rly, despite there being scant said. "There's a saying that even rhe most filial son or
treatment. daughter wil l nor be fi lial if they look after a parenc fo r
"This used robe hidden" and "there is sti ll stigma and more than three yea rs."
bias," said Kim Hye-jin, director of senior policy for So the authorities promote the notion rhar fi lial piety
t he Health and Welfare Ministry. But "we want ro get implies do ing everything possible for elders w it h de-
rhem our of their shells, out of their homes a nd di- mencia, a condit ion now called chimae (pronounced
agnosed " ro help fam ilies adjust and give patients "a chee-may): d isease of k nowledge and rhe brain which
higher cha nce of being taken care of ar home." makes adults become babies. Bur South Korea's low
Hundreds of neighborhood dementia d iagnostic cen- birth rare will make fam ily caregiving rougher.
ters have been created. Nursing homes have nea rly rri-
''I feel as if a rsun am i's coming," said Lee Sung-
hee, t he Soud1 Ko rea n A lzheimer's Associarion
Mapo district center: "Make the Brain Smile!" a nd
"H ow is Your Memory? Free d iagnosis center in
presidenr, who trains nursing home sraff Mapo."
members, bur also thousa nds who regularly inreracr
The Mapo Cente r fo r Dementia perches ar a busy
wirh rhe elderly: bus drivers, tellers, hai rsrylisrs, posral
crossroads of old a nd new, nea r a university and a shop
workers. "Somerimes l rhink I wanr ro run away," she
sell ing naruropath ic goar extracts. lr has exercise ma-
said. "But eve n rhe highesr mounrain, jusr worrying
chi nes our fro nt a nd a van with pictures of sm iling
does nor move anyth ing, bur if you choose o ne area
elderly people.
and move srone by srone, you pave a way ro move rhe
whole mounrain." Even people wirhour sym proms come, Dr. Ya ng said.
They are "eased by hea ring, 'You do not have dementia
South Korea is even trying ro rum a crisis inro a busi-
and ca n visit rwo years later.' "
ness opporruniry. The Aging-Friendl y ha ll, financed
by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, encourages C ha Kyong-ho's fa m ily was wary of getti ng hi m rested.
businesses ro enter "silver industries," producing items " De menria was a subject to hide," said his daughter,
for feeble elderly people, from chopsricks rhar are easi- C ha Jeong-eu n. "I worried his pride would be hurr go-
er ro pick up to auromared harnesses rhar hoisr people ing through rh is kindergarten experience."
from bed, slid ing along a ceiling rrack, and deposir
Bur when "my mother asked h im to get ingredienrs fo r
rhe m onto roilers or living room couches.
curry rice, he ca me back with mayo nnaise," she said.
College srudenrs visir rhe ha ll and don blue 3-D glasses And one day, Mr. C ha, 74, a retired subway official,
fo r "Demenria Expe rience" video journ eys follow ing could nor f ind his way home. "I was like, 'Where the
people disorienred on streers or seeking barhrooms. hell am I?' " he said .

Throughout Sourh Korea, M rs. Lee leads "demenria U lrimarely, he vis ited Mapo's center, finding t he rest-
supporrer" rraining, argui ng againsr longrime pracric- ing cha llenging.
es of chasrisi ng o r neglecri ng parienrs, and advocar ing
"Sometimes I don't remember what I read, o r I can
fo r preserving rheir ski lls and self-esree m.
see ir with my eyes and my brain is processing it, bur
One tip: give deme nred relatives "a washing pan and I can nor say it our loud," he said about rhe questio ns.
washboa rd " and say, " 'The washing machine's rer- " How can my brilliant brain remember everyth ing?
rible - we need your help' " washing clorhes, she told Jeez, it's so headachy."
200 sen ior citizens interes red in nursing home jobs or
Checking his abi lity ro categorize items, Dr. Ya ng
fam ily caregiving advice. If parients say, " Tm good ar
asked, "W hat do you call dog and tiger?"
mak ing soy soup,' bur fo rger ing red ients," g uide rhem
srep by srep, she advised. Otherwise, "They may make " I call them dog and tiger."
ir inro salt soup, and everyone will say, 'Oh, rhis is rer-
rible, you stop do ing it.' " "Penci l and brush?"

Even rhe you ngesr are enlisted. M r. Kwak, rhe local "Oh, there's a word for that."
govern m ent officia l, a rra nges for nursery school classes "A irplane and train?"
to play games w irh nu rsing home parienrs, saying rhar
ir d esrigmarizes demenria and rhar parients w ho "re- " I feel embarrassed I d on'r know."
gress ro earlier days" may "find ir easier ro relare ro "You have a lot ofloss of memory," Dr. Yang said. "This
young children ." is rhe very beginni ng stages of Alzheimer's d isease."
And Dr. Yang Dong-won, who direcrs o ne of ma ny H e suggested that Mr. Cha get a govern menr-subsi-
govern ment-run diagnosric centers in Seou l, has vis- d ized brain M .R.l. w confirm the diagnosis, and said
ired kindergarrens, bri nging rofu. "This is very sofr,
dru gs might delay symproms slightly. H e recommend-
like rhe brain," he said, leerin g ir cras h down. Now, ed Mapo's free programs "ro stimulate what brain cells
"rhe brain is destroyed." he has." These include rooftop garden "floral therapy,"
"Dementia is very bad fo r you, so prorecr yo ur brain," arr classes making realistic representations of everyday
he said, with exercise, "not drinking too much sugar," objects, music the rapy with bongos sounding " li ke a
and saying, " ' Daddy, don't drink so much because it's hea rrbear."
nor good fo r dementia.' " Mr. Cha sighed.
Ar a D emenria March outside rhe World C up Soccer " I thi nk," he said, gesru ring reward his brain, "that
Sradium, ch ildren ca rried signs promoring Dr. Yang's somerhing's wrong wirh rhis, just a little bir."

IIIll
Students as Helpe rs

chools offer community service credit, e ncour- For Kim H a n-bit, 16, the progra m is inrensely per-

S agin g work with dementia patienrs, whom stu-


dents ca ll grand mas a nd gra ndpas. Tee nage
girls do foot massage at the C heongam nursing home,
sonal. Ha n-bit was 13 when his gra ndmother, who
practically ra ised him, got A lzhe imer's, and "I would
just feel it was a nnoying a nd wa lk our of rhe room,'' he
wh ich is run by Mrs. Lee, the Alzheimer's Association said. "She would ask to do a n activity, a nd I would say,
president, for women without sons to care for them . ' W hat business do you have doing char?' It was my re-
(In South Korea, sons' families trad itionally shoulder sponsibil ity to feed her, give her drin ks, wash her face.
caregiving responsibilities.) During one massage ses- Bur I even resisted and fo ught back,'' he said. When
sion, 16-year-old O h Yu-mi rubbed a patient's toes, she died , he added , "I co uldn 't lee our rears."
saying: "I'm doing the heart. T he heel is the reproduc-
T he demenri a caregiving p rogram had made him
tive system. le will help them excrete becrer."
"wonder why I wasn't able to do char with m y own
Another girl doing foot massage, Park Mi n-ju ng, 17, gra ndma, a nd I ch ink I shou ld d o bercer in t he fu-
was shaken to rea lize that dementia cou ld explain why ture to compensate for a ll my wrongdoin g,'' he said.
her gra nd fat her recently grabbed a tax i and ci rcled "I could have taken ca re of my grandmother w ith a
his old neighborhood seeking his no-lo nger-existenr grateful feel ing. If only I could have."
house. "H e used to be very sca ry to me," she said , but
Recently, he worked to e ngage Lee Jeong-hee, a patienr
trai ning made her feel that " I ca n do rhings for him."
half h is height with missing teeth who laughed, bur
A patient wept as t he g irls lefr, upsetting 16-year-old spoke incoherently.
Kim Min-joon, the massage group's leade r. She said
"When I come next time,'' he sa id tenderly, "please re-
social workers suggested being less effusive ro parienrs,
member me."
so the girls' leaving wou ld be less trau matic: "If there
is love or affectio n of 100 grams, cut it up inro I gram Su-I-911111 Lee comributed reportingfro111 Seoul, South Koren.
each " and distribute it over "100 visits, nor all at once." This article has been revised to reflect the fallowing correction:
Bur " I'm not good ar controllin g t hat," Min-joon said.
Even at school, "The feeling of their touch remai ns Correction: Nove111ber 25, 2010
wirh me." An earlier version of11 photo caption with this article misiden-
tified the loc111ion where 11 student 111r1s bowing in 11 ht1llwt1y.
A boys' high school selects top students ro help at The photo wt1s 11t the Seobu Nursing Center, not the M11po
Seobu N ursing Center, doing art therapy a nd at- Center/or De111entirt in Seoul.
tempting physical therapy w ith d ances and " balloon
badminton" (the rac ke r is panryhose stretched on a
fra me). T he boys write observations to help Seobu ad-
just programs.

At school, they wrote questions on the blackboard :


"Problems and solutions of co mmu nicating with the
elderly. Ways to improve a nd execute exercise routine.
How to make sure we're all on time."

"T hey don't comprehend my word s," sa id Ki m Su-


hwa n, 16.

"M aybe we sho uld get closer to t heir ears,'' suggested


Kim Jae-kyeum.

Maybe "some of us could massage rhe m," sa id Su-


hwan. "You do th at, Su-hwan," snickered Jae-kyeum.

"Smile at chem more," a nother student sa id. "Some of


us look like we don't wanr to do this."

Copyright 2010 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
THE NEW YORK TIMES, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2010 A32

AS KOREANS POUR IN,


A TOWN IS REMADE

PALISADES PARK, N .J.

T
As Koreans
wo decades ago, t he police here somet imes
Pour/n, roused Jason Ki m in the wee hours, bur nor
A 7own
ls Remade
because he was in trouble. There were few
Koreans in town, a nd few of them spoke English, so
whenever one was arrested, rhe police needed M r. Ki m
to translate the Mi rand a warning.

It is hard to imag ine such a scene today, as Mr. Kim,


now an elected borough counc ilma n, strolls along
Broad Avenue, this town's bustling commercial spine,
past storefronr sig ns rhar are mostly in Korean, char-
ring in Korea n and English with business owners
and shoppers. A generation of Korean-Americans has
grown up here, ma ny people switch readi ly between
la nguages, a nd rhe police force has three Korean-
Ame ri ca n officers.

Si nce the 1980s, the towns of eastern Bergen County


- Edgewater, Englewood C liffs, Leonia, Fon Lee
a nd others - seem to have exerted a magnetic pu ll
on Asian immigrants, particula rly Koreans. Bur none
more so t ha n Palisades Pa rk, whose populat ion is now
54 percent Asia n-A merican and 44 pe rcent Korean-
American, the Census Bureau reported this week.

Major population cenrers like Queens a nd Los A ngeles


have more Koreans, bur Palisades Pa rk, w ith fewer
th an 20,000 people, is, proport iona lly, rhe most heav-
ily Korean mun icipality in the cou ntry, accord ing to
Pyong Gap M in, a disting ui shed professor of sociology
at Queens College.

A stri king 66 percent of rhe town's populatio n is for-


eign-born, includi ng many G uatema la ns an d smaller
numbers from several other countries.
"Ar first everybody went co Fon Lee, bur I couldn't af-

T
he Korean presence is growing fasr; rhe 2000
census found rhar 3 1 percenr of Pal isades Park ford Forr Lee," said Mr. Kim, who moved from South
residents were Korea n-American. The 44 per- Korea co rhe Bronx as a teenager, then co Pa lisades
cent figu re ca me fro m surveys raken from 2005 to Park in 1986. "The rea l estate agencs cold people co cry
2009, a nd local Korea n leaders predicr rhar rhe figure Pa lisades Pa rle"
wi ll be higher when 2010 census numbers a re released
The infl ux made che town more prospero us, as Korea n
nex r year.
businesses moved in, renovating buildings and erecr-
"\'\/hen I came here, on ly rwo stores were Korean; ing new ones. Bue fo r the old-ti mers, it made the place
rhere were no Korean churches," said Mr. Kim, 54, alien, and property more expensive. Today, 39 per-
who teaches marh and co mpurer science at Bronx cenc of the popul ation is whi te, bur few businesses are
Communiry College and also has a business prepari ng wh ite-owned.
swdents to rake rhe SAT. "lr is hard co believe how
" In che begin ning, some of che old businesses shut
much it has changed."
dow n because che Koreans wou ld nor patronize them,"
Palisades Park has not e nd ured rhe ki nd of violent said George Mahsoud , whose fam ily has run a shoe-
clashes rhar somerimes accompa ny erhnic rransirions, repai r shop here for 35 yea rs. "You really had co make
bur neithe r has irs transformation been trouble-free. an effort - li ke I put a Ko rea n sig n in rhe window
and I smi led a nd ta lked to rhem . Korea ns are all abour
Andy Nam recalled rhar after he opened Grand
reputatio n - rhey have to hear good rhi ngs abo ut you
Furniture on Broad Avenue in 1989, "We had some fro m rheir friends, and rhat took awhile."
young kids, rroublemakers, who broke che windows,
w ri te 'Go home kimchi,' rhar kind of th ing." Two whi re wome n emerging from a bank, who asked
nor to be named fo r fear of offending t heir newer neigh-
Korea n restaura nts a nd bars foughr fo r years - un- bors, said rhcy lived in Palisades Park, b ur shopped
successfully - fo r permission co stay open arou nd the elsewhere. T he Korean shops carer mostly to Koreans,
clock. W hite residenrs co mplai ned of shops char had rhey sa id - a face char used to bother chem, bu r rhar
signs only in Korean, until nearly all rhe new mer- now just peacefu lly propels them elsewhere.
chants volunta rily added English translations.
T he Korea ns' numbers have been slow ro rranslare into
T he first-generation Korean-America ns faced a huge clout; o nly abour o ne-quarter of t he voters are Korean.
language barrier. For yea rs, they relied heavily on peo- Mr. Kim was the fim Asia n-American elected ro a sear
ple like M r. Nam, now 70, who spoke E nglish, a nd o n on rhe school boa rd , in 1995 - his th ird rry - and
chose like M r. Ki 111 who called rhemselves generarion rhe first to w in a sear on the cou ncil, in 2004. A sec-
1.5 - born in South Korea, bur educated here. ond Korean immigrant, Jong C hui Lee, was elected to
Unti l the 1980s, the rown was overwhel mingly wh ite, rhe council lase year, a nd t wo others sir o n the school
a mi x of blue-colla r workers and professiona ls whose board.
fami lies had come predominantly from Ita ly, C roatia, " I knew from rhe sta rt I couldn't win wit h jusr Korea n
Germany a nd G reece. Irs ho uses were inexpensive, a nd votes," Mr. Kim said. "[ still can't. We have to work
it had a number of vaca nt shops and offices. with everybody."
A pattern had sta rred co emerge by then, of Asian
immigrants moving from New York C ity to Bergen
Counry. They were drawn by che a rea's relative safety
a nd high ly rega rded schools, and by its proxim ity ro
the George Wash ington Bridge, for co mmuting ro
jobs in rhe city.

Copynghl 2010 by The New York Times Co. Repnnled w1lh permission.
THENEWYORKTIMESBOOKREVIEW, SUNDAY,APRILJ,2011 23

LOST IN TRANSIT
BY 1'IYT lllLI C. HAO

Lost in Transit

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' ' P lease Look After Mom," by rhe Sourh anguish. The daughter is stu n ned : "Mom got head-
Korea n w riter Ky ung-sook Sh in, ope ns aches? So severe t hat she couldn't even cry?" These are
wirh a fam ily in d isa rray. Mom is missi ng, some of the many quest ions chat punctuate her narra-
separared from Farher by rhe closing doo rs of a subway tive a nd lead to a cascade of revelations. Mom's debil i-
car in a busy rrain station in Seoul. A day, a week, rhen tating headaches a re t he byproduct of a stroke she told
nea rly a monch goes by. Mo m's husband a nd adult no o ne about. Ot her d iscoveries come grad ua lly. Afte r
ch ildren are nor only worried, bur crippled w ith g uile one of Chi-ho n's older brothers leaves t he vi llage fo r
and regret, fu mbling " in confusion, as if rhey had a ll Seo ul , she is responsib le fo r writing letters to him, dic-
injured a pare of rheir brains." Are you pun ishing me? tated by Mom. For years, Chi-ho n assu mes t his is just
each privately wonders. an additional chore. The reali ty is revea led in another
question she asks of herself: "W hen was it yo u rea lized
T he eldest daughter, C h i-hon , is the writer of her fam-
char Mom didn't know how to read?"
ily, a nd she is persuaded to draft rhe missing-person fli-
ers. "A ppearance: Shorr, salt-and-pepper permed ha ir, Sh in's prose, inrimare and haunringly spare 111 this
promi nenc cheekbones," she writes, " last seen wear- translation by C hi-Youn g Kim, moves from first to
in g a sky-blue shirt , a w hite jacker a nd a beige pleated second a nd thi rd perso n, a nd powerfully conveys
skirt." W hen Chi-ho n thinks back o n t he Mom of her g rief's bewi ldering immed iacy. Chi-ho n's voice is t he
chi ld hood, she sees a woma n w ho "strode t h roug h the novel's most d isti net, bur Father's is t he most devastat-
sea of people in a way th at would intimidate even the ing. Returnin g to rhe ho use in Chongup, he is " blud-
aurhori rarive buildings looking o n from above." The geo ned" wirh Mom's abse nce as he real izes char he
stra ngers who respond to her ads pa int a d ifferenr pic- never fully appreciated her, th is "sreadfast tree" at t he
ture: "They saw an old wom an wa lking very slowly, cenrer of his li fe- and rhac a ll this time he had been
some times sitting . .. o r sta nd ing vacantly." Could it in den ial ove r her hea lth 's dete riorat ion.
be the same woman?
"The word 'Mom' is fami lia r," C hi-hon observes, "and it
Sh in's novel, her first to be t ranslated into English , em- hides a plea: Please look after me." Passages of the novel
braces mu ltiplicity. It is told from rhe perspectives of may ca use the g rown ch ild ren among Shi n's readers to
four members of t he fa m ily, a nd fro m their me mo ries cringe. ("You were the o ne who always hung up firsr,"
emerges a port ra it of a heroical ly selfless and indus- C hi-hon mournfully remembers of her own behavior.
trious woman. She runs their rura l home " li ke a fac- "Yo u would say, 'Mom, I'll ca ll you back,' and then you
tory." She sews a nd knits and rill s the fields, and ra ises didn't.") A nd yer this book isn't as inreresred in emo-
pupp ies, piglets, duck lings a nd ch ickens. The fam ily tio nal man ipulario n as iris in che invis ible chasms th at
is poor, bur she sees to it char her children's be llies are o pen up between people who k now one a no ther best.
filled , their cuicio n fees paid. Who is che missing woma n? ln th is raw tribute to the
mysteries of motherhood , only Mom k nows.
Only after her chi ldren g row up a nd leave their ho me
in C hon g up does Mom's strength and purposefuln ess Mythili G. Rao has written for 711e New York Observer, V:lords
begin to flag. When C h i-ho n visits un anno unced, she \'(/ithout Borders and Boston Review.
finds rhe house in shambles a nd Mo m sufferin g private

Copyright 2011 by The N ew York Times Co. Reprinted with perm1ss1on.


THE LIST OF 2010
The New York 'Tin1es articles
on Korean Culture

T his is l he complelc li sl or The New York T i mes ar l ides O il Ko rea n Cu It ure in 2010
acco rdin g Lo 0 111 resear ch al l ime or pu bi ical ion.

\ ol al I ar t iclcs on LltC' I isl " ere selC'cLcd for l his boo k lel. T he a r LiclC's th al a re included i 11
t ltis book let w ill be i 11 BOLD.
JANUARY- MA RC H
No. Date Article By Title of Articles Booklet Page(s)

Ja111 1ar.\ .\larli11 ,..ac kler ................ s('I'\ i11 g a FatlHr b.\ Bringi11 g Long- 1,ost
l\.orca 11 s I lon1e
2 Ja1111an 10 C hoe S ang-1 lun \ Kor<"an Doctor's Cro11p
\\'a1 1l s lo I lalL 1\I Jorl ions
3 Ja1111 an 10 .\rie C he n .. \\ here To Co i11 20 10
4 Ja11uan II C hoe Sa ng-I lt11 1 To B('l'Oll{'i le tlw Ko rcas .
Tec 11a gc rs S h<)\\ a \\ 'ay
5 Ja 1111a ry Iii C hoe Sang-I lu11 You th Prng-ram lnspins Dreams of
Korea n l 11i1, 89 91
6 Ja 111 ian 28 :\11n e \ lanc1 1so Spa r<' Tin w
7 .Ja1111ar\' 28 C hoe S ang- I l11n Hui e of'Tl111rnb s:
l\.o rca 11s l\! ig 11 in Te,t i11 g \\ orld
8 Fe! ll'Ua I ) 12 Carol \ 'ogcl l11 siclc- 1\rt : See It , 11cc l It, To1wh It. C li1nb II
9 Fe brua I' \ l'3 .Jul iet \lac11 r 01.' rnpic I lo pes l\es l \\ 'it h S kating F~n o rile
Ki m Yu-11a
10 lcbruan 14 .Ju liet 'llacur .... ... ... ... .. .. ... I lope G lid<'s \\ ith a S mi le
11 Fcbrua rv I ~) A.O. S 1ott ... ............ .. Do11 't Thi1 1k of It as \11otlier l.'ilm FcstiYa l.
Thin k of' It as a S a111pl<'r
12 February 22 J e rl- Lo11 g 111a11 Ba la 11!'ed 0 11 a S kater's Blades.
tlw l:" pe!'lalio 11sol"a \atio n
13 Fchrua1'\' 24 Juliet \l aeur Pressu re is \o l'roble111 1()1' Ki111 Y11 -na
14 Fclll'ua ry 2:) i\ like llale .. \\'hen\\ it and Ce n1c Fi lm maki11g Collid1 .... Gl- G2
15 Fcbrua 1'\" 26 .Julie t \laC'11r An Effo rtl <'ss IJ11t E 11101io11al C old
16 Fchruar) 27 .kn' Longma n .... ............ h.im Ib ises Bar. Delig htin g Fans .......... ... ........ 77 78
17 .\larch I Cang \\ . I.cc S 11a ps hols Fro111 C:a 11ada
18 .\ larch :> Dave ll zkoff Bill.' Elliot' L<aps I 1110 South Korea
19 i\ lareh 12 i\ la noh la Dargis ............ Fi<1<1 Low:
lktt('I' ~o l \lak( T hi s \lom 1\11 g r,,,, .................. 6) - 6/j
20 i\ lal'(h Iii Te1TCIH'(' Hafferty Deal h Pul's ucs 1le l' ... ......................................... 103- 10/j
21 .\ larch 'D Cl1oe S ang- I lu11 I1 1 S ('oul. Cl'ce 11 Tran sit Is \layo r's l'e l l'l'Oj<ct
22 \ la reh 28 De11nis Lim !\est l'i<'lc d . but \ ot De lnrc cl
23 \ larch 28 Brad l. <'f'l o11 \a1io11's Pride 111 a S i11 gle Pit('li
24 .\larch '10 Sonia 1'..ol<'snikm -Jessop \ h.ona11 \rtis t's 0 1igi11s, I>,\ Pa1aeh11te 5 1 52
25 \ larch '{ I S 1ephc11 I lo ldc 11 \111id Dcsolat<' l.i\'es \11d Pit (' li cd 13all les.
1

0 11c Dlicio11s \ 11 0111al.)


26 .\ larch '1 1 K ~1ren C ro11 s(' \\ ie's \ igl11 Ca llC' ry
AP RIL - JUNE
No. Date Article By Title of Articles Booklet Page(s)

27 April 16 S Lepltc n I lo ld<'ll 12 Days . 1'12 Fi Ims. rn Co11111ri{'s


28 April IG Ke ll.' Fcl' ncy Ca l(l<"ria Far'< '. Kor<':t 11 -S1ylr
29 April 20 Flo r<' nce Fabri('anl Ko J'( ':t ll Bl'e f .lerk.' Fronr a Fa rn ily HcC'ipc
30 April 28 Choe Sa11g-l l11 11 Korca n Is Fi rsl Woma n
lo S<'a le Iii ll ighes l Peaks 79 80
31 April W Pel er .\ ppll' bo111c I11 a Col'll f'ield 's C11ri ous Trl' ntltlc.
a H<111 inde r fo r ~C\\ York Cil)

32 i\Jay 18 Ki111 Scvc rso11 .. ................ Mari,i 11ana F1wls a 1'<w Ki1 cl 1e 11 C1tll111T

33 .\la' 22 Hielt Scl 1ul1z \\' i<' Keeps 11 S irnp k and Hc:wl1es l\01111d
of ICi i11 } la1 cl1 Play

34 i\lay24 .\ la110hla Da rg is T ltai Fil n1111ak<1 Wi ns Pa lnw d 'O r al Ca nnes


.J cssi<a H ina ld i .. .............. t\ nolltcr Soul It Korca n ~ l ak es ~ l a r k
35 i\ lay 24
36 ~Ja, 26 Cltco ang- 1111 11 .\ Fa nlas.' \\.odd l s Crealing Pro blenr s
in So11Lh Ko rl'a

37 !\ lay 28 ' l~yl c r Kl'p ncr t\ F1111nc Fi ll1'd \Vi 1lt Pro1nise a nd D111 y

38 i\ la) 29 Cho< Sang-1ltnr So111lr Kor<n l::-.pa nds


1\ id fo r I111 e rnel 1\ dd icLion

39 J une I OliHr SI rand Kvod ron a nd Bo n Clron


40 J u11 t' 2 .J 1tl i:1 ,\ l oskin Yo11 ng Food l ~ 11lrc p1c n 0 1 ns Ma ke
Tlwir Ful 11 rc IH Hand

41 Ju11e 2 S lew S 11 1illt Pacif'ie Crossing: Bra l1111s by \ Vay o f' co11l
42 .Ju11l' 8 Ala n \V lrea lle.' Hcin\'C nli ng li> r S ueC'css in Soul h Ko rea
43 .Ju11 r 10 lb dH' I Lee I la rris J\ 13ikc To1n l(ll' Arl Lovers, a S ltow fo r Fc la!"
Fa 11 s Ca poeira Lessons and a Ko rea n lilm

44 .Jun<' 13 Co11sl a11ec Hos111 ul11111 T hl' Place ' Fi1 Like a .lacke1' 92 93
45 J une 14 ler11 a nda Sa nl os i\ Q 11cc ns DeHlopn11111 Haiscs ELl 111ic Tens io n
46 .lu rw 16 l\oli I lugltes S 11rprisi11g ll w \Vol'i d , a rid Al111osl Brazil
47 .h1111 18 Cor<'.) Kilganno n J\faki11g T h0i1 O wn Natio na l l\oise,
bul Losing A ny wa) 8 1- 82

48 June 22 A la n Kozinn Acade mic Series i11 .J azzy S 11rrou ndi 11gs
49 J une 23 C l11 H'k C1tl pc ppc1 Coa l; So111 h Ko rea 2, Nig<'ri a 2
50 J un r25 Rob I lughes ..... Ch'1rs al ~ 111opc's l ~x p c n sc

51 .lu 11e 25 Mike llale lesliva l i\ l mcs lo Fancie r Base


bu l Keeps ll s Gcnre-Bcnd ing Fare 65- 67
JULY- SEPTEMBER
No. Date Article By Title of Articles Booklet Page(s

52 .lu h- I C is<'la \\ ill iams l\.011a n Tradition, Italian S t.' It .. ...... .......... .. .... . 9/i !):)

53 .Juh- 7 Ferrra11cla S;1nlos L:rng 11:rgl' I lelp lc>r \('11 Yor k I1n 111 igranls
l s ing Ci ty c n i('<':-. Falls Short of" Coa ls

54 .lu l\'8 i\ lel1na lhzik S hi'\\ a n ts "lor1 T ha n I kr i\ IT \ /i I /i 2

55 .luh 11 Cho<' Sa ng I lun l::-.:r<"li11g Tcat"hing \lat"hinc


Stil'l,s to Script in South l\.orl'a IO:i IOG

56 .l uh- 20 Larry Dorrnan l111 1rrralional Pla_H'l'S 1-.ccp Hising lo tir e Top
i1 1 \la_jor Tour11anwnl s
57 .luly '.W A lexis J\ lai11 l:111d Ci t\ Hoorn: \<'11 ~<>l'k On lin e/ 1\ sk 1\ 1-. or<'a n !

58 .Jul\'28 .l oh n T. l ~ dgc .......... ..... .... Tiii' To r tilla Tak1s a Hoad Tri p lo 1-.orca

59 .Juh 2!J I.arr.' Dorrrra n \or1 l1 1-.orf'an Op<' ra Dra11s :\c<'lain1 in C hin a
60 t\ ug usl 2 .la 11cs IL 01's1l'l'iclr 1\ lalrln and S t r:111 ss f-..<1 p Co11 cl1wlors
(1>111 \ol L<' vir H') H11s.'
61 Aug ust I:) Clro<' Sa 11g- l lr11 1 \\ illr Clrarcoal as a11 l ~ li x i r. Sou1l1 1-.orf'arrs
1\1' ital izc by Hoa sl irr g i11 Kilns

62 Aug ust 2 1 Clroe S:111g- l lt11 1 1-.o rl'a's 13o ld Lt'arrri11 g l ~x p eri111(' 11 l
63 Aug ust 22 1\la 11 Kozi11 11 .................... Prais in g Peacl' and Igno rin g C:al c11dar D<'lai ls

64 Sept 111il>l'r 2 C hoe Sa ng- 1lun ............. . l\.on a 11 Isle Loo ks \hroad
For a11 Education at llomc 107 108

65 Sept" ' '' h<'r 4 Cl 1oc S a 11 g- l l111 1 ........ ..... Tr'.' i11g and Tr.' i11g \ gai n (9GO Ti1111s
f(u a I.ieC'11se

66 Scplc1nlwr 10 .\I ikc I la l<' .......... ... ........... T iil' 1: rozcn \\ ar i11 1-.orea
67 Scpl <'1nl wr 2'~ Lis 1i11g ............... ... ..... ...... \ralwsq 11cs .\11d Pirn11 cllcs On Pa rade

68 Scpl<'nrl H'r I:) .l oa1111c l-.:u11"1na11 .. I 11 \I id lO\rn. Igloos a n I lot


69 Scpll'rul wr2G \I.I I. Heed ..................... .. Firing l p the 13a rl><cue Lhc f-.. n11an \\'ay
70 Scplen rl H' r 29 J\'a1asl1a 1:rastr - Cal'a ssoni Tallon C hic
No. Date Article By Title of Articles Booklet Page(s)

71 OcLobcl' 7 Tirn J\ lc Keougf ............... J\ S1ude111 's New Scl'ecn Evokes \\!aves a nd
Cai ns Accl ai111
72 0cLobel' 8 Debbie Lee ..................... W liaL th e Squ il'l'els Know: /\ corn s fol' Di nn el'
73 OcLobel' 12 Daniel .I. \Vak i11 .............. Violini sLCancels
l~cc ila l Ovf'I' De Lr-oi l S uike Tension

74 OcLobcr 15 J\ lark Mcdona ld ............... His ing Pl'iccs Crea le J\ K imchi C1i sis
75 OcLobcr 2 1 Ca1herin e Sa int Louis ... . A 13eLLer S111 ile (bu l Nol Too Ped ccl}
76 OcLobcr 22 Sieve S 111i1h .................... 1\ Pencha111 !o r Bnrclr (S ince S he Was O nly 5)
77 OcLobcr 22 13 1'ad Spm gcon ................ J\ Soulh Kona Prepa res fOI' I1s I i rsl l.'orrnu la
0 11c Weekend
78 Oclober 29 1\ la rk J\ lc Dona ld .............. A l'Ler 6 Del:adcs of' Sq n1 l'alio11 in Kol'ea,
a 1\lceLing
79 Nove111bcr 7 David E. Sangel' Gel Me 0 111 of Here
80 November 7 Ce11e Lu<11 Yang ............. .!11 s1 Over rite Page, :i Pal'a ll el Uni vel'se
81 Nove111ber rn J\ la rk Mcdo11 a lcl ............... G-20 Even! lo S howcase So111 l1 Kol'e<i 's Al'ri va l
82 Novenrbcl' LO Sonia Ko k11 s 11ikov-.Jessop So11 Ih Ko l'ea Sels ll s S ights on Fo l'eig n Toirl'isls
83 Nove111bcr 11 Brya n Kay ................... I lavol' of l3ri1ain \Virt s over So uth Kol'ea ns

84 NoYem hcr 14 J\ ric Chcrr .......... .... Seou I 96- 99


85 Nove111 bcr 14 Sclh Kugel i<'l'ugal Los J\ 11 gelcs
86 Novc111 bel' l7 Scolt Sayal'e .................... UN l~SCO I I ai ls French Food ,
O il vVl'estli11 g and Flamenco
87 Novernbcl' 18 Choe Sa ng-1lun Hc1hinki11g \Vcclcli rr gs
Tit al Co mr \ ViLh Ca sit icl's
88 Novcm hcr 18 A lice Pf(,iff(1" .. Tradi tional Korea n Style Get a Fonvar<l Spin 43- 45
89 Novcnr hcl' 19 r\ 111hony To111 masi11 i ....... Bad Guys S i11gi ng of I .ove A 11d Power
90 Novc111 bcr 2 1 David M. ll a lbfing<..- -.. Deep in Ili c Flavol' Pool, Ko rea n S tyle
91 oYemhcr 26 Pam Bcl lt1ck .. In a La nd 01'1.hcr\ging,
Ch ild ren Counter /\ lzhcimc1"s .. 109- 112
DECEMBER
No. Date Article By Title of Articles Booklet Page(sl

92 Dcccr n hcl' Ii 1\ likc I lalc A nd Baby ~ l a kes Co rncdy


\\li en a Pl'incpss Is Tak<' n \ \'csl
93 Dcccr11bcl' 5 Co nsla nee l~osc 11hli11n ... 1\l111os1 Fl'Olll Sc l'aldl. \11d a BiL or a ~ li x

94 DecC'r11 l>C'I' 7 T l'ip C abl'i<' I !\ Forn H'I' St' hools ( :lric f" S lra p<'s J lel' Co rnc bat'k
95 Dccl'rn bc l' 7 S a111 Dillo 11 To p Tcsl Sco l'<'S
17rn nr S lia ngfori S ul' pl'iS<' l~d11 t' alo rs

96 Decernbcr 8 Kai ic Tho mas Et I1ics Issucs Do n1 Dcle l' S . Ko 1'c;1s OI.' m ic Bi d
97 Dccc rnbcr 13 ?l lal'C ~kD 011ald Savin g a Ko n a n Disl l'i<'I
98 DccT111her IG Hiehard Pfrl'z-Pl'rw As Ko nans Pou r In . \ Tmrn Is R<111adc 11 3 11 4
99 DecC'nrbcl' 2 1 S il'\ <' S rnilh D l'a\\ i11go 11 Fond C lt ildlrood \lcrn orics
fo l' a Pai 1'i 11g of" Bc<' llH)\'<' n and B<'l'io
100 DecC"111hcl' 2 1 \ ivic 11 S cl111 c iLzc l' J\11ollrc l' ~ l c rl'.) Clr l'is1111as
\\"i1lr ll H B l'andc11 hul'gs'
101 Deel' Ill bcl' 22 1\ .0. Srnll .......... .......... .. . Fi<'IT(' T<sls or l~ 11 d ll l'Ca ll CC
a nd llrl' l ~ csi li e nc< of"l lH' S pil'il
102 Dcce111bcr 29 1\eil C c nzli ngc l' :\ Fa ke Dani slr Cor ned.' Troupe
C <ws To \ o l'llr K<ma . \\ i1h S ll'ang< Result s
103 Dccc rn bcl' '1 1 S lr i\a n i \ 'o l'a Ta ke a l'lun ge. oa k L p I lcal. Tr.' a Scrub.
S ta.\ O ff Your Feel
104 Dccc111 bcl' 11 Dave ll zko fT H.:rl'e ~ l ov i c Treat in \ol'lh Ko l'ca
THE LIST OF 2011
The Nevv York Times articles
on Korean Culture

This is the com plete li st o f'Tlw t\cw York T in1 cs arlicles 0 11 Korea 11 C ullurc in 20 11
ac<"o rd i ng lo o ur rcsca reh at Ii 111e o f' pt 1bi icalio 11.

~o l a II a rl ielcs on 1lir
Iisl \\'c 1r sc lccl cd f(:>r this book Icl. T he arLiclcs Lh at a re i ncl uclcd i n
Lhi s book let w ill be i11 BOLD.
JANUARY-M ARC H
No. Date Article By Title of Articles Booklet Page(s)

.lan11a rv 10 S tew S11 1i11J .. .... ............. .. J\ S iri ng l ~ n semhl e al Play: Bod.' Language
and S licer l:, ul wra 11<c
2 .l an11a 1T 2G Flo r('lll'C FabriC'a 11 l Of'fTlw 'll c nu
3 .l a1111a ry 27 S lew S rnilh .. ......... ......... l'a 111ed G liosls \11d Tl1eir Dili g<' nl Kee pe r

4 Fe hrna ry I Vivi11 1 St'hweil zcr J\ \'ioli11isl l.ay<' rs 13:11'11


"ii Ii HC'lal i' <' \ e wco 111ers
5 Fe brnan :) Zachary \\'oolfi Play i11 g Tlia1 0 111 grows a Coz.' Space
6 Fchl'l1a1, G Franz Liclz \ Fi n<' Balance:
The Qu iel L ile Of a S ta r \ ctress 68 G!)
7 Fehl'ltary 11 \la11ohla Dargis C:o 11sidc1 a11 \pple. Considc 1 thl' \\'Ol'ld 70 7 1
8 FC'hl'l1a1T 17 E ric W ilson C'\ \ Dips a \l anic ur<'d Toe
Bar k I 11Lo l.':1 sh ion Cm c ra ge
9 l.'ebniary :w \ Iall hl'w C lll'cwilsC' li S tanding Silla II.
Sin gi11g Bi g. \I I Su lf'11 r a 11d l<'s l
10 Fe bru ary 2 1 Th e 1\ ssoC'ialccl Press Top- 1\ a n kcd Ts<' g \\ ins
L.P.C.t\.'s Scaso11 O p<' n<' r
11 Fclm1a1T 22 \l a rC' \le Donald Fo r So11Lli 1-. orea .
I nl(rncl al Blazing S pccds is S Iill l\01 Enough
12 Fchl'lta1.' 2/i Ale:\. 1lawgood ,\ \ iolinis1s fkll s and W histles 15 16
13 Fclw11an 26 \ l ike I lak B loody \ll c111pl s To l:scapc From Fat e
14 Felm1an 2:) Ti111 S tclloh ............... .. .... \ \c igli bo rhoocl's S tt'eples
!\re Set to Di sappea r ()u ict ly
15 \ la 1ch 2 Handy 1\.e11ncd) S hee p in Times Squa r<' 53
16 \larC' h 3 .l ca nn elc Ca1so 1il is I leads \\-ill l~o ll

17 \l arch 5 \ la rC' \l c Donald I11 c,


l)('rallack.
\ irus lnficls Ii () \\-eh S ites In Soulli Korea
18 \ lareh l'3 I hsa 11 Ta.\ lo r P:11)('rback lhl\\
19 \l arC'h I) \ like I lale S11 gar and Spice \nd \ .i('ious B!'ali11 gs
20 \l ar('h I:) 1\111 lio11y To111111asi1 1i 1\11sw<' ri1 1g llH Ca ll fo r New Ta l111l
21 \ larc h 20 Cics<'la \V ill ia1 11s \\ h<'1'e S('o11I is P11rif'ied Of' l3 11 sl le
22 \l a rC'li 20 \ 'ario 11s Co11lrilH1l o rs \ s ia11 Odysse.' s
23 \l ar<'h 20 \ licll<'lk I l iggi11s T ri111111in g Ilic Cost ol'a n \ sia Trip
24 \l a rC'h 2 1 .l e n11a \\ orl ha 111 .. .. ...... ... . \ng r.' Birds a 11d It s \l'" \ est l ~gg

25 \l a rd1 22 \' ic k Fox .... ... ... ... ... ....... .. . 1-.orcalo" 11: \\line lo l ~a l

26 ~ l ar<'h 2'{ Betsy 1\11drc\\ s \ G1azin g To111 o f l\.mca lcm 11 100 10 I


27 1\ la rd1 2:) Sel Ii Sch il'sel ..... .... ... i)(f'111<l i 11 g 1\ nH'rica. I he lJ mlerdog
28 \ larch 3 1 .la 11el \ lasli11 \ \l ot li er's lkrnlion. a Fa111il.' s Tca rf'11I l\t'grcls
APRIL -MAY
No. Date Article By Title of Articles Booklet Page(s)

29 Apri l 1 \I) lhil i C. Hao ................ Losl in Tra 11si1 11:)


30 April 7 l: ri C' \\ il so11 C:lo1lies J\s Old 1\ s TliC'.)' 1\ re
31 \ pril 8 "<11.l oh11so11 \ esscls ol'(Ja_, , C111111ries O ld.
Tha t S p1aks lo \l oden1ity 54 :i :)
32 \ pril 10 Larn Do r111a n \ kl lrm Colli i11u<s lo Scl Pan.
\ 11d Fi<ld S Il'llgglcs lo 1-.ccp l p
33 J\ pri l 11 l:lai111 Loui e ... .............. .. Tlw Te111po ra ry Vcgelaria11:
.lap Clt:w. l-.ona11 \oodl cs
34 :\ pri l 11 Cha rl es lslwnrnod ......... ,\111id Ca1cl 1.' Cl10l'll scs.
Pcrsoll:d Ta l1s o l' I.if<:."s 13ru l a I \ 'c ril ies

35 \pril 15 l.a rn Dorruan S uh par ti : Pro \c<'d s IG S1rok1s lo Finisl1 I lolc


36 April 16 Bill l'l'11n i11g 1ou ............. \ IG 011 a Par t1:1
I la('kc rs l.a11 glr a11d C ry \Vi 1l1:1 I l11111 hl<'d Prn

37 Apri l 2/i Ta 11vi ll'hlrC'da ................ Ill Los \11 gf'lcs, S 111a ll \IC'els \ lega111a ll

38 .\ pril:l!i "at e .\ lurph.' .. ......... ...... . Esthe r "im and .lot'sph \ aret 4G li8

39 \pril 24 !-.ale \ lur plt_, ................... Biles . \ Iia111 i. Cigi

40 \I ~" I Ti re J\ssoci:r ll'd Press .... . Tce11ag1 rTi<d f"o r l. . P.G .1\ . Lead

41 May I Cltris loplwr Clare'_)' ....... . 1\11wriC'a 11 ll'c' Darwcrs Tan go lo Gold .
.\ a l ion's Firsl 0 11 \\ oriel S 1agc

42 \l ay 8 \ il'ol< La porle ................ Tl w Daddy 1":1<'101',\

43 \la' D Claudia \\allis S1 udy in 1-.orca Pul s /\ u1i s1n's Prc\a l<ll('('
al 2.60. S u rpri sin g l:xpc rls

44 \l av 12 Co11s la11 cc l ~osc 11lilr11u 'l\\O by a Fi1111 islr Co111poscr.


:111d Va ria1io 11 s I 11spircd hy a l3 ir1l1day

45 \ Im IG I .a rr, Do r111a11 ................ Clro i \\ i11s Pla_\C'l'S i11 Pla_, off


\f"I C' r To111s \ Iisses S lto rl Pul I

46 \ Im 22 \ lark \lc-Dolla ld Elile 0111h 1-.ore:r n l 11i Hrsi1 .'


Hal 1lrd h.' S 11 icicl es

47 \l av 2!') kal il' ( :lra rr g \ a i11 G lorious \l a rrsl 11di o.


Soul h 1-.orc:r's l'i rsl \ pol ltcca r.\ for \ k 11
JUNE - JULY
No. Date Article By Title of Articles Booklet Page(s

48 .I 111 l (' "J. Sa rn Dol11 i('k ...... .. ..... ...... :\ \r" ) o rk S t a pi< .
"-.01ea11 Croc l 1s \r<' Dll'i 11d li11 g
49 .I 11111' ~ Zarhan \\ e>0 ll'< l 11s lrn11untalists at a11 E:\ hil>itio11 17
50 .I 111I(' '1 Diane Farr Bri 11g i11 g I lo111e tit<' \\ rn11g Hae<'
51 .l111w :i 1\lark Bitt111a11 Bac kya 1d Bulg>gi ... .... .... .... ............... ....... ......... 27-28

52 .I U lll' () \ la rk \kDrn ia ld St ress<d a 11d Dr pn ss< cl.


"-.o re a 11s \' oid Tli<"r<ql.'
53 .I 11111 () \l a rk Hit l 1w1 11 "-.Ol'e:t 11 Food"s \I il d S ide kic k: L<"l I11 c<
54 .l111w Iii .la11i1w A rn1i11 ........ ..... ... Th1oug h a l'il111111ake1-'s le ns. \" i<'\\S of l\.o r ea .. . 72

55 .1 11 11< 13 I lane.' Dickson T lw "-.o rea 11 Paul Po t Is


56 .ILll H' :w Hoh I l uglH's Soner o ffe rs lesson i11 ho \\ to g<' t tou g h 8')-85
57 .Ju nc 1!i l\.<n .l ohnso11 .. ... ..... .... .... ,\ Fi111 Li 1w : S t.' le 01 Phi loso phy!' :i (i- 57
58 .lu 111 1() Ted Loos ..... ... ................ S qmezin g l:sse 1He Frn 111 a Sto n<' 58-59
59 .lune W l\.c' ll .lawo 1ows ki .......... ... I la mkt as l ~ a gc 1 l\.ot'<'a11 Princc .... .. .. ............... 18
60 .lu I.) I 1\ li ke llal< ,\ Hog111 Film FC'sl i\a l
Ea rns HcS(H'l'I Sort o r ............................... ...... 71.75
61 .luh 7 .l e i<' Lo ng man and 1.0 .C. \ wal'(IS 101 8 \\in te r CanH's lo
C hew Sang- I lu11 a Sou l h l\.orca 11 Hcsort ... .... ... ... ......... ............... SG-87
62 .h1h 8 Kln .lol 111so 11 ~ l 11 sc1 1111 a 11d Gal l<' r.' I .is t i11gs fo r .!111.' 8 Iii
63 .J11h 8 Choe S a 11g- l lu 11 T" icc H<"j l'('lcd S. l\.o rcan TO\nt La nds
2018 \\ i11t e r Ca 111<s
64 .l u h 10 "-.:11111 C ro use H.' u \\ i11s Pla_H>ff to Ca pt u rc L .S. \\ rn11en s O p<' 11
65 .J LI h II "-.arc11 Crnusc \11oll l<'r So 11th "-.o rC':t ll Ccl<' hra lio 11
al th <' l .S. \\ 011 1111s O pc11
66 .Ju h l.i "-. c11 .loltnso n C11ggc11hr i111 \ lu s1'11 111 :
Le(' l l':i11 : \l ark i11g I111'i11i t.'
67 .July "1.8 .l ack lk ll ... .... ... .............. .. \la11cll<'s tc r l n it cd Dis 1na11 l l<'s
.\ l .L .S."s 13c'sl i11 HqH'al o f' Las t ) car
68 .!uh "1.8 "-. a re 11 Crn11 sc-- \ Q ui(' k S t1HI.' . S out h "-.o rea 11 Colf( 1
\\ i11 s :1 S ho t at .\1 1o llll'r i\ lajo r
AUGUST- DECEMBER
No. Date Article By Title of Articles Booklet Page(sl
69 J\ ug usl 17 Sam Si f'l on Feel l l'<'l' lo Craze, h111 .lus l Be Q 11i<"k ............. 29 30
1

70 August 17 Mik< I Ia le ......... .. .. ....... .... T he .l o111"11a ls or M11 sa 11 (201 0)


71 Augusl r_;:, Choe Sang- I lu 11 .............. Seo11I ~ l ayo l' Besig 11 s
After Losi11g chool L11 nch H.cfcre11 d11111
72 t\ ugusl 28 A li<"e Hawsthorn ............. J\ Fl11l'I'.)' of Design E\"C111 s in Asia
:111cl E11 ropc Fi 11 1li c J\ u I1111111 Ca IC'11da
73 f\ 11g usl 29 C: lil'is loplicl' Clar<".)' Track S1a1s Co Sl11)1J ldC'1 lo S lio uldel',
Higli1 10 Iii< Line
74 t\ ugusl 29 C: lil'is lopher Clal'<') ........ Who ea11 beal Boll in Ili e 100? I li111sclr
75 f\ ugusl 3 1 Had1cl Sa ltz .................... Polii ics. 11 is lory a 11d f\ II T hal .Ja zz:
Good vs. Evi I i11 3/i Songs
76 Sepl ember 18 amSif'lon .. .......... 11 eaLh_r 1lwllandf11I 3 1 3)
77 Oc1ohel' !) .J 1il ia 1\loskin ..... .. ............. Kol'ea's 1\lasl('I' C:lier
Pl'e pal'es a l3a 11qu cl al lhcMeL
78 OcLohcr Iii Eri<" \\'ilson A While ll ous<' Dchul for Doo. Ri 49
79 Ociolwr 2 1 ~ lark Husscll ..... ............. South Korea Fo rgcls il s amnesia
a nd rcdis<m<rs il s l"O<"k 'n' ro ll soul .. 19 2 1
80 Oclohcr 23 Vivien Schwcilz<1........... When Baeh Laid Ba1e 11 is Own So1JI .............. 21 2)
81 0cLobcl' 2fi J u lia \foski11 .................... Ko l'ea11 C l'i ll i11 g011 C lass. al Kl'isla lbell i
82 Oc1oher 25 .Io n Caramanica .............. Korean Pop ~ l aeh in e ,
Running on Innocence a nd I la i1 C<1............... 2/i 25
83 Nove111bel' 3 C:lioe Sa ng-l-11111 .. ........... I11 So111l1 Kol'C'a ,
Plaslic S 11 l'gC I'_)' Co111es 0 UL or LI IC Close I
84 l\'ovenilw l' 20 Vivie n Schweil zcl' ....... .. .. Pucci11i "s ~)!) Pcl'CC 11 l.
Living a nd Dyin g i11 Zeffil'e ll i S 1y le
85 November 23 l:.lai1H' Louie ................... r\ 3 00-Du<"k Day
a nd Ca hbages by 1lw T housands ...................... 3/i 36
86 Dcccrnbcl' 2 1\la11 olila Dargis ............ .. The Ycllo" Sea (20 10)
87 Dcccm lH'r li Ka 1la Cook- .. .. .. .... .. ...... Ko rean Barll<'cue in a S mokc-Fill<'d Hoon1 37 -3!)
88 Dccc111b<'I' Iii Flo l'c11cc Fabl'ica 111 O f'f 1hc ~ le 1 111

89 Dccc111 bcr 18 \ la r1 i11 Facklcr ................ 50L1lh Kol'<'a Ll'gcs


.l apa11 lo Co111 pc11 sal(' Fo r111c 1 SC"x SlavC's
90 Dece111bel' 22 J\lex ~ l a inland ............. Scouli11g Hepol'I
91 Dccc111lwl' 27 Sa111 Sif"t o11 ............. .. ......... Sa111 S if"l on's Top 10 \Tew Hesla11ra11l s of 20 11
KOREAN
CULTU L
SERVICE
NEW YORK


Korean Cultural Service New York is a branch of the Ministry o f Cul t ure, Sports and
Tourism of the Republic of Korea. Since ou r inauguration in December 1979 under t he
authority of the Korean Consulate Genera l in New York. we have w orked to p ro m ote
cultura l exchange and stimulate interest in Korean culture through our cultural
programs. exhibitions. mov ies and events.
www.koreancultu re.org

460 Park Avenue. 6th Floor New York. NY 10022


T: 212. 759. 9550 I F: 212. 688. 8640
E: info@koreancu lture.org. nykocus@koreancul ture.org
INFORMATION ON KOREA
1l1e Korea n 1nformarion Cenrer contains over 16,000 volu mes
oflirerarures on Korea and Korea-rclared subjecrs; such as
culture, hisrory, politics, economy and more. \'<le also have a
wide collection of Ko rean Fi lms on DVD ava ilable robe checked
our by our patrons. H1111bok (Korean rradirional cosru me)
and Ko rea n inscr ume nrs are also ava ilable for check out .



EXHIBITIONS
Gallery Ko rea's prima ry goal is ro encourage culrural
understandi ng as a s ite of culcu ral exchange between
Korean a nd Western a rr lovers. Each year, G allery Korea
prescnrs exhibitions devoted ro d iverse-folk, conrem po rary
co diasporic-Korea n a rts, as well as group shows featuring
ince rnarion al a rriscs.

EVENTS
1l1e elegance in Korea n culm re ca n be experienced eh rough
the C ulru ra l A rcs Evcnrs . In addition ro our ow n evcnrs,
incl udi ng class ical music concerts, jazz concerts, literatu re
readings, culin ary rasring evenrs; we collaborate wirh many of
the city's finest cu lrural organizations.

SPOTLIGHT KORE A
T he Korean C ulrural Service NY along wirh Lotus Music
a nd Dance are promoring Sporl igh r Korea, an educarional
progra m which se nds one ro fo u r Korean rraditiona l danc-
e rs o r musicians, ro K- 12 New York Ciry public schools in
KOflCA.N CUlTUtlAL SERVICE NY
o rder ro reach a nd perform Korean music and dance.

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