inside korea

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Exhibition brings the rainforest to Seoul

The internationally famous exhibition Amazônia in Seoul, supported by Petrobras (Brazil's oil company) and the Brazilian Government, has been giving a tropical feeling to Seoul's coldest season since the 12th of last month -- ending this upcoming Friday the 12th.

Amazônia in Seoul is exotic, just like the country where it comes from. The exhibition includes not only photographs of and videos on the rainforest that has the largest concentration of biodiversity in the world, but also a fascinating display of some unique Amazonian handicrafts and tribal costumes as well as another one of mostly vibrant colored seeds found in the rainforest -- lots and lots of seeds.

To be able to see Koreans having this kind of intimate contact with what to them is so strange and different -- that it's almost as if it all had landed in Seoul from another planet -- gives me enormous pleasure as a Brazilian living in Korea.

Display of Amazonian handicrafts.

Korean Im Sue-Yeon, an English Education major at Sogang University's Graduate School, was amazed by the exhibition. "What a unique experience! I never saw anything like this and didn't know much about the Amazon before coming here", she shared. "Oh, I like touching these seeds - they feel funny", she added with a shy laugh.

Red Tento seeds: Largely used for making handmade jewellery.

Açaí seeds: Some of Brazil's most popular seeds.

Now, check out these other shots I managed to take at the exhibition:

At Seoul Art Center - Gongpyeong Gallery

-- Near Insadong.

Tel. +82-(0)2- 3210-0071

Friday, February 12, 2010

An unusual documentary on North Korea

Google Images

City Center, Pyongyang. Barely anyone in the street.

Little is known (and in this case, it could actually mean you know "a lot") about what goes on on the other side of the DMZ border, where an entire nation is 100% ruled by one man, Kim Jong-il. It was driven by the idea of getting into North Korea and showing the world one of the insidest looks one could probably ever get at this mysterious isolated country, that Brooklyn-based VICE and VBS.TV founder Shane Smith, together with 15 other journalists, managed to get a tourist visa to enter NK in 2008 -- after having struggled for a year and a half to get it -- to now be able to share his experience with us.

Divided into 14 episodes, the documentary named 'The VICE Guide to North Korea' takes you on the freakiest journey you'll ever experience. "Perhaps the weirdest thing about North Koreans is that they genuinely don't seem to know that the rest of the planet hates and fears them", says Shane. The VBS founder also says that "being there was like being nowhere else on the planet."

Living here in South Korea, such an open and modern country, already feels a bit weird at times, as people's behavior, way of thinking and customs here are completely different from the ones in the western world. Therefore, I can sort of imagine how odd life must be across the border. I have met a few foreigners here who have gone to NK on package tours which are ridiculously expensive and you must go to China first. However, that's a trip I cannot wait to go on someday!

Now, watch part 1 of the documentary that CNN described on their web site as one that reflects "a very transparent approach to journalism, where viewers are taken along on every step of the reporting process."

For all the other episodes of The VICE Guide to North Korea, visit www.vbs.tv/newsroom
This interesting reporting approach is definitely worthy of watching till the last minute of the last episode. So, toughen up if you have to and try and enjoy the ride!
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To read what Shane Smith wrote about his crew's bizarre trip to North Korea published on CNN's web site on February 10th, 2010, click here.

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VICE is an independent media company and web site based in Brooklyn, New York. VBS.TV is Vice's broadband television network.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Beautiful Geoje Island: fresh air, exotic beaches, mountains and... two of the world's largest shipyards!

Once (not long ago) known as 'Koje', before the new romanization system of the Korean language kicked in, the island -- which is the principal island of Geoje City, on the southern coast of Gyeongsangnam-do province -- is famous for being home of the world's 2nd and 3rd largest shipyards: Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) in Gohyeon and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) in Okpo, respectively. I first visited the shipyards back in the Korean summer of 2002 when I was in the city visiting my father who was working at DSME at the time -- now he works at Hyundai Heavy Industries (the world's largest, in Ulsan City). I was amazed by the magnitude of the shipbuilders, and I just saw a little bit of each one. I had never seen such huge ships in my life, I mean they are freaking huge! You'll see hundreds of people driving, cycling and scootering around to get to places like in no other foreign shipyard, that's for sure. When it's time to get off work, at about 5 or 6pm, hundreds of men on scooters pretty much take over the streets around the shipyards, which scarily shows how the city and country's economic growth has long depended on their heavy industries.

Check out these pictures I took of the shipyards just last year:

Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI):

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME):

Geoje Island -- or Geojedo (거제도), 'do'(도) means 'island' in Korean -- is the second largest island in South Korea (second to Jeju Island) and is filled with foreigners everywhere you look. Most of them obviously work at the monstruous shipyards or are visiting the ones who do. I like it how you can see so many foreign kids, of completely different backgrounds and cultures, playing and interacting with each other as well as with Korean kids, even though their English (any of the kids') might be poor or they might not speak it at all! I remember how my little Brazilian sister, who was just 5 years old back in 2002 when we were there visiting our dad, would make friends with other kids, Korean and foreign, in a heartbeat. She once brought this shy Korean girl (about her age) to my dad's apartment to introduce her to us. I remember my sister going like (in Portuguese): "people, this is my new friend! She can speak English! Listen!" She turns over to the girl and asks the only question my sister actually knew in English, "what's your name?", and the girl promptly replied! Haha. We were absolutely delighted.

For a long time, my memories of Korea were mostly of Geoje Island... Some beautiful memories that eventually brought me back to this amazing country, not to visit, but to live here. So, here I am.

I leave you with some more pics I recently took of beautiful Geoje. Enjoy.

In the center of the picture is London Pub, a good time on any night.

PS. HAPPY 2010 YA'LL! :)

I couldn't miss this little Korean boy posing for a picture by this huge 2010 ice sculpture outside Hyundai Department Store, in Ulsan City. :)

Sunday, December 20, 2009

The two COOLEST bars in Cheongju city!

Road King and MJ - if you're looking for a good time in Cheongju, these two names are all you need to know

Road King and MJ are in the hearts of each and every foreigner living in Cheongju, who are mostly adventurous English teachers. Of course there should be a few exceptions, since I don't know each and every foreigner living there, but still, if you get to go to both or either one of them a few times, you'll see what I'm talking about.

Before moving to Jinju, I lived in Cheongju for a whole year and these two wonderful Korean-owned foreign bars became my "everybody-knows-your-name" hangouts and the owners obviously became good friends of mine. Always thoughtful and kind to all their customers, Seung Woo (Road King) and Wonjae (MJ) are the coolest bar owners you'll ever meet in this country. They sure know how to get the fun started.

Something really cool about these bars' location: Road King and MJ are actually located right next to each other, in the Chungbuk University area! So, you can pretty much jump back and forth as much as you like - it's great fun. I love these bars so much that at least once a month I try to take the 3-hour bus ride all the way there just to hang out with my Cheongju friends at the two coolest bars in the city and definitely two of the very coolest in Korea!

Now, check out these cool photos I took at two very busy nights at the bars:

ROAD KING - HALLOWEEN PARTY 2009:

-- MJ also threw a kick-ass halloween party, as always, but it was the night before this one, when I unfortunately couldn't come :(