Articles on Yudu

I have posted a selection of articles on Yudu, a great platform for publishing e-magazines. Just click on the link to open an e-mag of the articles.

Groove Korea articles here

The Korea Herald here

Buzz Magazine here

And SEOUL travel and culture magazine here

Or click on the Yudu logo below to be taken to the library with all the articles in.

Bibimbap!

I first came to Korea in August 2006 and almost immediately fell in love with Korean food. Living in Jeonju I quickly discovered Jeonju Bibimbap and have enjoyed it regularly ever since. Having lived here for almost 4 years I have eaten in quite a few restaurants in the city and here I am going to choose some of my favourites and explain why.

I have chosen the restaurants based on a few factors but they are mainly quality, taste and value for money. Customer service and authenticity have also been considered but overall taste and value for money have taken priority. Finally, there are plenty of places that serve a very enjoyable bibimbap in Jeonju but the places I have chosen you are guaranteed a good bowl of the good stuff.

So without further ado here they are, in no particular order.

Starting with Gogung (고궁) is a safe bet. Gogung is possibly the most famous place in Jeonju to eat bibimbap. Served in the most traditional manner I have come across, the bibimbap is delicious and is served with care and ambiance. This place offers more of a bibimbap experience than a simple eating opportunity. The restaurant is probably the most famous in the city and has been so successful that the company have opened other branches in Seoul. www.gogung.co.kr

A close second is Gajok Hwegwan (가족회관.) Endorsed by the city Gajok Hwegwan is very conveniently located in the heart of the downtown area near the city's hanok village, making it a very popular place with tourists. The bibimbap here is very nice and the side dishes are plentiful. Whether the taste is as good as Gogung will come down to the subtitles of your taste buds but the difference is negligible. Even though it is a little bit smaller than Gogung, you can however watch the whole assembly process as the kitchen is open plan, just don't stand in the same place too long or you might get shoved out of the way! http://www.jeonjubibimbap.com

After 2 very good but slightly grandiose and ever so slightly pricey places we go to Myeong Seong Ok (명성옥.) Although part of a chain of restaurants the place I like is in Ajungli. It is located amongst apartment blocks and is far from the wandering eyes of tourists. Frequented by taxi drivers (a sure sign of authenticity and quality) and locals Myeong Seong Ok has a simple menu but most appropriately for this place they serve both bibimbap and dolsot bibimbap. Their kimchi is particularly good and forms the basis of their utterly unbeatable kimchi jjim. There is another branch near Lotte department store but I haven't tried it.

Seong Mi Dang (성미당) came out quite near the top when I asked several Korean friends where they thought the best bibimbap restaurant in Jeonju was. Located around the corner from Gajok Hwegwan, Seong Mi Dang is equally as good. Less well known however doesn't mean inferior quality. The dish itself was superb, fresh and healthy tasting but with a moreish quality which makes Seong Mi Dang a great place. www.sungmidang.com

To finish with there are two restaurants, both in Ajungli that are at the opposite end of the financial scale. Traditional Jeonju bibimbap takes a lot of work and this is why it is more expensive. If you want a cheaper bibimbap Yang Poon Jip and Kim Woo Dong however are 2 places that provide cheap and cheerful bowls of mixed rice.

Yang Poon Jip serves a hearty bowl of rice and plenty of vegetables along with lots of side dishes and a generous doenjang chigae. Similarly, Kim Woo Dong serve their bibimbap using 흑미밥, which dyes the rice a very pleasing purple colour.

All of these places have one more thing in common, you can eat great food, prepared by expert hands from fresh, local ingredients and if that is special.

Originally published in Korean by the Jeonbuk Ilbo newspaper and translated by Bobin Jung
Rob McGovern, July 2010


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2006년 8월 한국에 처음 온 나는 오자마자 한국 음식에 빠져버렸다. 전주에 살면서 전주비빔밥에 대해 알게되었고, 줄곧 그 맛을 즐겨오고 있다. 전주에서 거의 4년을 살면서 나는 여러 음식점에서 비빔밥을 먹어보았고, 지금부터 내가 가장 좋아하는 몇 곳을 그 이유와 함께 소개해 보려고 한다.

기본적인 몇 가지 요소 중에 주로 질과 맛, 그리고 그에 따른 가격의 가치를 기준으로 선정하였으며, 고객에 대한 서비스와 신뢰성 또한 고려하였다. 그러나 전반적으로 맛과 가격에 대한 가치를 우선으로 평가하였다.

전주에는 비빔밥의 맛을 누릴 수 있는 많은 음식점들이 있는데, 지금부터 내가 소개할 곳들에서 좋은 재료를 사용한 비빔밥을 보장받을 수 있을 것이라고 확신한다. 더 말 할 것 없이 지금 바로 이 음식점들을 만나보도록 하자.(소개되는 순서에 특별한 의미는 없다.)

가장 먼저 소개할 곳은 '고궁(www.gogung.co.kr)'이다. 고궁은 전주에서 비빔밥을 먹을수 있는 가장 유명한 곳이다. 이 곳은 내가 가본 곳 중에 가장 전통적인 방식으로, 고급스러운 환경과 정성이 가득한 맛 좋은 비빔밥을 제공한다. 이 곳에서 당신은 단순히 '비빔밥을 먹는다는 것', 그 이상의 경험을 할 수 있을 것이다. 이 음식점은 아마 전주에서 가장 유명한 곳일 것이며, 서울에 그 지점을 두고 있을 정도로 성공적인 사업을 하고 있다.

두번째는 '가족회관(http://www.jeonjubibimbap.com)'이다. 전주시의 추천 음식점인 가족회관은 시내 중심부 근처인 한옥마을에 위치하고 있어 매우 편리하고, 따라서 많은 관광객들이 찾는 인기있는 곳이다. 고궁보다 규모가 조금 작긴 하지만, 주방이 개방형으로 되어 있어서 비빔밥을 만드는 전체적인 과정을 직접 볼 수 있다는 특징이 있다. 다만, 바쁜 종업원들에게 밀쳐지고 싶지 않다면 한 곳에 너무 오래 서있지는 않는 것이 좋을 것이다.

위에 소개한 곳들도 훌륭하지만 아주 조금 더 고급스럽고 가격이 있는 곳을 찾는다면, '명성옥'이 있다. 대부분 아파트 단지 사이에 있어 관광객들 눈에는 그다지 띄지 않지만, 택시 기사들과 현지 사람들이 자주 가는 것으로 보아 신뢰성과 그 질이 매우 좋은 것을 알 수 있다. 메뉴는 간단하지만, 비빔밥과 돌솥비빔밥을 모두 즐길 수 있다는 특징이 있다. 이 곳의 김치는 특히 맛이 좋고, 그 김치로 만든 김치찜 또한 다른 곳과 비교가 안될 정도로 일품이다.

'성미당(www.sungmidang.com)'은 내가 한국 친구들에게 가장 맛있는 비빔밥 음식점을 물었을 때, 거의 첫번째로 소개해 주던 곳이다. 가족회관 근처에서 코너를 돌아가면 있는 곳으로, 그 맛은 가족회관과 거의 같다. 이 곳 비빔밥은 신선하며 왠지 건강에 좋을 것만 같은 맛이다. 때문에 이 곳은 자연스레 명소가 됐다.

'양푼집' 또한 다양한 반찬들과 된장찌개와 함께, 푸짐한 밥과 야채를 듬뿍 제공한다. 또한 '김우동'에서는 흑미를 섞어 밥을 지어, 예쁜(기분 좋은) 보라색으로 물든 비빔밥을 맛 볼 수 있다.

이 모든 곳들은 공통점이 있는데, 그것은 바로 현지의 신선한 재료로 전문가의 손을 거쳐 준비된 훌륭한 음식을 맛볼 수 있다는 것이다.

First published by the Jeonbuk Ilbo newspaper here and translated by 정보빈.

Rob McGovern July 2010

Taekwondo

When I first came to Korea, in the autumn of 2006 I was excited about the prospect of learning all about a new culture. I was excited about the language, the food, the people and while I knew a little bit about Korea I was also excited about all the things I didn’t know. One of things I knew something about was martial arts and whilst I hadn’t heard of 씨름 or 택견 at that time I had heard about taekwondo.

Taekwondo is practised all around the world and no matter what country you live in, what race you are, the colour of your skin or what religion you practise, practitioners of taekwondo can be found nearby. Korea however is the home of taekwondo and it is here that the art is at its purest.

My school, 아중상무, focuses more on poomse, the patterns of movements that form not only the basis of taekwondo grading but a more controlled application of the myriad kicks, punches and blocks that form the foundation of taekwondo. In Korea poomse is important, maybe some schools prioritise sparring but poomse still features heavily. In countries outside Korea, including the UK, sparring seems to dominate the majority of class time and poomse seems to be an after thought. Maybe this has a lot to do with the Olympics and the fame and fortune that seems to come with an Olympic gold but whatever the reason I think people are missing out a vital part of taekwondo if they overlook poomse. A simple way to address this would be for the International Olympic Committee to include poomse in the Olympics!

My girlfriend and I were introduced to our teacher and his school by a mutual acquaintance and ever since that first day I have been well and truly hooked but not only because of the reasons so many millions of others also get hooked. Taekwondo is more than just a martial art, it is more than kicking and punching, more than blocking and breaking boards. It is more than poomse and sparring. This may sound like a cliche but taekwondo is a way of life, it teaches humility, tolerance, dedication and it encourages an indomitable spirit, all of which are qualities that can help in other areas of your life.

Along with these qualities, taekwondo has also opened the door on Korean culture, a door that for many visitors stays well and truly shut. My master, 전정술 관장님has been, and continues to be inspirational and educational, from the class room to the restaurant. A few days ago he introduced Christina and I to 바지락 갈국수 at a new restaurant after our class. We often eat lunch together and we are also invited to attend all kinds of events with him. It is these acts of generosity and kindness that for me at least are the essence of taekwondo. The learning and the teacher / student relationship doesn’t end when the class finishes, or at least it shouldn’t.

The 4th World Taekwondo Culture Expo will have just finished by the time you read this but it was here that we, Christina and I were invited by our teacher to participate in a poomse competition with people from all over the world. We have been invited to all 4 Expos so far and even if we aren’t living in Korea when the next one comes around I am sure I will make the trip back to Korea for it.

If I were to give advice to newcomers to Korea I would, amongst other things, advise them to get involved with something traditionally Korean, ideally taekwondo. A whole new Korea can be unlocked and opened up to you if you do. But I must also add a world of caution, you are unlikely to get a teacher of the calibre of 전정술 관장님 but there are plenty of great teachers out there and being a non-Korean will only get you so far, you must show dedication and commitment to stand a chance of being invited into the Korea that I know. 


Originally published in Korean by the Jeonbuk Ilbo newspaper and translated by Bobin Jung

Rob McGovern, July 2010

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2006년 가을, 내가 처음 한국에 왔을 때 나는 새로운 문화를 배운다는 기대에 굉장히 들떠있었다. 당시 나는 한국에 대해 조금밖에 알지 못했기 때문에 언어나 음식, 사람들을 포함한 모든 것들이 나를 흥미롭게 했다. 내가 알고 있던 것 중 하나는 한국의 전통 무술이었는데, 그 당시 씨름이나 택견은 들어보지 못했지만 태권도에 대해서는 들어본 적이 있었다.

태권도는 오늘날 전 세계에서 행해지고 있다. 어느 나라에 살고 있든지, 어떤 인종이든지, 어떤 색의 피부와 종교를 갖고 있든지간에, 태권도를 수련하는 사람을 주위에서 쉽게 찾을 수 있을 것이다. 한국은 태권도의 고향이며, 그 기술이 가장 완전한 곳이다.

내가 다니는 도장인 '아중상무'에서는 특히 품새를 중시여긴다. 품새는 태권도의 기초를 형성하는 절제된 수많은 발차기와 주먹 지르기, 막기의 적용이 함께 이루어내는 움직임의 양식을 말하는데 태권도의 등급을 매기는 데 있어서 기본 토대다. 몇몇 학원에서는 대련하는 것을 우선시 하기도 하지만, 한국의 태권도에서 품새는 중요하다.

그러나 영국을 포함한 다른 나라에서는, 대련하는 것이 수련시간의 대부분을 차지하고, 품새는 그 다음인 듯하다. 아마 이는 올림픽과 올림픽 금메달이 가져다주는 명성과 부와 많은 관련이 있는 듯 하지만, 그 이유가 무엇이던지간에 만약 그들이 품새를 간과한다면, 그들은 태권도에서 결정적으로 중요한 부분을 놓치고 있는 것이라고 생각한다. 품새의 중요성을 알리는 간단한 방법은 아마 국제올림픽위원회가 올림픽에서 품새를 포함한다고 선언하는 것일 것이다.

여자친구와 내가 지인의 소개로 태권도를 배우기 시작한 첫 날 이래로 나는 진심으로 태권도에 빠져버렸다. 태권도는 단순한 무술, 그저 차고 주먹을 지르고 막고 판자를 격파하는 것, 그 이상이다.

나의 스승인 전정술 관장은 수련시간 이외에도 나에게 감동을 준다. 며칠 전, 그는 수련이 끝난 후 나에게 새로운 바지락 칼국수 음식점을 소개시켜주기도 했다. 우리는 종종 같이 점심을 먹거나 그와 함께 각종 행사들에 참가하기도 한다. 최소한 나는 이런 관용과 친절함을 실천하는 것들이 태권도의 본질이라고 생각한다.

최근 '제4회 세계 태권도 문화엑스포'가 전주와 무주에서 열린 열렸다. 나는 관장님의 초대로 엑스포에 참가, 전 세계에서 온 사람들과 함께 품새 겨루기에 참가했다. 나는 지금까지 4번의 엑스포에 전부 초대받았다. 혹시 다음 번 엑스포가 열릴 때에 내가 한국에 살고 있지 않더라도 그 시기에는 꼭 다시 한국에 돌아올 예정이다.

내가 만약 한국에 처음 오는 사람들에게 조언을 해준다면, 다른 것들 보다도, 전통적이고 한국적인 것을 수반하는 것, 한마디로 이에 제 격인 태권도를 배워보라고 말해주고 싶다. 태권도를 배우면 완전히 새로운 한국이 당신 앞에 나타날 것이다. 그렇지만 한가지 주의사항을 덧붙이자면, 태권도를 배울 때 당신이 '외국인'임을 고집해서는 안된다는 것이다. 당신이 진심으로 내가 알고 있는 진짜 한국에 대해 느끼고 싶다면, 당신 역시 한국에 대해 당신의 헌신을 보여줘야 할 것이다.

* 롭 맥거번(Rob McGovern)은 웨일즈에서 온 프리랜서 작가다. 2006년 처음 한국에 와 현재 전주에 살고 있는데, 한국음식과 문화를 사랑해 태권도도 열심히 배우고 있다. '롭 맥거번의 전주야 놀자!'는 그를 감동시키고 때로는 흥분시키는 전주와 전라북도 이야기다. 번역은 정보빈씨가 맡았다.

First published by the Jeonbuk Ilbo newspaper and translated by 정보빈.

Peaceful Places

With the weather getting hotter and sweatier by the day, jaunts to the beach and the countryside are quickly becoming de rigeur. Jeonju is considered by many to already be in the deepest countryside but darker forests and mountains lie around the city in Jeolla province. There are plenty of day trips from the city that take in the cool, greenery of the province and offer a respite from the blazing city sun as well as offering plenty of beautiful Buddhist temples, lakes and art galleries.

East of Jeonju is Wanju county and following the river from the Ajungli area of the city quickly takes you into the countryside. When you pass under the railway line the main roads give way to fields full of squatting farmers tending their crops. Following the river for about 6 miles will bring you to Seongkwangsa.

Seongkwangsa is a temple located a the foot of Mount Jongnam in nearby Wanju County and is one of the temples leading the way in trying to revitalise Korean Buddhism in Korea. It is less famous than its namesake in Suncheon but it is none the less a beautiful temple, especially around the period of Buddha's birthday when, like in temples all over the country, hundreds of lanterns are displayed across the temple complex.

Located in Soyang-myeon, the temple was originally called Baekryeonsa and was established by Seon Master Doeui (Doeuiseonsa) a priest of the Shilla Dynasty in 867. The name changed to Seongkwangsa when it was repaired during the Goryeo period by master Jinul, also known as Bojokuksa. He is more famous for founding the other Seongkwangsa but he is the reason the temples have the same name. The temple is one of the oldest zen temples in Korea and although it is very small compared to most temple complexes, this wasn't always so. The gate that marks the entrance to the compound was originally located 3km away making this a very large temple indeed but for various reasons the complex has receded to its present location. The temple was destroyed during the Japanese invasion of the Joseon Dynasty but was reconstructed in 1620. The cross shaped belfry is said to be a very rare example and as such has been made a national treasure.

Temple stays are offered at this temple and an application form can be downloaded from their website, www.songkwangsa.org.

Another mile and a half up the road is O's Gallery and it is the perfect place to relax after the ride. O's Gallery is part of an art group that has cafes in the university area of Jeonju, one in Jeonju's Hanok village and another gallery in the small village of Ma-am in Imsil. The gallery sits on the bank of a lake, surrounded by mountains and when the sun is shining the are fewer places in the region to sit with a good, but expensive cup of coffee and read a book as it is as peaceful as Korea gets. The gallery is just one room and you get the impression that the owners are indulging in a passion for art with it but as indulgences go, this is a big one. The orange brick cafe adjoining the gallery has a very European feel to it and the small decking area is a great place to sit and look out over the lake.

If you find yourself with a surplus of energy after wandering around the temple and relaxing in the gallery grounds there are a few other sights in the immediate area that may interest you. Wibong fortress and temple are less than 2 miles away from O's gallery but there is a slight incline of about 10% up a winding road that takes you over toward Wibong villgae. A leisurely round trip will probably take several hours but it is worth it, and the calories you burn off can easily and pleasurably be replaced in the evening with a walk about Jeonju's University area.

If you have a heart condition or an aversion to exercise, city buses 806, 814 and 838 go toward Seongkwang temple from in front of Jeondong Church in the downtown area of Jeonju. For more detailed information you can call the Jeollabukdo tourist office on 063-1330.

http://www.osart.co.kr/

Originally published in Korean by the Jeonbuk Ilbo newspaper and translated by Bobin Jung
Rob McGovern, July 2010

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점점 무더워지는 날씨에 해변과 교외로의 나들이는 결코 빼놓을 수 없는 즐거움이다. 전주는 이미 많은 사람들에게 전라도에서 가장 깊고 푸른 숲과 산, 들로 둘러싸인 도시로 알려져 있다. 시원하고 푸른 녹지대와 많은 사찰들, 호수 그리고 미술관과 함께 무더운 도시의 햇빛에서 벗어날 수 있는 쉼터를 제공하는 1일 여행도 즐길수 있는 곳이다.

그 중에서도 아중리 쪽에서 흘러내려오는 강을 따라가다 보면 전주의 동쪽에 위치한 완주군을 만날 수 있다. 철도의 아래를 지나면, 많은 농부들이 쪼그리고 앉아 농작물을 재배하고 있는 도로가 보일 것이다. 그리고 6마일 정도 강을 따라가면, 송광사에 이른다.

송광사는 완주군에 위치한 종남산 발치에 위치하고 있는 사찰로, 한국 불교에 다시 활력을 불어넣기 위해 끊임없이 노력하고 있는 곳 중 하나다. 이 곳은 석천보다는 덜 유명하지만 말할 수 없을 만큼 아름다운 절로, 석가탄신일 기간에는 전국에 있는 다른 절들과 마찬가지로 수 백개의 등불들이 절 구석구석을 장식한다.

완주군 소양면에 위치하고 있는 이 절은 원래 백련사라고 불렸으며, 867년에 신라시대의 승려였던 도의선사에 의해 성립되었다. 송광사로 이름이 바뀌게 된 때는 고려시대로, 당시 절이 보수되면서 보조국사로 알려진 지눌대사에 의해 이름이 바뀌게 되었다. 그는 또다른 송광사라는 절을 세운 것으로 더 유명하지만 어쨌든 그는 이 두 절이 같은 이름을 가지게 만든 사람이다. 이 절은 한국에서 가장 오래된 선종 사찰로, 비록 현재는 그 규모가 다른 절들에 비해 작으나 항상 그랬던 것은 아니었다.

절 전체 구조에서 입구인 정문은 원래 지금보다 훨씬 더 컸기에 원래 3km 더 멀리 떨어진 곳에 있었지만, 여러 이유들로 인해 현재 위치로 축소되었다. 이 절은 일제시대에 파괴되었으나 1620년 재건축되었다. 십자가 모양의 종각은 매우 드문 것으로 국보로 지정되어있다. 이 사찰에서는 숙박이 제공되며, 신청서는 아래 웹사이트(www.songkwangsa.org)에서 다운로드 받을 수 있다.

반마일 정도 더 길을 따라 올라가면, 오스갤러리가 있는데 이 곳은 드라이브를 한 후에 쉴 수 있는 완벽한 곳이다. 이 갤러리는 산들로 둘러싸인 호수 기슭에 자리잡고 있으며, 해가 반짝일 때, 조금은 비싸지만, 맛이 좋은 한 잔의 커피를 마시며 한가롭게 책을 읽을 수 있는 몇 안 되는 좋은 곳이다. 갤러리와 이어지는 오렌지색 벽돌의 카페는 유럽적인 느낌이 가득하며, 갑판으로 이루어진 작은 공간은 앉아서 호수를 바라보기에 매우 좋은 장소다.

오스갤러리는 전북대 캠퍼스 안, 전주 한옥마을, 임실 운암에도 갤러리형 카페를 가지고 있다.

만약 송광사를 둘러보고 오스갤러리에서 쉬고 난 후에도 아직 힘이 남아있다면, 또다른 풍경을 감상해 보는 것도 좋을 것이다. 오스갤러리에서 2마일도 채 안 되는 곳에 위치한 위봉산과 위봉사는 그리 많은 사람이 찾지 않는 한적한 사찰이다. 위봉사로 가기 전 하나의 고개를 넘게 되는데, 여기에는 위봉산성의 흔적이 남아있다. 또 위봉사를 넘어서면 위봉폭포가 있다.

이 곳들을 느긋하게 다녀온다면 아마 몇 시간이 훌쩍 걸리게 될 지도 모르겠지만, 이는 그만한 가치가 있다. 좀 더 자세한 정보를 원한다면 전라북도종합관광안내소(063-1330)로 문의하기 바란다.

* 롭 맥거번(Rob McGovern)은 웨일즈에서 온 프리랜서 작가다. 2006년 처음 한국에 와 현재 전주에 살고 있는데, 한국음식과 문화를 사랑해 태권도도 열심히 배우고 있다. '롭 맥거번의 전주야 놀자!'는 그를 감동시키고 때로는 흥분시키는 전주와 전라북도 이야기다.

Originally published by the Jeonbuk Ilbo newspaper and translated by 정보빈

Rob McGovern, July 2010

Bars From The Movies

Whether you call them pubs, bars, inns, taverns or hofs there is nothing quite like a local boozer. Full of decidely dangerous and dodgy characters, your local pub or bar usually has a special quality so in honour of bars everywhere we have collated and collected, pawed over and debated the best bars from the wonderful world of film.

The Bamboo Lounge from Goodfellas

Famous for being the setting of the infamous "Funny how?" scene from the film where noted psychopath Tommy decides to have a bit of fun with Henry Hill. Just make yourself scarce when the bill arrives.

The Raven from Raiders of the Lost Ark

If Indiana Jones' presence is not enough to get it on this list, which it is then how about a lovely bar in the midst of a mountain range, log fire, good company, hard drinking and a beautiful but tough landlady. The only thing that could spoil it would be a group of Nazis walking in and burning it to the ground. Do'h! Named of course for the owner Marion Ravenwood.

Club Obi Wan Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Club Obi Wan was more of a restaurant and nightclub than a bar but if it is good enough for Dr Jones, it is good enough for you. In 1930's Shanghai this place was a hangout for its owner, the crime lord, Lao Che, and his men who one night made a big mistake when they tried to double cross our hero.

The Titty Twister from Dusk Till Dawn

Perhaps the scariest establishment on the list, the Titty Twister is a strip club that is just south of the US/Mexican border. It also happens to be home to a motley crew of vampires.

The Mos Eisley Cantina from Star Wars: A New Hope

One of the locals summed this place up once when he said "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villany." He was right too so be careful whose pint you spill as even the old timers who sit at the end of the bar may have a trick, or even a light saber up their sleeve.

The Winchester from Shaun of the Dead

A classic British boozer with zombies. Shaun and company decide this is the best place to hole up and come up with a plan. Queen on the jukebox, fruit machines and flat beer. Sounds about right.

The Korova Milk Bar from A Clockwork Orange

Originally intended as places that served non-alcoholic drinks, Burgess' novel made the milk bar into something much more sinister as the bar offered milk laced with drugs and a place to concoct plans to do "the ultra-violent." The furniture is in the shape of naked women and the milk is interestingly served from their nipples.

New York Bar on the top floor of the Park Hyatt Tokyo in Lost In Translation

Bill Murray meets Scarlett Johansson and the two create an unlikely bond as they try to discover or rediscover themselves while in a foreign and confusing land. Did I mention Bill Murray?

The Technoir from Terminator

The nightclub in the cult classic, The Terminator, was named Tech Noir, in order to give the film a specific genre which the director felt it belonged. It may be full of horrific 80's music, clothes and dancing but it also has a Terminator.

Honourable mentions go to The Double Deuce from the movie Road House, The Last Resort from Total Recall and the redneck bar in 48 Hours.

Bob Dylan

If you ever manage to come face to face with Bob Dylan don't, under any circumstances ask him what his work 'means.' Don't ask him to explain what the cultural significance of wearing a Triumph T-shirt is or if he really took someone's wife to Italy, he won't thank you for it.

Dylan has been pigeonholed his whole career, as a folk singer, a protester, a traitor, a championer of the underdog and a genius and depending on which song you listen to he could be all of or none of these things. But then Bob Dylan cares for labels as much as he does for explaining his songs.

Bob Dylan is an icon, of what exactly is up to you to decide but there can be no doubt that his music has had, and continues to have, a profound effect on music as a whole. In short, if you don't like Dylan, you don't like music.

Born in 1941, Dylan grew up 50's America, an America with the ever present and real threat of nuclear war and before he reached his 20th birthday he would have lived through some historical events. He enrolled in college but never attended classes, he "didn't have time" and eventually left for New York in 1960 to visit his idol Woodie Guthrie in hospital. He inevitably found his way to Greenwich village, the birthplace of the Beat Generation and stage for the revival of American folk music. And it was here, amongst all these writers, poets, singers and other bohemian types that Bob Dylan began changing the world.

Dylan's path in life seems to have been laid early, when he was 10 years old he came across a guitar and maybe more importantly a radio and he says the poet in him was brought out by Gloria and Echo, two early girlfriends.

But it was almost very different.

Dylan tried and failed to get into Westpoint, a United States Military Academy and even envisioned himself dying a heroic death, such was the political climate at the time.

Dylan changed his name from the less glamorous and decidedly more Jewish, Robert Zimmerman but he says he doesn't really know why. Theories have been put forward that it was after Welsh poet Dylan Thomas or because his given name was obviously Jewish and he changed it to avoid anti-Semitic feeling that was around at the time. Regardless of the reason it would be his stage name that would forever be linked to his unique singing voice and narrative style, first unleashed on the gathered crowd at Greenwich village's cafe Wha? on his first night in NY city.

He made a living in the 'basket houses' of Greenwich village, performing in between sets of poetry and passing a basket around to collect whatever donations found their way into them before moving on to the next place. Dylan began to assimilate everything that was around him and some people think he made a 'deal at the crossroads' that made him virtually unrecognisable when he returned to visit Minnesota a short time later.

Dylan was 'discovered' by Columbia Records producer John Hammond who convinced the company to take a chance on him. They did, but only because Hammond's reputation was respected due to his knack of discovering talent.

Dylan is an enigma and over the years has frustrated reporters with his lack of directness and sometimes point blank refusal to answer questions, instead, offering vague answers that are as much questions as the questions themselves. A frustration for reporters and Dylan himself seems to be the meaning behind his songs. Dylan maintains his songs are not about specific events and in Martin Scorsese's documentary 'No Direction Home,' Joan Baez recalls talking to Dylan about the meaning of a specific song with Dylan replying that he didn't know what it was about but "people in the future will write about what these songs are about."

Dylan lived through turbulent times and certain events must have had an effect on his music but he constantly refused to be drawn into politics, refused to be used and remained a thorn in the side of all kinds of groups, including his own fans. Dylan performed at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, sharing the stage with Martin Luther King Jr amongst others but refused to be a public part of the anti-Vietnam war campaign.

Dylan also became the focus of an boo campaign and was dubbed a traitor to folk music for his inclusion of Mike Bloomfield and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band to his concerts, especially at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival where even fellow performers were disturbed and even angered by his loud, bluesy backing band, although the debate about why the crowd were booing has passed into music folklore. In the two years preceding this Dylan was the toast of the festival.

Dylan's subsequent tour to Australia and Europe would be his last for 8 years, some say because of the motorcycle accident he was involved in when he returned to the USA but the constant booing and jeering that followed him on that tour, particularly in England may have proved too much for Dylan, who was still a relatively young man at the time.

Dylan continues to record and tour and still manages to surprise people too, most recently with his 2009 album Christmas In The Heart. And if you think Bob Dylan is just for old people just watch the video for the song 'Must Be Santa' from the aforementioned album.

JIFF

What's on in April

A little list of what's on in Korea this month has been collated by me from various resources for your reading delectation.

Some links to the calendars of various magazines first

Daegu Pockets

Busan Haps

10 Magazine

Visit Korea

Here is a selection of events from the huge list on Korea4Expats. Here is a link to the list on their site where each event has its own link to another page with even more info.

• Andy Warhol Exhibition, 12 Dec to 04 April 2010, Seoul Museum of Art
• The Beat - Non-Verbal Show, Fri –Sun 26 Mar-4 Apr 2010, Seoul
• Wearable Art - Batik Exhibition, 1-21 April 2010, KFCC Gallery, Seoul
• KOTRA - Free Korean Classes, 19 April-29 June 2010, Yangjae, Seoul
• World Cinema VII, 19 Mar - 25 April 2010, Cinematheque Pusan
• Tom Jones Concert, 2-3 April 2010, Olympic Park, Seoul
• Ancient Culture of Uzbekistan, to 25 Sept 2010, National Museum
• Miss Saigon, 13 Mar-4 Apr 2010, Goyang Aram Nuri Arts Complex
• The Exciting World of Animation, 16 March - 13 June 2010, Seoul
• Modern Art of Vietnam I , 6 Mar – 15 April 2010 Busan Museum of Art
• Justice for North Korea Demonstration, every Saturday, Insa-dong
• Opera on Film - Turandot, Wed and Sat to July 2010, COEX Seoul
• Seoul City Improv Comedy Show, Sat 3 April 2010, Itaewon
• The Exciting World of Animation, 16 Mar – 13 June 2010, Seoul Arts Centre
• Gugak - Traditional Korean Music Performances, Saturdays 2010, NCKTPA
• RAS April Tours, Saturdays and Sundays, April 2010, from Seoul
• LIG 8th Korea Open Marathon, Sun 4 April 2010, Jamsil Stadium, Seoul
• LoA MasterMinds Meet-UP, Sun 04 Apr 2010, Itaewon, Seoul
• Ball Hockey League Spring Schedule, March-June 2010, Sports Complex
• Korean Contemporary Art Festival, 5- 12 Apr 2010, Seoul Arts Center
• Exhibition: Hakuna Matata, 26 Mar – 18 Apr 2010, Jongno-gu
• Cinematic Classic Concert, 6 Apr 2010, LG Art Center, Seoul
• Contempory Art Festival (KCAF), 7-11 Apr 2010, Seoul Arts Center
• Int'l Artists Exhibition, 7-18 April 2010, Insa-dong, Seoul
• Philadelphia Orchestra, 30 April-1 May 2010, Sejong Center, Seoul
• Free Screening of 63 Years On, Sun 11 April 2010, Insa-dong Area
• Muckleshunter 01 May- Scottish Dance Practices-Wed April 2010, Seoul
• Julio Iglesias in Seoul, Fri 16 Apr 2010, Sejong Center, Seoul
• Traditional Drink & Rice Cake Festival, 18 -23 April 2010, Gyeongju
• Opera:Lucia di Lammermoor, 19-25 Apr 2010, Seoul Arts Center
• Opera: Manon Lescaut, 22-25 Apr 2010, Sejong Center, Seoul
• House of Sharing English Tour, Sun 25 April 2010, Seoul Departure
• Tanz in den Mai - Dance Into May, Fri 30 April 2010, Grand Hyatt

Here is Korea4Expat's baseball schedule for April, covering the whole country.

And K-league fixtures are here

And volleyball

The official site has this list of more traditional festivals.

World Photonics Expo 2010

Period: 04-02-2010 ~ 05-09-2010

Region: Gwangju

Gaya Culture Festival

Period: 04-27-2010 ~ 05-02-2010

Region: Gyeongsangnam-do

Jindo Sea-parting Festival

Period: 03-30-2010 ~ 04-01-2010

Region: Jeollanam-do

Yeoju Ceramics Expo

Period: 04-24-2010 ~ 05-09-2010

Region: Gyeonggi-do

Icheon Ceramics Festival

Period: 04-24-2010 ~ 05-16-2010

Region: Gyeonggi-do

Cheongpungho Cherry Blossoms Festival

Period: 04-08-2010 ~ 04-18-2010

Region: Chungcheongbuk-do

Hwagae Cherry Blossoms Festival

Period: 04-02-2010 ~ 04-04-2010

Region: Gyeongsangnam-do

Icheon Baeksa Sansuyu Flower Festival

Period: 04-02-2010 ~ 04-04-2010

Region: Gyeonggi-do

Jinhae Gunhangje Festival

Period: 04-01-2010 ~ 04-11-2010

Region: Gyeongsangnam-do

Yeouido Spring Flowers Festival

Period: 04-06-2010 ~ 04-18-2010

Region: Seoul

Ulsan Soeburi Cultural Festival

Period: 04-30-2010 ~ 05-02-2010

Region: Ulsan

Gwangalli Eobang Festival

Period: 04-23-2010 ~ 04-25-2010

Region: Busan

Goryeong Daegaya Experience Festival

Period: 04-08-2010 ~ 04-11-2010

Region: Gyeongsangbuk-do

Yeongam Wangin Culture Festival

Period: 04-03-2010 ~ 04-06-2010

Region: Jeollanam-do

The Great Admiral Yi Sun Shin Festival

Period: 04-28-2010 ~ 05-02-2010

Region: Chungcheongnam-do

Namwon Chunhyang Festival

Period: 04-23-2010 ~ 04-26-2010

Region: Jeollabuk-do

Hampyeong Butterfly Festival

Period: 04-23-2010 ~ 05-09-2010

Region: Jeollanam-do

Jeonju International Film Festival

Period: 04-27-2010 ~ 05-02-2010

Region: Jeollabuk-do

Jeju Canola Flower Festival

Period: 04-10-2010 ~ 04-11-2010

Region: Jeju-do

Gyeongju Liquor & Rice Cake Festival

Period: 04-17-2010 ~ 04-22-2010

Region: Gyeongsangbuk-do

Mungyeong Traditional Tea Bowl Festival

Period: 04-30-2010 ~ 05-09-2010

Region: Gyeongsangbuk-do

Chris in South Korea, or CISK has a good roundup of what's going on in Korea this month and Matt Kelly has a round up of spring flower festivals on his blog Discovering Korea.

That's all for this month.

Funerals

Even though the world 'funeral' contains the word 'fun', we, as civilised human beings should not take this to mean they are entertainment.

The first day I turned on the TV in Korea to see a funeral procession was the day I witnessed something that shocked me more than almost anything else I had ever seen on TV. Not since the days of The Word and their 'I'll do anything to be on TV' segment, which saw hopefuls eat worms, bathe in maggots, lick sweat off fat people and do repulsive things in order to get featured on the programme, have I been so repulsed.

Korea is obsessed with the cult of celebrity and this would seem to be the apex of this frankly sick obsession.

The most recent funeral was for actor and singer Choi Jin-young, who is thought to have committed suicide in his Seoul apartment. His elder sister Choi Jin-sil also killed herself in October 2008.

The live show isn't nearly enough however with news stations broadcasting, in true Korean style, the pictures over and over again. A segment on a news program I came across was called 'Star News' and these harbingers of gloom had a reporter following the procession. As he talked, scenes from earlier were replayed yet again, scenes that depicted despondent friends and relatives bathed in a sea of camera flashes. The mother of the deceased, having now lost two of her children after she herself discovered the body of her daughter, was utterly broken and had to be held up by two other mourners. She too was bathed in flashing lights so ferocious that it was like something you might expect at a rave. People outside the family and friend circle do not need to see this.

The grandmother's next job is to tell her grandchildren, the nephews of Choi Jin-young and children of Choi Jin-sil, that their uncle has joined their mother, this after burying her second child in less than 18 months.

Choi Jin-young appeared on the KBS "Park Jung Hoon Show" after his sister's death and said "There were times when I resented her for passing on this huge burden to me," a burden he has now added to and passed on to his mother, make of that what you will.

This Month in Music History

A version of this article may or may not have appeared in Groove Korea Magazine's March 2010 issue.

This month is Groove's big music issue and so while the other pages celebrate the best of the present and the future, this article will take a look back at the musical births, deaths and cataclysmic occurrences, as well as a lot of insignificant and sometimes ridiculous events, that have helped shape the world of music we all inhabit in 2010.

Starting with perhaps the most significant event of any March in musical history, John Lennon puts his foot in it! It was March 4th 1966 when Lennon made his now infamous "We're more popular than Jesus now" quote. The controversy however didn't erupt until some months after the original interview was published in The London Evening Standard. An American "sensationalist, disposable fan mag" called DATEbook published an excerpt of the interview which turned out to be enough to enrage Christians in America and eventually in other parts of the world. Records were burnt, threats were made and the Ku Klux Klan even nailed a few of their albums to a few crosses. Since then two very interesting things have happened. To mark the 40th anniversary of The Beatles' White Album, the Vatican's unofficial mouthpiece, L'Osservatore Romano, forgave Lennon for his transgression and said Lennon's comments were "showing off, bragging by a young English working-class musician who had grown up in the age of Elvis Presley and rock and roll and had enjoyed unexpected success." In perhaps a more significant development (or maybe not) in the Beatles V Jesus debate was the revelation that for a brief moment in September last year Google Trends traffic stats revealed that The Beatles were in fact more popular than Jesus (yes it was because of the release of The Beatles Rock Band and yes Kanye West's VMA stunt drew more hits than both Jesus and Beatles combined but the whole debate is stupid anyway!)

Lennon went on to marry Yoko Ono on March 20th 1969 before heading to Amsterdam for their honeymoon to stage their now famous week long bed-in.

On St David's Day 1966, or March 1st if you like, Gene Clark of The Byrds gave many people a chuckle when he announced he was leaving the group due to his fear of flying. Byrds and flying. Well I thought it was funny. In a slightly less funny incident in 1994 Nirvana played their final ever concert at The Terminal Einz in Munich, Germany, in front of 3,000 fans before Cobain blew his own head off a month later. Back to funny again with Michael Jackson's visit to Madame Tussauds Waxworks in London to unveil his waxwork look-alike. Jokes about the ensuing confusion between Jackson and the waxwork on a postcard to Groove magazine.

On the 5th in 1998 Mancunian muppet Liam Gallagher was released on $10,000 bail after being charged with head butting a fan and on the same day in 2004 another muppet demanded money she was in no way entitled to. The estranged wife of Lionel Richie went to court seeking $300,000 a month in maintenance support. She had the bold faced cheek to ask for money to pay for things like plastic surgery ($20,000 a year), $15,000 a month for clothing, shoes and accessories and $600 on massages.

In 1973 Paul McCartney was fined £100 for growing cannabis at his farm in Scotland but probably made more than that selling it, so that worked out fine. He did try to claim that some fans gave him the seeds and that he didn't know what they would grow into, which is a complete lie but McCartney was in The Beatles so it's OK.

March 10th 1977 at 7am in the morning and The Sex Pistols signed to A&M Records outside Buckingham Palace but the contract lasted for just six days. More drugs and more former Beatles now with George Harrison and wife Patti. In 1969 they were arrested after police found 120 joints in their house.

In 1982 Randy Rhoads died in a plane crash while 'buzzing' Ozzy Osbourne's tour bus and on the 20th in 1991 Eric Clapton's 4 year old son fell from a 53rd story New York City apartment window, inspiring Clapton to write one of his best loved songs. 12 years earlier Clapton married George Harrison's ex-wife Patti Boyd, who inspired Clapton to write Layla, based on Layla and Majnun, a classical Arabic story of star-crossed lovers. Interestingly Boyd is also said to have been the inspiration behind Harrison's, "Something" and "For You Blue" as well as Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" and "Bell Bottom Blues" although Harrison denied he had written "Something" for Boyd, claiming instead " when I wrote it, I was thinking of Ray Charles."

More Jackson madness with his interior decorator telling a newspaper on March 21st in 2001 that that he kept 17 fully dressed life size dolls in his bedroom for 'company.' Freaky as it is, why would Jackson tell a bloody decorator anything? 5 days and 5 years later readers of Total Guitar magazine voted Jimmy Page's solo in 'Stairway To Heaven' as the greatest guitar solo of all time. The Boss jumped a Graceland fence in 1976 to get a glimpse of his idol and on the 30th in 1967 perhaps the greatest album cover of all time was shot in London. The cover for Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was comprised of cardboard cutouts, a few wax works and a few homages, notably a nod to the Rolling Stones, who later returned the favour. The cover won a Grammy.

Almost at the end, but first a story about the Clash being naughty and the greatest rock guitarist ever. On the 30th in 1978 four police cars and a helicopter were sent to arrest Paul Simonon and Nicky Headon after they shot down racing pigeons with air rifles, enter your own 'they fought the law' jokes.

And finally on the last day of the 3rd month in the year ninteen hundred and fifty five, Angus McKinnon Young was born in Glasgow. In 2006 Young received Kerrang! magazine's Legend Award and the magazine's editor called AC/DC "one of the most important and influential rock bands in history" and to prove they can still cut the mustard, AC/DC won the 2010 Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance, beating pretenders to their crown Alice In Chains, Linkin Park, Metallica and Nickelback.

Rock 'N' Roll.