The Chuseok holiday is ending slowly here. All that is left is the rest of the weekend, but that’s not really Chuseok. Most businesses will open up tomorrow in the hope of catching those desperate to restock their fridge and fill their belly with something other than Chuseok food.

Of course we suffer in Korea this year because Chuseok, a three day holiday, has fallen on a Thursday, so the three days around it also meld into Saturday and Sunday making it a nice rounded five day break. There will be a very slow and more unenthusiastic than usual start to work all around the country this Monday.

Myself, Herself, and +1 have been on the east coast since Tuesday. The town, as you may already know, is called Jumunjn (주문진) and it’s where Herself was born and grew up. Her parent’s house is a short walk from the beach, and to a certain extent it is within very short distance of some fairly nice countryside. If you’re fortunate enough to have a car then there’s a wealth of scenery and country well worth exploring.

As it’s kind of late at night and +1 seems to be more restless in the evenings (she’s just under 10 months old now) I’m going to share with you some photographs I’ve take over the past few days, rather than writing a long essay. Some are s little blurry as I’m still struggling with having the right amount of paetience to make this DSLR of mine work for me. Still, I hope you enjoy them.

If you’d like to read a little more about my experience celebrating Chuseok in my own home in Suwon, please follow the link.

Also be sure to check out Ben Haynes guest post Get Ready, Get Set…Chuseok

Copyright all photographs Conor O’Reilly, September 2013. All rights reserved.

This week I had the amazing opportunity to attend a VIP event to unveil the newest Hello Kitty themed jet ( Boeing 777-300ER)  by Taiwanese airline Eva Air at the Los Angeles LAX airport! Yes, You can fly the Hello Kitty airplane out of the USA now!!   Eva Air has worked with Sanrio in the past on several different Hello Kitty-tastic plane designs, the newest one titled “Hand in Hand” features 19 characters in the Sanrio family and is by far the cutest one yet!

Eva Air launched its very first Hello Kitty jet in 2005~ and as of 2013  they have 5 shorter-range planes (Airbus A330s) that fly to Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Mainland China and Guam. ”Hand in Hand”  is the first long-range aircraft (Boeing 777) and will be flying 3 times a week out of LAX!

This was a celebration not only because of the new “Hand in Hand” design and Boeing 777 launch, but also because this day was the very first landing of an Eva Air Hello Kitty plane in America!!!!   I have tried to book flights on Sanrio planes in the past, but the flights are rare and mainly within Asia, so having LAX as a proper stop at last is so exciting!  How can you not have fun on a Hello Kitty airplane?

We arrived to the party a little early before the plane landed (it was on its way from Taipei!) so thankfully it was not too crowded to get in~  however the event was very small and mainly for press so even at its peek it was not overly crowded.  More kitty for us!!

Hello Kitty and my favorite little guy Dear Daniel looking sharp in the Eva Air Uniforms!

In the hallway we were greeted by giant kitty boarding passes.  The real passes actually look like this!

The hallway was also decorated with some of the Sanrio art made for Eva Air.  These appear on other planes!

Stephiee~  one of the designers behind the clothing brand Japan LA ! She is wearing the new Tuxedo Sam dress coming out this October~ he is just one of several character dresses they are doing!

♥ ♥ ♥

Maria~  designer for the adorable jewelry line Locketship rocking Japan LA X Sanrio leggings and an altered vintage dress!

My outfit for this event was a super comfy caveman Hello Kitty sweater by Japan LA Clothing!  This is part of their 2014 Spring collection so please look forward to it because it is going to be a lot of fun! ^^  the necklace was a piece of mine sponsored by The Jammy a few months ago, and my Hello Kitty bag is from Loungefly!

Time to check in and get our passes!

First goodie of the night, cute red Hello Kitty bow from Eva Air!!

Some of the adorable flight attendants for Eva Air Hello Kitty plane!

This event had a BUNCH of mascots walking around, apparently these are the crew from Puroland (aka the Hello Kitty theme park) in Japan!  We had to jump on Kiki and Lala for photos of course!!  They are my favorite characters ^^

For the event they flew in a lot of special talent from Japan~  including two official Sanrio character artists who would draw art boards for you!  Ahhhh I wanted one so bad, but within minutes the line had maxed out and they could not take any more appointments T__T

Kammie’s beautiful Hello Kitty in her Eva Air flight attendant uniform!

They also flew in a Sanrio nail art specialist as well!  Sadly while waiting to try and get an art board appointment she filled up and was unable to take any more as well T_T dang, I had to admire from a distance!

She had an adorable selection of character nails for you to select!  Gah, which one would you pick?

Even though she only had two hours, she worked with a lot of speed and beautiful detail~ as expected!! wow *_*

Ta-da!!  Behold this adorable nail art of Lala from the Twin Stars!  Everyone that managed to get a manicure slot got one character nail due to time~ one is enough though!

The always fabulous Chrissa Sparkles appears in the Hello kitty costume dress by Japan LA Clothing! Onch Movement also arrived looking  pink and adorable as ever with his awesome dripping necklace! Stephiee’s little one ditched us for him lol

Mandie of Geeky Glamorous and I rocking two pieces from the Cave Kitty collection together! She had little dinosaur earring and added a fur collar, so good!!

Jamie, the owner of Japan LA on Melrose and Japan LA Clothing sporting her very own badtz maru skirt with suspenders design!  This item is actually for sale right now, I am so tempted to get one.

Sanrio characters skipping around and being adorable with cute costumed tutu attendant girls. Business as usual in Kawaii-land!

Michelle aka “Chubby Bunny” arrives and braces for the kawaii lol!  Michelle is the designer of the Hello Kitty bow you see on her head~  those have become official Sanrio bows and they use them in a lot of events and sell them at select shops!  She also sews clothing for a lot of the Hello Kitty mascot events and does a million other cool things.

Juliedoll and Kammie both looked extremely adorable at the party!

Hats off to the catering of the event, even the girls on staff had adorable uniforms topped with bows.

Everything was creative and yummy! I loved the bitty little pancakes with honey they served *_*

For sweets they had a huge tower of Hello Kitty red velvet cupcakes, oh yesssss

All kitty, all the time.

Chrissa cupcake attack!! 

In the back of the event tent they had all the goods from Eva Air X Sanrio on display for everyone to admire.  The detail was really impressive, they went all out with almost every element of this airline!  Even the plastic utensils had little characters on them!

Adorable display of the in-flight snacks~ peanut bags and ice cream, Hello Kitty themed of course!

When the plane pulled up it was actually my first time even seeing the new art~ I went not having any clue what it would look like at all!   The other designs were cute in a traditional Sanrio way with basic reds..greens…yellows etc, but this one is just SUPER ADORABLE PASTEL-TASTIC!

Had a bit of a mini freak out from the cuteness of characters holding hands on a colorful jet.

As the stairs pulled up to prepare for the people inside the plane (just a select few including a member of X Japan if I heard right) the mascot characters and girls did some adorable musical numbers in Japanese from Puroland~  it was extremely cute!!!

My Melody and Kuromi 

Finally everyone lined up to greet the real guests of honor, Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel!

Ready to hop aboard and check out this amazing plane!!!

Inside the cabin they had some of the airline goodies on display!  Almost all the basics have a fun Hello Kitty twist to them on this plane~  Eva Air claims to have almost 100 different items for passengers made special for this theme!

Yes, they even have Hello Kitty toilet paper for the airline!!

Some of the in-flight items on the Hello Kitty planes actually change based on the season!  Menus, coasters, napkins, etc have different designs depending on the time of year you fly ♥

How about an in-flight Hello Kitty snack? This features the fall theme!

The flight attendants had cute pink Hello Kitty aprons with little bows at the hip!  All the insert cards you normally find in the seat pockets also had been specially made to keep with the Sanrio theme!  Details!!

If you are a well-behaved passenger you can get special goodies if you ask like memo pads, playing cards, and pens!

First stop, first class!  Put on your snobby face! Note the fancy Hello Kitty version of  ”Birth of Venus” hanging on the wall, haha nice!  This area was just like most of the standard first class areas nowadays on international flights.  I fly to Asia a lot and would love to be able to afford sitting in these booths so I can sleep properly!

First class had very classy Sanrio family pillows, but the lack of color made it a little boring.  I thought for such expensive seats it would be a little more impressive, you know?  It was very much “this is first class with a Sanrio pillow” sort of feel~  so no need to fret if you can not afford the fancy ticket, you would not be missing too much of the kitty experience!

In first class on the Eva Air Sanrio planes they have a fancy variation of Hello Kitty dinner!

Economy class was a little more colorful vs first class on Hello Kitty Eva Air!

Economy seemed nice and spacious~ however we found the color disappointing plus the lack of custom seat fabric or art on the walls!  I have been on a few Japanese airlines that did this in the interior and it makes the whole atmosphere really fun during your trip! More Kitty or pretty colors please!!

The pillows and head rest slips are ADORABLE though!  I wanted to take one so bad!  *_*

Just sit back~

and relax!

Meals and snacks are provided on all Sanrio x Eva Air flights ♥  Both Western and Eastern menus are available, as well as special meals for children, vegetarians and those with religious restrictions apparently!  These are included in the ticket price like most airlines, and will not cost you extra.

I was SO EXCITED to see they had more of the plane food on display, I LOVE THEMED FOOD.  I had come across a few images online of the Sanrio-themes meals on Eva Air, but seeing it in person is always the best!

The detail on the dinner plates was amazing for airline food, it was like something I would gladly order at a cafe!   Tiny little fruits cut into hello kitty faces, and a salad finished off with her little bow!

Note in this box set that they are using the special Hello Kitty bow container design for this airline!

Another yummy Eva Air Hello Kitty meal~  complete with some Hello kitty strawberry biscuits for dessert!

and finally a Hello Kitty fish dinner with a side of Kitty fruit and Kitty cake!  They do have other options (online I saw lots more sample meals) but they change based on the time of year. All the plates are adorable though, and that is what is important I guess!!

And if flying does not sit well with your tummy, no need to worry!  You can look kawaii with your very own Hello Kitty barf bag!!!

Flashing on the screens they had a special Sanrio-themed pre-departure video to greet passengers!

Seated and ready for takeoff!

KW Chang states that he brought about the concept of Hello Kitty jets to make flying fun~ well done!

Some of the Eva Air Sanrio Pilots made an appearance after landing the plane! I wonder if they enjoy flying this plane any more vs the others?  I think it must be fun to have passengers actually excited to be on the plane you are flying XD

♥ ♥ ♥

Awesome fact: EVA Air’s Chairman, KW Chang was a pilot for this event today flying the plane from Taipei to LA!  Apparently he often acts as a pilot for this route, how cool is that?  Next time you fly, the entire airlines chairman may just be your pilot *_*

If you are itching to shop and hoard some special Hello Kitty items beyond the freebies you need not worry, Eva Air has teamed up with Sanrio to offer a really nice selection of very special items you can purchase in flight with the provided catalogs!   Bags, key chains, puzzles, models, jewelry, even a special Hello Kitty edition phone!

Many of the items are not just Hello Kitty goodies, but unique to this airline only!

Brand new fold-able keyboard designed after the new “Hand in Hand” plane art & a beautiful Hello Kitty necklace complete with a tiny airplane to remember your experience!

Eva Air X Sanrio mascot key chains for $30USD !  If I ever get to take this plane I want to buy these for Nara and I *_*

Eva Air’s special Hello Kitty check-in area! Photo source pichi chuang / Reuters / MSNBC

The amazing Kitty times does not end with what we experienced though.  Although I did not have the opportunity to view it myself (yet)  Eve Air also has additional themed items like fragile stickers for bags, luggage tags, boarding passes, lounge seating within the airport and the most amazing check-in kiosk area pretty much EVER complete with custom Hello Kitty software.  Apparently these areas are at several airports with Eva Air, including LAX which was listed online to be opening as of 9/20/2013

Out of the 17 weekly flights between LAX and Taipei through Eva Air, 3 of them will feature this unique Hello Kitty Airplane experience!  Flights go to several fun destinations like Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, and more~  but since this is a Taiwanese company they all stop in Taipei!  So yes, you can not get a direct flight from LA to Tokyo, but you can go from LA to Taipei to Tokyo.  I really would love to visit Taiwan someday though, so this is an amazing excuse *_* is that bad to base travel on just an airline? lol

♥ ♥ ♥

So just how expensive is it to fly with Hello Kitty and Eva Air? Tickets include baggage and meal costs and range from around $1000-$1500 per person, which is actually fairly standard for flying to Asia from California!  Obviously if you use those cheap ticket webpages you can sometimes book flights for around $800-$900, but I would gladly pay around $1000 or so for a trip on this airline!  It is a magical experience for sure

GIFT BAG

Even though I was unable to get a sign board or nail art, I was excited to see a pile of  Eva Air gift bags for guests!!  what could be inside?

Aside from the cute plush Eva Air x Hello Kitty bow, they included a nice packet all about the airline and special features it offered + a cute kitty keychain and hello kitty pen.

The MAIN gift was this awesome mini airplane model of the new “Hand in Hand” design though!  They have these for every plane model in the air, so you can collect them as you fly, this one is my favorite!

I LOVE it!!  Need to find a cool spot for it in my office, thank you Eva Air and Sanrio!

♥

Thank you Sanrio X Eva Air for putting on such an adorable event and bringing so much cuteness to the skies!  I hope someday soon I can fly in this plane and get the full experience ^^  Also a big thank you to Japan LA for bringing me as a guest, I had such a wonderful time and hope all of you reading enjoyed the photos I managed to snap!  Leave some comments, I love reading them!

Links

Eva Air X Hello Kitty official site

Japan LA Clothing Official site

What was your favorite Hello Kitty detail on the plane?  Would you buy a ticket to fly with Sanrio X Eva Air?  Where would you go?  Have you flown before?  Comment below and share!!  

 The stunning golden pagoda that sits front and centre on the main altar inside the Daeung-jeon at Naewonjeongsa Temple in Busan.

Hello Again Everyone!!

Lately, I’ve been exploring Busan more and more. With it being so close to where I live, and with literally thousands of temples to explore, it was a no-brainer. This past weekend, my exploration of Busan brought me to Naewonjeongsa Temple in Seodaeshin-dong, which is in close proximity to Busan Station.

Situated on Mt. Eomgwangsan, you’ll first approach Naewonjeongsa Temple up a mountain road. This is a bit strange, since the temple lies just above the busy Busan Station area. Finally arriving in the mid-sized parking lot, and having passed by the numerous mountain hikers along the way, you’ll first see the front façade to Naewonjeongsa Temple.

In the centre of the front façade are the Cheonwangmun Gate and the bell pavilion above it. Passing under the bell pavilion and through the Cheonwangmun Gate, you’ll finally enter the temple courtyard; however, before doing that, take the time to enjoy the paintings in and around the Cheonwangmun Gate. There are unique guardian paintings on the front doors, intricately painted Heavenly Kings, and the ceiling to the gate is beautifully adorned with both yellow and blue dragons and phoenixes.

Standing in the temple courtyard, and if you look back from where you first came, you’ll notice a bell pavilion that you can actually have a seat and take a rest in (or at least that’s what I saw a couple Koreans doing). While the bell is rather plain, the base to the large drum is demonic, while the cloud gong has a pair of Biseon dancing around it. But the real highlight is the large sized fish gong with an equally large sized red pearl in its mouth. To the right and left of the bell pavilion, and outlining the temple courtyard, are two rows of temple buildings. These buildings act as the monks’ quarters, visitors centre, and administrative office. There is even a nice row of Chinese plum trees to accompanying the building to the right.

Straight ahead is the true highlight to Naewonjeongsa Temple, which just so happens to be the main hall at the temple. Surrounding the exterior walls to the main hall are an assortment of paintings. To the rear are a colourful set of Shimu-do murals that are joined by beautiful Buddha and Bodhisattva paintings. But the real rare thing about these paintings are the Dokseong (The Recluse) and Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit) murals that are painted on either side of the main hall. I’ve never seen this before. Also, the main hall is surrounded by a mature bamboo forest.

The interior to the main hall is absolutely golden. This is emphasized by the large golden pagoda that sits on the main altar. This five tier pagoda is joined by two large sized statues of Moonsu-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Wisdom) and Bohyun-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Power). To the right are three golden reliefs. The closest one to the pagoda is Moonsu-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Wisdom). Next to this it is a relief of Jijang-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Wisdom). And on the far right wall is a golden relief of the Yeongsan Assembly. To the left of the main altar are another three golden reliefs. The first to the left of the main altar is Bohyun-bosal (The Bodhisattva of Power). Next to it is the guardian relief. And finally, there is another golden relief hanging on the far left wall of Yaksayore-bul (The Buddha of Medicine). In addition to all these reliefs, there are also two towers filled with miniature statues of Buddhas beside the main altar. As you can tell, this main hall is filled with amazing artistry.

To the right of the main hall is the Samseong-gak. All the artwork to this hall is housed inside it. The three most popular shaman deities, Chilseong (The Seven Stars), Dokseong, and Sanshin are housed inside this hall. They are all black in hue and well executed in design.

HOW TO GET THERE: To get to Naewonjeongsa Temple, you’ll first have to take the subway, line one, to the Seodaesin Subway Station, stop #107. From there, you can take a taxi up to Naewonjeongsa Temple. It’ll cost you 3,600 won, and the ride will take about 10 minutes (2.6 kilometres).

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OVERALL RATING:6.5/10.Just for the main hall alone, this temple deserves this rating with the large sized golden pagoda, six golden reliefs, and the very rare paintings of both Sanshin and Dokseong painted on the exterior walls. Additionally, all of the instruments inside the bell pavilion are unique in their own right. And top that off with the masterfully painted shaman murals, and you have more than enough reason to explore the little traveled Naewonjeongsa Temple near Busan Station.

The front facade at the temple with the sun peaking through the trees in the early morning hours.

 The Cheonwangmun Gate and bell pavilion at Naewonjeongsa Temple.

One of the main entrance doors at the temple with a unique guardian painting on it.

Just one of the elaborately painted Heavenly Kings inside the Cheonwangmun Gate.

The intricate ceiling of the Cheonwangmun Gate.

The first site that greets you to the temple courtyard.

The main hall, or the Daeung-jeon, at Naewonjeongsa Temple.

The beautiful and intricate main hall.

It’s pretty easy to spot the large golden pagoda that’s front and centre inside the main hall.

A better look at the golden interior.

Just one of the golden reliefs inside the main hall. Literally, the interior walls are lined with gold.

A contemplative visitor to the temple enjoys the scenic beauty of Naewonjeongsa Temple.

The very rare exterior walled painting of Dokseong (The Recluse) that adorns the main hall at the temple.

The main hall is also surrounded by mountains and this bamboo forest.

The Samseong-gak shaman shrine hall at Naewonjeongsa Temple.

A unique view between the main hall and the Samseong-gak.

The Dokseong painting inside the Samseong-gak.

And a look at the Sanshin (The Mountain Spirit) mural, as well.

The beautiful view from the Samseong-gak.

And a look from the main hall out onto the temple courtyard and the bell pavilion.

The massive fish gong inside the bell pavilion at Naewonjeongsa Temple.

After seeing this bridge on John Steele’s blog post, I just had to head out there and get some shots. I am little burnt that those guys traveled all the way down here and didn’t even call! (LOL, just kidding guys… but next time…) The Wol-jeong bridge is still under construction at the moment but  they light up most of the bridge for everyone to take a look at.

Next to the bridge is a beautiful hanock village called “Kyochon Ma-ul” and it is a mixture of old and new hanock homes which have been converted into restaurants, cafes, and cultural centres. There is even a traditional winery there. The parking is a little difficult but it is a great place to check out.

One of the most beautiful cafes that I have seen in a long time

Another good point about the area is that it is connected in a way to the surrounding sites. Located just behind the large tombs near the Cheomseongdae observatory, one can (with a bit of time) get there from Anapji Pond. Thus, it’s location is pretty good if you are wanting to check out all of the surrounding sites in the area.

For me the hanock village is a great addition to the area as it adds a lot of beauty to the area and with the addition of cafes and beautiful restaurants, it is a place the youth can enjoy as well as the older generation.  Even for myself, I like the area and what they have done with it.

classic anapji pond at sunset

Here is a map of the area to give you an idea of where the bridge is. You see from the map that it is tucked away behind the toms and near the museum but if you go by car you have to drive all the way around past cheomseongdae.

See recipes here:Wang Galbi, Dduk Galbi

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So I’m back in Daegu after a lengthy Chuseok (Thanksgiving) break. I had a few days off of school so I decided to pay a visit to Seoul, the destination that almost everyone knows about in Korea.

Seoul is the capital city of Korea, heavily populated with foreigners and English/Engrish signs. Restaurants, shops, theaters, etc. are stacked on top of each other, and what’s there one day is gone the next. The sparkling newness of the storefronts stay for a while and then disappear just as the paint dries. Such is the pace of life here – “Dynamic Korea” as they call it. Directions based on landmarks are most often hit or miss because of the rapid pace of change here, so finding the hostel I was staying at in Hongdae was a little bit of a challenge. Luckily the subways are easy to get a handle on, and although you have to transfer a lot of times, you can get to a very specific location without really having to hike anywhere.

Travelling with someone who had already been to Seoul already was a real stroke of luck, because I got to check out all the cool niche places that have the best craft beer in Korea. From Watermelon Wheat to a honey IPA, sitting outside in a super casual setting and having a few cold ones in the middle of the bustling day was my kind of tourism.

One of my favorite activities in Seoul was going to see the Studio Ghibli and Alphonse Mucha exhibits at the Seoul Arts Center. The art scene is really packing a punch here, as the museum spaces are expansive, gorgeously designed buildings that let in a lot of light and allow many visitors in. One thing that bothered me was the sheer volume of people there – it was amazing to see a culture so in-tune with the progress of art, but this made looking at the art grating on the nerves to say the least. There is a line that snakes through the entirety of the exhibit and people slowly shuffle along the walls viewing work. There is no open art viewing here – everyone snakes around the gallery as a homogeneous unit and view art at a set pace (which is agonizingly slow). Very different from art viewing in New York, which allows for a lot more free movement around the gallery spaces. I found myself deviating from the line and skipping around a bit to avoid spending over 3 hours on one exhibit. On view were several beautiful prints, paintings and lithographs by Alphonse Mucha, one of my favorite artists representing the Art Noveau movement. The pieces were on a larger scale than I had ever imagined; almost life-sized figures adorned with flowers and arabesque-ing locks of hair. There was also a good deal of photography in the gallery that gave a sense of historical context to the work, and the pieces were grouped according to specific phases and themes in Mucha’s career. While I was there I also spent a good amount of time viewing the animation slides of the Studio Ghibli films. It was amazing to see the actual sketches and plans from movies like Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. Some more interesting panels were the ones that outlined a sequence of panning, where several sheets of paper were simply taped together and the idea of the scene was hashed out. I’m glad that I got to see the exhibits before they were taken down, and I hope to go back to Seoul again soon to see what new art it has to offer.

Seoul, especially Hongdae and Itaewon, had some really great eats too. I had burritos at a place called Vatos, a Korean-Mexican fusion restaurant where we had to be put on a waiting list for two hours (!). Popular amongst expats and Koreans alike, that queso and burrito were heaven sent. The watermelon wheat beer I had was a little too sweet for my liking but I’m glad I tried it nonetheless. Other good eats were a pork spine stew, cooked on a mini stove in front of you, full of veggies and fall off the bone meaty goodness. It was super hot temperature-wise but very filling. For breakfast one day we dipped into a fried rice restaurant and some mozzarella cheese, bacon, and sweet and sour sauce later I contentedly rolled out of there with a food baby and enough energy to carry me through the rest of the day.

The shopping area of Myeongdong is beautiful, modern, and energetic. The clean lines of the Uniqlo and the hipness of H&M pave the way through main roads teeming with fashionable young Koreans, clack-clacking away with their high heels and armfuls of shopping bags. When the lights go on, the neon glow drowns out the night sky and you’re left with a thrilling electric daylight to continue shopping with until you bust a heel.  If I wasn’t so low on money waiting on my first paycheck I would have definitely bought something, but alas, window shopping was all I was fated to do this time around. Myeongdong, I’m coming back for you~~

And lastly, the nightlife was awesome. I wish I wasn’t so tired, but I got to experience the sounds of a pretty rad two man band at an indie-rock inspired bar called FF. I got an autograph and everything when the show was over. Free drinks and a chill atmosphere were aplenty.  We wanted to go clubbing, as several weird/cool venues were around (“Gorilla”??) but by 2am we were way too tired to go on. Definitely need to visit again and scope out some good clubs next time.

The picture above, I believe, captures the vibe of Seoul. The new, slowly encircling the old, until one day (maybe soon) that wave will crash and wipe the old away. If there was a “way of life” for Seoul it would be this: the quest for modernity isn’t for the sake of improvement alone – it’s obsessive. That, and you better watch where you cross the street because the threat of being run over is very real.

Kim Iman (金履萬, 김이만, 1683-1758) was a Chosun dynasty literati bureaucrat. He was of the Yecheon Kim Clan (醴泉金氏, 예천김씨); his courtesy name (字, 자) was Jungsu (仲綏, 중수); his pen name was Hakgo (鶴臯, 학고). He is most noted for his actions during the flood in modern day Yangsan (梁山, 양산) in 1740. To prevent a flood, it is said that he spent all his wealth in constructing embankments. He also took great pains in fighting against regional tax collector corruption exploiting commoners.

In the poem below, Kim Iman commemorates the Autumnal Equinox, or Chubun (秋分, 추분) as it in known in Korean. As a solar term, the autumnal equinox always falls around September 23rd on the Western Gregorian Calendar, but varies on the traditional Lunar Calendar. On this day, the sun reaches the celestial longitude of 180 degrees: that is, the earth is not tilted with respect to the Sun and the length day and night are approximately the same at all points along the Earth’s surface. One Korean custom on Chubun, as depicted above, is to collect peppers and lay them out in the sun to dry.

秋分前二日 獨坐次農巖韻
추분전이일 독좌차농암운

Two Days Before the Autumnal Equinox, Sitting Alone and Borrowing Nong’am’s Rimes

天時晝夜欲平分 천시주야욕평분
寂寞山齋坐到曛 적만산재좌도훈
蕎麥綴花知白雪 교맥철화지백설
稻秔垂穗見黃雲 도갱수삭견화운
九衢車馬從他閙 구구차마종타시
三峽漁樵亦自羣 산협어초역자군
幽獨久拚無伴侶 유독구변무반려
隔林啼鳥只堪聞 격림제조지감문

Heaven’s timing and the daytime and nighttime will be evenly allocated.
In my still and quiet mountain cabin, I sit for the arriving sunset glow.
The buckwheat’s woven flowers recognize the white snow;
The rice plants’ leaning ears see the yellow clouds.
On the nine intersections, carriages and horses follow the others’ noise;
Along the three gorges, fishermen and lumberjacks also naturally gather.
Secluded and alone, I clap for awhile, without any companions.
Amid the forest, a chirping bird can only bare to hear it.

Definitions:

Heaven • time • daytime • night • to intend • evenly • to allocate
Still • quiet • mountain • hut • to sit • to arrive • evening sun’s rays
Buckwheat • barley • to weave • flowers • to know • white • snow
Rice (벼) • rice (메벼) • to lean • ears • to see • yellow • clouds
Nine • intersections • carriages • horses • to follow • other • to be noisy
Three • peaks • fishermen • lumberjacks • also • naturally • to gather
To be secluded • alone • for awhile • to clap with hands • to not have • companion • companion
Amid • forest • to chirp • birds • only • to endure • to hear

Notes:

• 九衢(구구) – Literally means “nine forks” or “nine intersections.” Refers to the busy streets of larger cities.
• 三峽(삼협) – Refers to the Three Gorges in China.

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kuiwon.wordpress.com

Copyright Notice This work by Kuiwon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.

 

(Courtesy of the Korean Temple Stay website)

Hello Again Everyone!!

Introduction to the Temple:

The International Seon Center first opened its doors on November 15^th, 2010. The center was opened so that both Koreans and ex-pats could enjoy and experience Korean Buddhism. In total, the center consists of nine floors. The first two underground floors are reserved for parking, while the final underground floor is reserved for the Education and Culture Hall. The first floor of the building houses the center’s office and restaurant. The third and fourth floor, respectively, house the Event Hall and the Dining Room. The fifth floor, and the floor you’re probably most interested in, is reserved for the Temple Stay Program; while the sixth and seventh floor consist of the monks’ living quarters and the Geumcha Seon Hall (or the Practice Hall). As you can see, this center truly has it all.

The Temple Stay program at the International Seon Center focuses primarily on meditation. In addition, you can also enjoy making prayer beads, learn about a traditional Buddhist meal, or have a dharma talk. You can also enjoy the Dharma Talk program, which takes place every Saturday night for both beginners and advanced practitioners of Buddhism.

(Courtesy of the International Seon Center website).

Directions:

To get to the International Seon Center from Seoul, you’ll need to take subway line #5 to Omokgyo Subway Station. Exit out exit #8 and walk straight until you get to the first intersection (there will be a bank on the corner). Turn left at this intersection and walk straight until you get to the Mokdong Middle School, which will be on your left. Across the street from this middle school is the nine-story International Seon Center.

크게 보기

General Schedule:

The International Seon Center runs two different types of programs. The first is the typical, one night, two days program, where participants get to live like a Buddhist monk. The other program is on Saturday night, and it’s a Dharma Talk where both beginners and advance practitioners are actively encouraged to participate. Here are the two schedules for both programs.

A: Regular Schedule:

Day One:
13:00~13:30 : Registration & Orientation
13:30~15:00 : Temple Manners & Opening Ceremony
15:00~16:20 : Self- Introduction
16:30~17:30 : Learn Traditional Buddhist Meal
17:30~18:20 : Dinner
18:30~19:00 : Evening Service
19:00~20:30 : Make 108 Prayer’s Beads
20:30~21:00 : Ready for Sleep
21:00~ : Sleep

Day Two:
03:00~03:30 : Wake Up & Wash
03:30~04:00 : Dawn Service
04:00~04:30 : 108 Bows
04:30~06:00 : Seon Mediation (in silence)
06:00~07:30 : Breakfast
07:30~09:00 : Tour to a Hermitage
09:00~10:00 : Dharma Talk
10:00~10:40 : Community Work & Survey
10:40~ : Closing Ceremony

(Courtesy of the International Seon Center website).

B: Dharma Talk Schedule:

7:00~7:30 pm  Free sitting / Personal Interview
7:30~7:40 pm  Group walking / Noble silence
7:40~8:00 pm  Group sitting / Noble silence
8:00~8:10 pm  Group walking / Noble silence
8:20~8:30 pm  Group sitting / Noble silence
8:30~9:00 pm  Dharma talk / Q&A
9:00~9:30 pm  Free talking / Personal Interview

International Seon Center Information:

Address : 319-11 Sinjeong 6-dong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, Korea
Tel : 02)2650-2242 / Fax : 02)2650-2201
homepage : http://www.seoncenter.or.kr/
E-mail : seoncenter@templestay.com

Fees:

Adults: 50,000 won; Teens: 50,000 won; Under 13: 30,000 won (One Night, Two Days Program)

Adults: Free – Donations Welcomed (Saturday Dharma Talk).

Links:

Reservations for the Temple Stay Program at the International Seon Center.

For more information on the Saturday evening Dharma talks.

(Courtesy of the International Seon Center website)

I would like to start by saying that not all of the guys I know are creepers that spend their time checking out random women on the street. Heck, as far as I know, most of them are perfect gentlemen. Either that or they’ve mastered the art of controlling their peripheral vision.

Anyways, if there’s one thing I’ve noticed while living in Korea, it’s that the women here are stupid gorgeous. Not everyone agrees, and that’s totally fine (different strokes). While I’m completely aware that this may have something to do with all the plastic surgery that exists here, that doesn’t change the fact that there is a lot of eye candy in this country. I personally think some of it may have to do with the fact that they put a lot of work into looking good before stepping out into the public (though this sometimes leads to destructive behavior). Compared to lazier folks like me (I’m don’t remember the last time I got a haircut..), it makes sense that the hard working ladies here look so much prettier.

That being said, I’m feeling the need to clarify that how a woman looks does not define her worth, and that everyone is beautiful in their own way. I feel silly for thinking that I have to include this disclaimer, as it’s something I feel is super obvious, but better safe than sorry…right?

In other news…AHHH, SO CLOSE TO A HUNDRED STRIPS!!!

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Jen Lee's Dear Korea

This is Jen Lee. She likes to draw. She also likes green tea.

Jen Lee and Dear Korea @ Gwangju Blog Expat comic artists aim to draw fans at Comic World @ The Korea Herald 'Dear Korea' now in Busan Haps Got any questions, comments, or maybe even some delicious cookies you want to send through the internet? Feel free to contact us at dearkoreacomic at gmail dot com. You can also leave comments on the comic’s Facebook Page!

 

The Essential Teachings of the Holy Religion (聖敎要旨, 성교요지), composed by Yi Byeok (李檗, 이벽, 1754-1785). Early Korean converts to Catholicism used Classical Chinese translations of prayers until French Missionaries entered in the mid 19th century.

This is a series of posts on monomorphemic words, which are words composed of two characters wherein the word cannot be understood by reading the characters separately. 

Miscellaneous Monomorphemic Words

Miscellaneous monomorphemic words (其他  衍聲複詞, 기타 연성복사) are words that do not follow any of the other patterns in other categories. These words typically are nouns. It should be noted that some of these words are foreign loan words. For instance, the word 葡萄(포도) originates from Persian. Many of the following words in the examples below still appear in modern Korean, albeit some not often in colloquial settings.

昔者, 莊周夢爲胡蝶, 栩栩然胡蝶也. 自喻適志與! 不知周也.
석자, 장주몽위호접, 상상연호접야. 자유적지여! 불지주야.

Formerly, I, Zhang Zhou (莊周, 장주, Jang Ju), dreamed that I became a butterfly, a joyous and ecstatic butterfly. I was happy in accordance with my whims! I did not know Zhou.
► Zhuangzi (莊子, 장자), Inner Chapters (內篇, 내편), Adjustment of Controversies (齊物論, 제 물론).

夫君子愛口, 孔雀愛羽, 虎豹愛爪. 此皆所以治身法也.
부군자애구, 공작애우, 호표애파. 차개소이치신법야.

In general, a gentleman (君子, 군자) loves his mouth, a peacock loves its feathers, and tigers and leopards love their claws. These are all methods of controlling oneself.
► Garden of Stories (說苑, 설원).

鸚鵡能言, 不離飛鳥. 猩猩能言, 不離禽獸. 今人而無禮. 雖能言, 不亦禽獸之心乎?
앵무능언, 불리비조. 성성능언, 불리금수. 금인이무례. 수능언, 불역금수지심호?

A parrot can speak, but it does not depart from flying birds. An ape can speak, but it does not depart from beasts. This man does not [obey] rites. Although he can speak, is he not also of the heart of the beast?
► Classic of Rites (禮記, 예기), Summary of Rules of Propriety Part I (曲禮上, 곡례상).

宣王曰: “當今之世無士, 寡人何好?” 王斗曰: “世無騏驎騄耳, 王駟已備矣.”
선왕왈: “당금지세무사, 과인하호?” 왕두왈: “세무기린록이, 왕사이준의.”

King Xuan of Zhou (宣王, 선왕, Seon Wang, r. 827-782 BC) said, “Right now, in the world, there are no scholarly men. Who can I like?” Wang Dou (王斗, 왕두, Wang Du) replied, “In the world, there is no Qilin (麒麟, 기린, Girin) or Lu’er (騄耳, 녹이), but you, the King, have already prepared four horses.”
► Strategies of the Warring States (戰國策, 전국책), Strategies of the Qi (齊策, 제책).

卽袖該藥入廚房, 投下珈琲茶罐.
즉수해약입주방, 투하가배차관.

[He], at that time, in his sleeve stored medicine, entered into the kitchen, and threw them into the coffee pot.
► Royal Annals of the Chosun Dynasty (朝鮮王朝實錄, 조선왕조실록) during the reign of Emperor Gojong (高宗, 고종, 1852-1919, r. 1863-1907) on September 12, 1898.

葡萄入酒辱煎烹 / 漬蜜偏憐色味淸
포도입주욕전팽 / 지밀편련색미청

The grapes enter into the wine and swelter, boiled and simmered / Having [them] soaked in honey, I very much adore their color and the taste.
► Since You Have Sent Me Grapes Soaked in Honey from Daejwa (台座, 대좌), I Send my Gratitude with a Poem of the Same Rime (台座分送漬蜜葡萄, 疊韻以謝; 대좌분송지밀포도, 첩운이사) by Choe Rip (崔岦, 최립, 1539-1612).

Nota Bene: Although the word podo (葡萄, 포도) appears like a riming monomorphemic word, a quick search in the dictionary will reveal that these characters are not riming.

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Copyright Notice This work by Kuiwon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.