Seoul has slowly built its profile as an international city. It hosts small communities of foreign nationals, including Russians, Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Kyrgz, and Mongolians. Dongdaemun station, though associated with shopping and its modern design plaza, is the home of the Central Asian community in Seoul. Called Gwanghui-dong, it is the only place for Russian …
Dongdaemun’s Gwanghui- dong: Gateway to Central Asia Read More »
INTRO As a language instructor at an adult language school in Seoul, being assigned new students is pretty commonplace. Last summer, I had a new student in my evening class whom I’ll call Mr. Kim. On the first day, I immediately noticed that Mr. Kim, who appeared to be in his early seventies, was …
Things You Probably Didn’t Know or Misunderstood about the Korean War Read More »
South Korea’s jazz music scene has many native musicians. Aside from the largely self-taught first generation, more and more Korean jazz students decide to study jazz seriously. Drummer Minchan Kim is one of the most visible native born musicians, as he has a wide range of experience playing at music festivals, events, concerts, and small …
An Interview with Minchan Kim
Korean Jazz Drummer Talks Jazz and Korea Read More »
Love, relationships, and marriage are parts of life that are universal to the human experience. Though they are routine, it doesn’t mean that people necessarily understand them. Alex Nelson has spent the better part of the last seven years studying love, dating, relationships, and marriage in a Korean context. He is a Ph.D candidate in …
One aspect of life in Seoul is the local jazz scene. Live music is one of the underappreciated elements that Seoul offers, and the jazz scene has largely expanded in recent decades. Big and small venues alike are found throughout central Seoul, as well as sizable audiences and technically proficient musicians. Martin Zenker is a …
Myeongdong is a popular tourist destination in Seoul, South Korea’s capital city. The central based area mostly attracts Japanese and Chinese tourists. It’s often said that tourists fly to Seoul partly to buy and stock up on Korean cosmetic products, and Myeongdong is ground zero for buying discounted skin care products. Here are four Myeongdong …
