Mr. Lumpy and the Goblins: Tale teaches that greed doesn’t pay Once upon a time, there was a humble and kindhearted man who lived in a mountainside village. Despite his kind nature, the large unusual growth protruding from his cheek inspired people to call him Mr. Lumpy. One day, Mr. Lumpy went up…
Converted to kimchi Despite living just a few kilometers from a big Koreatown in the United States, Charles Montgomery knew practically nothing of Korea or its food. But when an opportunity arose to try Korean cuisine, with a Korean student studying nearby, Montgomery discovered how much he liked Korea’s barbecued pork, zingy, indigenous…
Monami writes history of Korean stationery In every office and atop every desk in Korea, there is a ballpoint pen of the same design. It has a long, white hexagonal body, a black, blue or red button at the end and a cone at the tip. It is adorned with a three-digit number:…
Celestial Siblings: When the tiger comes knocking, look to the heavens for salvation Among Korea’s folklore is a story that explains the sun and moon’s creation, as well as why a certain grass known as sorghum has a red tinge. The story has elements somewhat similar to those found in western tales like…
Childhood reminiscence via old stamps – Part 4. The Heavenly Maiden and the Woodcutter One day, a woodcutter saves a deer that is being chased by a hunter. The deer rewards the woodcutter by telling him of the secret location where the heavenly maidens descend from the skies to bathe. The deer also…
National Museum of Korea unveils new acquisitions The drapes of Buddha’s robes are expressed beautifully and delicately. Though partly rusty, the aura is carved with vine leaves and the edge is shaped into a flame pattern. Accessorized with jewels, the gilt-bronze Buddha has all three requisite elements: the full body of the figure,…
Three islands brighten up Hangang River Some Sevit, the name for the three man-made islands floating on the Hangang River, opens on October 15. A complex of three man-made floating buildings, “Some Sevit,” nestling at the southern end of the Banpo Bridge in Seoul, opened its doors on October 15. The complex’s Korean…
A sculpture of an elephant inlaid with silver, a lifelike replica of a Portuguese trade ship that is about to head out to sea, a gold sculpture from Nepal and a jar decorated with traditional Algerian patterns. This is not simply a collection of craftworks of the world. These are gifts received overseas during diplomatic…
Campus life in Korea Arriving here as an instructor, my first impression of Soongsil University was of a densely populated complex of towering buildings, wide brick staircases and throngs of young students hurrying to class, relaxing on benches together or just hanging out. It’s been a few years since I was in the…
It’s hoesik time In any culture, food is of the utmost importance. In Korea, however, that importance is increased tenfold as eating together signifies unity and commonality. From the outside looking in, the Korean tradition of hoesik, or eating together, can be overwhelming for those who are unaccustomed to spending time with co-workers…
