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My Placement, My Pride

Eliza Mikunda
When I received the news that I would be living in Asan, South Korea, I was, honestly, terrified. I had never heard of Asan, so the first thing I did was run to Google. The first picture made my heart drop. On the top of the Wikipedia page, a single photo– a grey scene of low buildings stretching into the hills, barely visible through a thick coat of smog. My only thought was, “What have I gotten myself into?”. I was resigned to living in a boring, smoggy countryside town. But I have been pleasantly surprised by the small city of Asan. Unlike Seoul, there isn’t an overwhelming amount to do and see. There aren’t dozens of blogs and travel sites listing the best sights, events, restaurants, and cafes. But once you unlock the city, there is so much to appreciate! Now over two years later, I can’t imagine living in any other city in Korea! Asan is my home. Here are some reasons why I love living in Asan, South Korea:

Livability: Even though Asan is a mid-sized city, it’s very walkable. In my neighborhood, I’m within walking distance of several grocery stores, convenience stores, the subway and bus terminals, plenty of other shopping, and more restaurants than I can count. Even my schools, which are rural, are easily accessible by a short city bus ride! Outside my neighborhood, there are many other hubs that my friends and I frequent when we want to shop or go out on the town. With all the different centers for shopping, cafes, restaurants, and nightlife, I’m never at a shortage of new places to try. In Asan, there is Onyang, the city center, by the subway station (which happens to be the second to last stop of Line 2 going all the way to Seoul!). There you can find the traditional market with street food and fresh fruits and vegetables for a quarter of the price of the big marts. Yonghwa, the young party neighborhood of Asan. Where college students and 20-somethings flock to pubs and restaurants, norebangs, and cafes. Or, if café hopping and relaxing strolls are more your speed, Sinjeong Lake is the place to be. The lake is surrounded by huge, pretty cafes. No matter which one you pick, you can’t go wrong. While there isn’t as much to do as in a larger city, there’s plenty to keep busy and happy!

Natural Beauty: The Wikipedia picture, as terrifying as it was, was an inaccurate representation of what Asan is like. Apart from a small bustling city center that could be essentially any small city in Korea, nature surrounds Asan. Sinjongho Lake to the west boasts cafes and walking paths. The Ginkgo Tree Road and Goggyocheon Stream at the city’s northern edge offer a great respite from the day-to-day city life. In the fall the yellow color is magnificent to behold and, in the summer, the shady trees are great to escape from the hot sun. Although I joined a gym, I love running outside in the center of Asan. The little neighborhood park is a popular place to walk. On the little, tree-lined path, it’s almost easy to forget you’re in the middle of the city (if not for the subway running directly overhead). Although Chungnam is the flattest region of Korea, the small mountains of Asan are popular places to hike and take in the area’s natural beauty. You can even enjoy the seaside, just a short bus ride away, in the very northern part of Asan County.

Cultural Immersion: Living in Asan has forced me to learn Korean very quickly and become comfortable with food and customs unfamiliar to me. Because the city has a relatively small foreign community, I can go days without seeing another foreigner. I’m immersed in Korean people, the Korean language, and Korean food. In a bigger city, I might have gotten away with little to no Korean. But in Asan, to live the quality of life I want – I felt the need to learn. Simple tasks like going to the convenience store or eating at a restaurant became real-time practice. Now I can speak to my boyfriend entirely in Korean and even take Pilates in Korean. You may have heard that Korea has a very palli-palli culture (fast, fast), but I'm living the slow countryside lifestyle. And while I will always stand out as a “foreigner”, I’ve become a local. I have a repertoire with the ladies who take the bus with me, with my convenience store clerk, my pharmacist, and even the local fried chicken store owner who always tells my friends and me, “It’s been a long time” whenever we enter her store, no matter how long it's been. In Asan, I don’t feel like a traveler or temporary guest. I’ve made the city my home, and slowly but warmly, the people have welcomed me as well. I truly consider Asan to be my second home.

So, if you are planning to do EPIK or any teaching job in Korea, don’t be afraid to branch away from Seoul and the other big cities. You might just find a tiny corner of Korea you can call your very own. A home away from home.
875f9e081d47239d986b3d52a5737c40.jpg My Placement, My Pride
one year ago

These Are The Korean Artists Who Are Shaping Modern Art

Jane Sandwood

Korean art is getting its turn in the spotlight as notable art institutions and galleries are starting to showcase more works from Korean artists, particularly those who specialize in modern or contemporary art. Earlier this year, David Zwirner, a leading gallery in Paris, held an exhibition of the late Yun Hyong-keun's rare and never-before presented seen paintings from January 7 to February 23. The paintings are considered to be part of the artist's experimental phase since Yun is known best for his "dansaekwha" or monochrome paintings. Meanwhile, New York's Rockefeller Center is currently holding an exhibition called "Origin, Emergence, Return" which features the works of three Korean artists.  

It's clear to see that just as the world has embraced K-dramas, K-pop, and K-beauty with open arms, there's also room for contemporary Korean art to flourish in the global art scene. Along with classical Korean art forms, modern art celebrates Korean culture in unique and colorful ways. Get to know some of the Korean artists who are shaping modern art.

Yoo Young-ho

Some of the most famous art installations crafted from metal such as the Red Cube in Lower Manhattan and The Four Elements in Stockholm provide a sense of whimsy to a space and they give joy to lots of people. The same can be said about the "Greetingman Project," which is a sculpture depicting a 6-meter tall man, who bows to the viewer as a sign of friendship. This was created by Yoo Young-ho, a sculptor who was awarded the Kim Sejong Scripture Award for Young Sculptors in 2004.

Yoo intends to promote peace with his art, and it's why he chose to erect the statues in locations like the DMZ, Panama, Vietnam, Ecuador, Uruguay, Peru, and the border between Palestine and Israel. In an interview, Yoo said that he chose to color the sculpture blue because "when people see this color they may feel joy and light." The artist is reportedly planning to add about 1,000 more Greetingman statues all over the world.   

Park Seo-Bo

Park Seo-Bo is one of the artists currently featured in the Rockefeller Center exhibition which was mentioned earlier. The 91-year-old is an iconic figure in Korean contemporary art as he is one of those who defined the dansaekwha movement. While he's best known for his large scale minimalist paintings, he's also famous in the Korean art scene for using unconventional techniques, such as burning the surface of his works with a blowtorch. He also uses traditional Korean kanji paper in his art, often layering them on top of paintings. Park founded the Seo-bo Art and Culture, and two museums are currently being constructed to house his works. 

Nam June Paik

Nam June Paik was a Korean-American artist who was known as the Father of Video Art. His impressive body of work includes videotapes and video sculptures such as "TV Buddha," and installations like "Video Fish" and "TV Garden." The artist passed away in 2006, and while digital art has become more popular these days, those in the art world know that Nam's contribution to modern art should never be forgotten. As a result, a new documentary titled "Nam June Paik: Moon Is The Oldest TV"  was shown at Sundance earlier this year, and it details his dedication to his craft. Though Nam once famously said that he uses technology in order to hate it properly, he foresaw the possibilities of using technology to create art, and now, artists are using different types of tech to make their masterpieces. 

Korean art is evolving and is attracting a larger audience worldwide. These masters of modern Korean art remind us that with innovation, creativity, and heart, one can make art that moves and inspires us in different aspects of our lives. Korean art is getting its turn in the spotlight as notable art institutions and galleries are starting to showcase more works from Korean artists, particularly those who specialize in modern or contemporary art. Earlier this year, David Zwirner, a leading gallery in Paris, held an exhibition of the late Yun Hyong-keun's rare and never-before presented seen paintings from January 7 to February 23. The paintings are considered to be part of the artist's experimental phase since Yun is known best for his "dansaekwha" or monochrome paintings. Meanwhile, New York's Rockefeller Center is currently holding an exhibition called "Origin, Emergence, Return" which features the works of three Korean artists.  

It's clear to see that just as the world has embraced K-dramas, K-pop, and K-beauty with open arms, there's also room for contemporary Korean art to flourish in the global art scene. Along with classical Korean art forms, modern art celebrates Korean culture in unique and colorful ways. Get to know some of the Korean artists who are shaping modern art.

Yoo Young-ho

Some of the most famous art installations crafted from metal such as the Red Cube in Lower Manhattan and The Four Elements in Stockholm provide a sense of whimsy to a space and they give joy to lots of people. The same can be said about the "Greetingman Project," which is a sculpture depicting a 6-meter tall man, who bows to the viewer as a sign of friendship. This was created by Yoo Young-ho, a sculptor who was awarded the Kim Sejong Scripture Award for Young Sculptors in 2004.

Yoo intends to promote peace with his art, and it's why he chose to erect the statues in locations like the DMZ, Panama, Vietnam, Ecuador, Uruguay, Peru, and the border between Palestine and Israel. In an interview, Yoo said that he chose to color the sculpture blue because "when people see this color they may feel joy and light." The artist is reportedly planning to add about 1,000 more Greetingman statues all over the world.   

Park Seo-Bo

Park Seo-Bo is one of the artists currently featured in the Rockefeller Center exhibition which was mentioned earlier. The 91-year-old is an iconic figure in Korean contemporary art as he is one of those who defined the dansaekwha movement. While he's best known for his large scale minimalist paintings, he's also famous in the Korean art scene for using unconventional techniques, such as burning the surface of his works with a blowtorch. He also uses traditional Korean kanji paper in his art, often layering them on top of paintings. Park founded the Seo-bo Art and Culture, and two museums are currently being constructed to house his works. 

Nam June Paik

Nam June Paik was a Korean-American artist who was known as the Father of Video Art. His impressive body of work includes videotapes and video sculptures such as "TV Buddha," and installations like "Video Fish" and "TV Garden." The artist passed away in 2006, and while digital art has become more popular these days, those in the art world know that Nam's contribution to modern art should never be forgotten. As a result, a new documentary titled "Nam June Paik: Moon Is The Oldest TV"  was shown at Sundance earlier this year, and it details his dedication to his craft. Though Nam once famously said that he uses technology in order to hate it properly, he foresaw the possibilities of using technology to create art, and now, artists are using different types of tech to make their masterpieces. 

Korean art is evolving and is attracting a larger audience worldwide. These masters of modern Korean art remind us that with innovation, creativity, and heart, one can make art that moves and inspires us in different aspects of our lives. 

b6ac825a917c2658d736c93a3d1012ad.jpg Electric Lamp with a Mirror and a Figurine
one year ago