Irene Kahn, the secretary general of Amnesty International is in Seoul this week. Yesterday, she met with the families of the six protesters who died in January after a fired broke out when riot police raided an abandoned building in Yongsan. Khan promised the families that AI would keep an eye on how the Korean government handles the incident and expressed hopes for a more thorough investigation. Also on Khan’s agenda, are meetings with senior officials from the Justice Ministry and National Human Rights Commission.

Another Japanese tourist died from their injuries in last weekend’s fire at a shooting range in Busan. The total number of deaths is now 12 and the exact cause of the fire is still unknown. Last week, investigators announced that the point of ignition was in fact  an explosion, but the cause of the explosion is yet to be confirmed.

Tempers are likely to rise following yesterday’s ground breaking ceremonies for the four-rivers project at the Yeongsan and Geum River sites. Lee Myung-bak attended the Yeongsan ceremony in Gwangju and delivered a speech saying that the project must move forward and not be derailed by politics. He described the completed project as an engine for economic growth and contributing to the well-being and happiness of Koreans.

Both speech and ceremonies (including the ceremonies at the Han and Nakdong Rivers scheduled for Friday) are contentious given that Lee’s Grand National Party (GNP) and the opposition Democratic Party (DP) have been in a budgetary deadlock over the four rivers project, with the DP wanting to cut the budget for the four rivers project. In the assembly, none of the standing committees reviewing next year’s budget have completed their talks and according to the constitution the budget must be approved by December 2nd. Many DP reps from Gwangju and South Jeolla boycotted the ceremony calling the timing of the event politically motivated, along with Lee’s decision to speak in Gwangju, the DP’s traditional stronghold. The Hankyoreh weighs in on the ceremonies, calling them the launch of a propaganda war.

The project was advanced as part of  the  administration’s green growth strategy, and involves restoring Korea’s four major river systems: the Han, Nakdong, Yeongsan, and Geum. The project proposes a 2012 completion date and an estimated cost of 22.2 trillion won. The project was initially controversial given that Lee had  to scrap his Grand Canal proposal after getting elected. Critics maintaining that the four rivers project was actually the grand canal initiative dressed in “green”. Environmental critics opposed the grand canal citing the environmental damage it would cause, and there are similar concerns regarding the four-rivers project. Although, Lee described the project as eco-friendly in yesterday’s speech.

Poached News: Amnesty International Visits Korea, Busan Fire Update, and the Politics of the Four Rivers Project is a post from: The One One Four

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What’s Happening is The One One Four’s guide to the events in your city and others, published throughout the week, with a weekend edition on Friday.  All events are selected from our upcoming and continuing events calendar. If you have, or know of , an event  that you’d like in our guide, email all the details and any images to info@theoneonefour.com.

EXHIBITION | “Seoul, City of Movies” at the Cheonggyecheon Museum is a collection of posters, pamphlets, screen caps, and other materials from the early years of Korean cinema. You can expect insight into the national consciousness of the day, and hey – it’s a good place to get out of the cold. The event runs through Sunday and admission is free. The museum hours are 9 AM to 9 PM on weekdays, and 10 AM to 6 PM on weekends. To get to the Cheonggycheon Museum, go to Yongdu Station (Line 2), Exit 5. The museum is a 10 minute walk from the exit.

MUSIC | Digital, afro-funk hipsters, Yacht and White Rainbow, are wrapping up their tour of South Korea  tonight at Skyy Bar in Daegu. They started at Club Basement in Busan on Thursday, and played their second show at V-Hall in Seoul last night. Yacht, a boy-girl duo of triangle-fetishists formed in Portland, Oregon, plays catchy electro-dance stuff, and have a rep for mixing in art-house performances. Tonight’s show starts at 8 PM with Splitkick Sound Machine, and finishes with Yacht at 12:30. Stick around for the “DJ teamup Dance-a-thon” with Yacht and White Rainbow on at the same time until 5am. You might barely have the leg-strength to ride your fixed-wheel bicycle home afterward. The tour has been promoted by Super Colour Super (who we also thank for their Round Robin concert series). Check out their website for more ticket, contact, and line-up info. Skyy Bar is next to the Tom n’ Toms, across from Club That.

MUSIC | Round 3 of the Battle of the Bands at Ole Stompers in Itaewon starts at 8 PM. Even you haven’t been following the competition,  this rock show is a good bet because of the range of music genres on display. There’s a funk act, two hard rock bands, and one playing world/Latin music. Plus, Stompers doesn’t charge a cover, has cheap drinks, and is generally full of people in a celebratory mood. You could do worse on a random Saturday. Walking directions to Stompers: Itaewon Station (Line 6), Exit 3. Walk straight. Turn right after the Dunkin Donuts. Turn left up the first hill and walk to the top.

FILM | This is the second last weekend to catch contemporary french film at the Seoul Cinematheque. Their “French Cinema Now” program runs until November 29th and features films by Olivier Assayas, Andre Techine, Arnuad Desplechin, Bruno Dumont, Luarent Cantent, Gaspar Noe, and Phillipe Grandrieux. To find out what the films are, and whether they’re being screened with English subtitles, check out our film contributor’s well-crafted  list of films, complete with links their imdb pages. The program’s screening schedule is available on the Seoul Cinematheque website (Korean only). The venue is located in the Nagwon Arcade and is listed as “Seoul Cinematheque” on The One One Four Seoul Map.

What’s Happening: November 21-22, 2009 is a post from: The One One Four

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The recently-opened Dream Forest has been on my list since it first opened, although it wasn’t until even more recently that the construction crews finished. Once the site of a theme park named ‘Dream Park’, 북서울꿈의숲 (buk-Seo-ul-ggum-ui-sup) has an appropriate English name of ‘Dream Forest’. The more developed part sits between two relatively small mountains, which have their own sets of walking trails worth checking out if you’re in the hiking mood. The Korea Herald did a report on this newly-opened area, which gives a lot of details about what to expect.

The Design Seoul Gallery above tells the story of the Dream Forest, from creation to future plans for the fourth-largest park in Seoul – unfortunately, it’s entirely in Korean and no English information was available on my multiple trips there. Enjoy the sights, but understanding will be at a premium unless you’re good at Korean.

A zig-zag path leads to a pond and a waterfall about 7 meters high. Take some steps up a few flights to the right (not pictured), and you’ll get more of a birds-eye view:

On either side of the newly-constructed area are two smaller mountains – Opaesan and Byeogosan. Neither are especially noteworthy or high, and the maps scattered throughout the trails can give you a good idea of where to go. We’ll stay on the beaten trail for now.

They’re surrounded by a fence, but a foot bridge allows the humans to feel almost like they’re in the forest with them. A nearby vending machine sells boxes of deer food for 1,000 won, although none of the deer tried to approach humans for food.

:

A playground in front of another entrance, and the aforementioned observatory:

That’s either a lot of stairs or a wait for a 45-degree-slanted elevator. The 2nd floor on the way up to the top offers some gallery space:

Once at the top – a trip that involves multiple elevator rides – the view is quite nice:

Everything seems so small; it won’t replace the Seoul Tower’s excellent 360-degree view of the city, but it’s still a chance to see things from a higher ground.

It’s worth the visit if you’re already in this northeastern part of Seoul or enjoy a more authentic forest than other parks around the city. It’s already an excellent date place – with premium coffee available in multiple places, it may even work as a winter outing. If looking for a serious mountain hike through a forest you’ll be disappointed at the brevity of the trails; more casual hikers and nature lovers like myself will enjoy that you’re never too far away from the main road.

Ratings (out of 5 taeguks):
Ease to arrive:

Foreigner-friendly:

Convenience facilities:

Worth the visit:
Crossposted on Chris in South Korea.

© Chris Backe – 2009

Destination: Dream Forest is a post from: The One One Four

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The Chosun Ilbo will catch the attention of  patiently-waiting iPhone enthusiasts this morning. It reports that the Korean launch of the will be iPhone next week. There is no official statement from KT, the official supplier of the Apple product in Korea, but industry insiders are saying that November 28th is the date. They are also saying that KT will start online reservations for the iPhone tomorrow. 150,000 units will be sold at first, ranging between w250,000 and w300,000. The article also mentions that both the 3GS  and 3G iPhone models will be available here.

The police have not determined the source of the Saturday’s fatal fire at a shooting range in Busan. Police are looking into the possibility of an explosion caused by leftover gunpowder and cigarette butts after one of the injured Japanese tourists recalled hearing an explosion before the fire broke out. The police have sent gunpowder samples to a national testing facility to find evidence of an explosion. Meanwhile, autopsy reports indicate that smoke inhalation was the official cause of death for the seven Japanese tourists, and the police have told the shooting range owner and its manager “not to leave town” until the investigation clears them. Earlier this morning, one of the injured patients died, bringing the total number of deaths to 11.

The Mayor of Seoul has announced plans that will see passenger cruises running between Yeouido, Shanghai, Qingdao, Weihai, and other Chinese cities starting in 2012. In efforts to make Seoul a “maritime tourism hub” in Northeast Asia, the Han River will be used as the main waterway and the city will build a massive passenger terminal on Yeouido.  There are also plans for a 150-room floating hotel on the Han near Yongsan and expanded routes to Macau, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.

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A few Korean guards prime your eyes for the brightly-lit up lanterns – going during the nighttime is easily the best time to see these shapes and colors.

Very little information was available in English; the signs for each lantern were mainly in Korean, though a few also had Chinese characters to explain or interpret the piece a bit more.

Gwanghwamun (gate) – no idea if the real thing will look like that once it’s completed.

Possibly in the name of adding international flavor, some lanterns were less about throwing out lots of light and more about displaying some subtlety.

Here there be Chinese dragons!

OK, this lantern’s got me. Anybody have a clue?

Either they ran out of room, or they wanted to ensure the aliens would know where to look. The two smaller pyramids are attached via some wires running overhead.

Definitely a lot of traditional lanterns, though Korea finds a way to remind you of its modern-day life:

The tires bounced up and down as though you were watching a Monster Truck Rally, while the floating skateboard rotated around a circle.

Symbolizing perfect wisdom and royal power, the Buddha begins a trek on a white elephant towards Cheonggye Plaza and the beginning of the stream. Funny that he’s 2/3 of the way – about a kilometer or so – back.

Inside of a tunnel of smaller lanterns in a rainbow order.

The traditional ssireum - Korean wrestling – and a couple pagodas in the back.

Birds – The Seoul Patch mentions these are red-crowned cranes, which “is a Taoist symbol of longevity and immortality; it is also revered for its nobility”. Good enough for me.

While walking back underneath one of the tunnels, one of the most impressive (and creative) series came to light:

No, that’s not a Mighty Morphin’ Power Ranger – that’s my Year of the Dog! All 12 Chinese astrological animals are presented anthropomorphically correct – no idea why a snake gets arms, but it does.

Although it ends on Sunday, the pictures and memories will live on for a long time to come.

Ratings (out of 5 taeguks):
Ease to arrive:

Foreigner-friendly:

Convenience facilities:

Worth the visit:

Directions to Cheonggyecheon / Lantern Festival: Take line 1 or 2 of the Seoul subway system to the City Hall station. Take exit 4 to street level and walk about 400 meters. Look for the swirled needle pointing skyward and turn right. Keep walking straight, and head down to stream level (about 7 meters below street level) for the best views. Go at night, but bundle up and watch out for crowds. Free admission.

Destination: Seoul Lantern Festival is a post from: The One One Four

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