Jeju Special Self-Governing Province? Jeju, South Korea

October 25, 2008 by David Holmes · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Editorial

Effective July 1, 2006, Jeju was designated by the central government as a special self-governing province. Since this time, the island has had 2 years to utilize its special status and implement its corresponding legislative mandate. Ostensibly, the purpose was to individuate Jeju as an autonomous provincial entity, but what was the impetus for this in the first place?

Tags: , JEJU, SOUTH KOREA, Special Self Governing

Bong Seon Hwa, a yearly traditional Korean custom, Jeju, Korea

October 24, 2008 by Sherrin Hibbard · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Jeju & Korean Culture

Recently, you may have noticed that a lot of women, and maybe some of your students, have orange coloured fingertips and nails. No, they are not nicotine stains! This is the time of year, after the rains, when women and children dye their nails with the bong seon hwa plant.

Spelled “bong seon hwa” (봉 선 화), traditionally dyed nails are considered to be very beautiful and it is said that if your nails are still orange by the time the first snow falls, you will marry your first love.

Tags: , bong seon hwa, 봉 선 화, JEJU, Nail, painting, SOUTH KOREA

How to visit Gapado, Jeju, South Korea

October 19, 2008 by Jim Saunders · 2 Comments
Filed under: Outlying Islands, Things to Do, Things to See

In the distance I see two weather beaten, elderly ladies bracing themselves against a tall, stone wall, lost in a squawking conversation about some mundane topic. As I get closer and louder, empty seashells crunching under foot, their heads jerk up. Suddenly I’m the topic of conversation. It’s a foreigner! I give a small wave and say “Annyeong Hayseo”. More astonishment from the ladies - the foreigner speaks Korean! This is Gapado, the last but one islet on the far southern reaches of South Korea. And this is the reaction I get anywhere here, because it’s so under visited by foreigners. With the absence of mass tourism it’s like stepping back to a Jeju of twenty-five years past.

Tags: Gapado, Howto, JEJU, SOUTH KOREA

Vegetarian restaurants, Jeju, South Korea

October 19, 2008 by Jenie Hahn · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Places to Eat

One of the first Korean expressions that my Canadian vegan friend learned to say when she came to Jeju Island was ‘Gogi Bbaego’ (고기 빼고). Translation: “take out the meat.” Being almost a strict vegetarian (she sometimes chooses to eat eggs), she had to be wary whenever she went to a new restaurant. She consequently perfected the art of saying it just like a native speaker with the right amount of nuance and emphasis because she had to say it so many times. The rest of her Korean was far from perfect, but I have to concede that she could say just this without any accent whatsoever by the time she left Jeju.

Tags: , JEJU, SOUTH KOREA, Vegetarian restaurants

A guide to online book buying, Jeju, South Korea

October 19, 2008 by Dan Nabben · 1 Comment
Filed under: Books

‘Whatthebook.com.’ Based in Seoul. Run by Chris Chiavetta. Web site is available in both English and Korean. Domestic bank-to-bank transfers and Paypal available. Free shipping on most orders of two books or more, but there are exceptions. It is essentially Amazon.com for Korea. Books priced on What the Book will be three or four thousand won more than on Amazon to cover the per-book shipping cost. There are certain combinations of books and certain order sizes that are cheaper through What the Book while some are cheaper through Amazon – some significantly so, and some not. What the Book’s other distinct advantages are its used bookstore and fast books - new books in stock; delivered in two days.

Tags: , Guide, JEJU, korea, Online book buying, SOUTH KOREA

Jeju Art Park, Jeju, South Korea

October 13, 2008 by Sasha Shepherd · 1 Comment
Filed under: Art Galleries & Museums

Jeju Island offers so many hidden treasures that it can be a bit overwhelming. Looking at a map strewn with such enticements as Psyche Butterfly World, Love Land, and Nakcheon Village of Nine Guts (Shamanistic Ritual), it can leave one feeling that there certainly isn’t enough time in a year, much less a weekend, to take it all in. Thus, when spotting a rather nondescript sign for Jeju Art Park, you could be forgiven for driving right by. After all, it sounds like it might be a retired farm couple who decided to make a few extra won by displaying some choice dolharubang on their turnip fields. Fortunately, you would be as pleasantly surprised as I was if you decided to make the trip to this site on the southwest corner of the island.