The House of Sharing

An hour’s combined bus and taxi ride south of Seoul, in bucolic countryside, is the House of Sharing, a very special retirement home. Here live eight witnesses to the systematic establishment and running of Japanese military brothels across Asia before and during WWII. Comfort women is the euphemism coined by the Japanese military for those forced to work in these brothels and is a term I first became familiar with while living in Japan in the early 1990s. At that time, this issue – long buried away through a combination of national shame and official myopia – came to public attention through the courageous testimonies of the victims – 70% of whom were Korean – and their demand for official recognition and compensation from the Japanese government.

“Violence, starvation, rape, disease, torture and death – these were the common experiences of the so-called ‘comfort women’,” says Heather Evans, one of the volunteer guides leading the monthly English-language tour around the House of Sharing’s museum. There was nothing in the least bit comfortable about the lives of the poor girls – and most of them were girls, aged between 13 and 16 – forced to service between 30 and 40 soldiers a day. At the House of Sharing they prefer the respectful term halmoni, which means grandmother in Korean. A study by the UN has put the number of women involved at around 210,000 (the Japanese government claims the figure was only 50,000) but the irony is that because of what happened to these women, very few are actually grandmothers. Furthermore, because of the stigma attached to having been a sexual slave , some of the women who “came out” about their horrific past have been disowned by the families they do have.

The halmoni – who are all in their 80s or early 90s – are described as activists and quite rightly so, since they continue to mount a weekly protest outside Seoul’s Japanese embassy to press for their demands. The strain of having to do this, however, has taken its toll and so now the old women do not regularly meet visitors to the House of Sharing to share their stories. Instead, video documentaries about them are screened and discussions are held about their plight and the ongoing sexual trafficing of women around the world. The videos, and anecdotes from the guides, paint these frail, sometimes crotchety women as pillars of strength who after a lifetime of shame and sorrow have chosen to spend their twilight years as campaigners for social justice. Sadly, it is not a role they are always thanked for in Korea – Heather tells us about how, even out here in the countryside, some local people have called the women liars and have even thrown pebbles at them.

“We must record these things that were forced upon us.” These words by Kim Hak Soon, one of the first Korean halmoni to testify about her experiences, introduce the museum exhibition which includes a replica of the  stark rooms the sex slaves occupied in the brothels, and display of the artworks created by the halmoni that reflect their feelings and experiences. Overall it’s a heavy-going experience but one not without a sense of hope – both at the amazing resilience of the human spirit and the prospect for reconciliation. It’s heartening to hear that the greatest number of visitors to the House of Sharing come from Japan and that every year a Peace Road Program brings Korean and Japanese students together to help further understanding of their countries’ painfully entwined history and how they might work together rather than against each other in the future.

A new single level home is being constructed for the halmoni. This will include accommodation for people who would like to spend more time out here  - a room will be W10,000, full-board W10,000 extra.

Bampo Bridge Fountain

Finally got around to seeing the Banpo Bridge Fountain in action –  this spectacular sight has been recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records at the world’s longest bridge fountain. A total of 380 nozzles spaced down 570m of each side of the bridge spout 190 tons of water per minute in graceful arcs into the Han River

At night coloured lights turn the water sprays into a rainbow. Celine Dion notwithstanding – rousing pop songs provide the soundtrack the for the 20 minute-long displays which play each weekend at intervals between 12.30pm and 9.20pm – its best to come after dark to experience the full effect of the lighting design. Usually fountains on one side of the bridge operate but you may be fortunate and catch them both in full flow.

The Banpo is actually a double decker bridge with the lower level hosting a couple of cycle lanes and footpaths – walking the length of the bridge over the Han while the fountains are playing is memorable and makes for some great shots of Seoul at night – yet another great free show put on by the city for the citizens.

Into the DMZ

Last Tuesday I took a trip into the 4km-wide and 240km-long buffer known as the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) which slices the Korean Peninsula into two fiercely opposed countries. Lined on both sides by tank traps, electrical fences, landmines and two armies in full battle readiness, it is one of the scariest places on earth. It is also one of the most surreal since it has become a major tourist attraction with several observatories allowing you to peek into North Korea. For history buffs and collectors of weird experiences a visit here is not to be missed, although it left me feeling depressed – more on this later.

The place that most people want to go is the Joint Security Area (JSA), 55km north of Seoul, inside of which is the truce village of Panmunjom. The only way into this heavily restricted area is on an organised tour and I chose to take the popular one run by the United Service Organizations. The following will give you an idea of what to expect.

Though your tour will likely be a quiet one, the soldier ‘tour guides’ will remind you that this frontier is no stranger to violent incidents, the most notorious being in 1976 when two US soldiers were hacked to death by axes by North Korean soldiers after the former had tried to chop down a tree obstructing the view from a watch tower. Camp Bonifas, the joint US-ROK army camp just outside the DMZ, is named after one of the slain soldiers.

Some of this history was related by the USO volunteer guide (in my case, Joseph, a sprightly Korean retiree) on the bus as we drove out of Seoul. At Camp Bonifas, US soldier guides took over, making sure we all signed a disclaimer absolving the authorities of any responsibility if a gun battle – or indeed war – broke out during our time in the DMZ. After a rapid-fire briefing on what we were about to see, and how we should behave (absolutely no photos unless we are instructed it’s OK), we boarded specially designated buses to travel into the JSA towards the collection of blue-painted UN buildings that constitute Panmunjom. Official meetings are still sometimes held here and in the main conference room, mikes on the tables constantly record everything said. Straddling the ceasefire line, this is the only place where you can safely walk into North Korea. South Korean soldiers stand guard inside and out in a modified ‘taekwondo’ stance – an essential photo op – and their North Korean counterparts keep a steady watch – on my visit from quite a distance.

Back on the bus we were taken to one of Panmunjom’s look out posts from where the two villages within the DMZ were pointed out. On the south side is Daeseong-dong, a government-subsidised village where the resident families live in modern houses with high-speed internet connections and earn a tax-free annual income of over US$80,000 from their seven hectare farms. There’s an 11pm curfew, and soldiers stand guard while the villagers work in the rice fields or tend their ginseng plants.

On the North Korean side of the line Gijeong-dong is known by the South as the Propoganda Village because virtually all the buildings are empty or just facades – the lights all come on and go off here at the same time at night. The village’s primary feature is a 160m-high tower flying a flag that weighs nearly 300kg, markedly larger than the one on the South Korean side. It’s believed that some workers from the nearby Kaesong Industrial Complex may now be living in Gijeong-dong.

Before leaving the camp we drop by the Monastery Visitors Centre selling DMZ baseball caps, T-shirts and other souvenirs. Nearby is the world’s most dangerous golf course, with just one 192yd, par three hole surrounded by barbed wire and landmines – it’s all very M.A.S.H.

Next on the tour itinerary was a visit to the Dora Observatory, where you can peer through binoculars for a closer look at North Korea, including Kaesong city and Kaesong Industrial Complex, where North Korean labourers make all kinds of things for South Korean conglomerates. At the foot of the mountain stands Dorasan train station, currently the northern terminus of South Korea’s rail line and a symbol of the hope for the eventual reunification and a chance to ride through to Pyongyang.

Lunch is taken at a tourist complex where more DMZ souvies are on sale. Then it’s on to on to another area DMZ-themed area built around the Third Infiltration Tunnel. Since 1974 four tunnels have been found running under the DMZ, dug by the North Koreans so that their army could launch a surprise attack. A walk down here – some 70m underground – is not for the claustrophobic or the tall. As you creep hunched over to reach the coiled barbed wire at the triple concrete wall blocked end of the tunnel you’ll quickly realise why they issue hard hats to protect heads from knocking the low ceiling. The guide pointed out how the North Koreans had painted the rocks black so they might claim it was a coal mine.

Joseph pointed out that these tunnels were being dug in the 1970s at the same time the North Koreans were engaged in peace talks  with South Korea – thus proving their two-faced nature and how South Korea could never really trust their brothers across the border. This lingering mistrust and suspicion on both sides is the saddest aspect of this on-going conflict – “reunification” is a word you’ll hear a lot during a DMZ tour, but as a reality this seems as far off now as it probably did back when the barbed wire, land mines and armies were set down on both sides of this tragic border over 50 years ago.

Anyang Art Park

I was joined yesterday by local expat foodie Joe McPherson of Zen-Kimchi fame, on a trip out to Anyang Art Park containing 52 quirky pieces of sculpture by both Korean and international artists dotted along the rocky river bank and amongst the trees. The park is short bus ride north of the satellite suburb of Anyang, 20km south of Seoul, in a densely wooded valley between the mountains Kwanak-san and Samsung-san. Joe, who lives in the area, tells me how this was once a regular Korean resort place until a flood left it looking the worse for wear. Anyang city decided to go a shopping spree for public art and the resulting park is highly quirky and entertaining.

Pieces include the spinning Dancing Buddha – you can actually dance with it since it spins

the 3-D Mirror Labyrinth

the Anyang Crate House Dedicated to the Lost (Pagoda), made of mulitcoloured plastic German beer crates,

and the freaky Boy + Girl that messes with perspective.

Climb up to the spiral observatory for a fantastic view across the valley, or go outside the park to explore several of the Buddhist temples that cling to the hillsides.

Back in by the river is all the busy commercial activity typically associated with a resort area – it can get very busy here with family outings and picnics on the weekend.

You could check out what’s showing in the Anyang Art Center in a sleek minimalist building designed by Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza or go splash around in Anyang Waterland. Alternatively enjoy mechuri (메추리), quail roasted over charcoal, available at several stalls such as Sunolaepang (수노래방) with the blue awning next the Art Center.

The Great Wall of Seoul

Since the late 14^th century a 18.2km wall has defined the city of Seoul linking up the peaks of Bukaksan (342m), Naksan (125m), Namsan (262m) and Inwangsan (338m). Today only about 10.5km of the wall remains, most of it snaking across the highest peaks with just major gates such as Dongdaemun (see previous post) surviving on the city’s lowland area. In 2007, the section of the wall around Bukaksan, which had been firmly off-limits to civilians for 40 years so as to provide security for the nearby Blue House, the official home of South Korea’s president, was opened up to the public. Hiking this stretch not only provides a strenuous 2 hour work out and amazing views of the city – weather permitting – but has the added frisson of still high security.

The website’s info about foreigners needing to apply in advance to walk the route is no longer true – anyone can turn up without making an advance reservation, but you do need to bring your passport along to gain access which is allowed Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 3pm. You’ll be issued with a security tag which you’ll have to surrender once you exit the walk. Photography is strictly forbidden except at designated view spots – this is to protect the various military installations along the way. And just in case you were thinking of sneaking in a snap with that mobile phone camera – don’t! There are CCTV cameras at 20m intervals as well as squadrons of army personnel, casually dressed in trendy hiking gear and caps. “They want people to be relaxed,” explained Mr Han, the head of Seoul’s city tourism department who was accompanying me on the hike.

My unathorised snapping of the Rose of Sharon, Korea’s national flower that blooms profusely on these verdant slopes, caused a minor security flap – resulting in a squadie being assigned to us for the rest of the hike and earning Mr Han a lecture from an army official for not arranging this all in advance (poor guy, he was just trying to show off his city to the best advantage!). The hassle and the sweat getting up the peak of Bukaksan was well worth it, though, for the sweeping panorama right across the city to south of the Han River. The young squadies are very friendly and called me over to photograph one of the 19 deer who live on the slopes and whom they feed from time to time.

The wall is in excellent condition and with all the security you get a vivid sense of its original purpose as the last line of defense for the city. All up, one of my more unique hiking experiences.

Designs on Seoul

In 2010 Seoul will become the World Design Capital. Among the many projects that are happening across the city connected with that is the building of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza & Park (DDPP) to a plan by starkitect Zaha Hadid termed “Metronymic Landscape”. To find out more I visited the DDPP Information Center which sits at the corner of a vast building site where once stood Dongdaemun Stadium. Nearby is the eastern fortress gate that the area is named after – sitting in splendid isolation amid a traffic island – while on the west side is one of Seoul’s liveliest market districts.

When it’s fully completed by the close of 2011, the DDPP will take its place as one of the architectural wonders of the city, a legacy of current Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s drive to make Seoul synonymous with top class design. Standing on the viewing platform of the information center and looking out across the site you have to use quite a bit of imagination to see how it will turn out – all the details are at hand inside via models, illustrative panels and state-of-the-art touch screen displays. The park, occupying around a third of the 160,000 sqm site is on target for completion this October. Running through it will be a section of the Seoul fortress wall and the original flood gates which the public will be able to walk around. Other archaeological remains are going to be preserved as part of the park.

Hadid’s organic form of architecture managed to combine both a very natural and totally futuristic, space-age look – it promises to be every bit as iconic a building as Bilbao’s Guggenheim or Sydney’s Opera House.

Korea House

Last night I attended a performance at Korea House followed up by one of their delicious royal cuisine banquets. As a succinct introduction to traditional Korean performing arts the show is perfect and has very high production standards, with accomplished performers dressed in beautiful costumes. Over the course of an hour you get to see a fluttering fan dance by a troupe of female dancers; a dramatic rendition of Korea-style opera known as Pansori; several more dances and  a piece played by an ensemble using traditional instruments – this started out sounding like unconnected noises to my Western ears, but gradually became more musically harmonious. Best of all were the Ohgo-mu – dance with five drums in which energetic and amazingly co-ordinated female drummers banged out rhythms within a frame made up of drums and the Nongak Nori (Farmer’s Music) dance by the males who flick their heads to fling out a long ribbon in swirling circles.

No photos are allowed during the performance which is just as well since, in what seems to becoming a regular feature of my attendance at such events, I was asked up on stage to join the dancers in one of their routines – my inept handling of a hand drum earned me a pair of souvenir drum sticks. Afterwards I joined the line of Japanese tourists to have my photo snapped with some of the dancers in the courtyard of the Korea House before heading back inside for a sumptuous banquet enjoyed in the lively company of Ms Won Bok Jang, an intern at KTO. Here you can see just the initial set up of banchan (side dishes) surrounding Gucheolpan –  an assortment of nine different foods that are DIY spring rolls. LOTS more followed.

Architecture as Art

While the northern half of Seoul has some notable pieces of contemporary architecture, it’s south of the Han River that you’ll see the most ambitious buildings, most of which benefit from showcase spots along super-wide boulevards. Apgujeong and Gangnam are both worth visiting at night to admire the lighting effects playing across luminous shell façade of the Galleria mall and the electronic art pillars lining Gangnam-daeru. Among other favourites buildings I’ve spotted are:

Horim Art Center (tel 541 3525; www.horimartcenter.org; adult/child W8000/5000; 10.30pm-6pm Tue, Thu-Sun, until 8pm on Wed; bline 3 to Apgujeong, Exit 6) Designed by Tehje Architecture Office this is exactly the sort of stylish complex you’d expect to find in chic Apgujeong, but so often don’t. The building’s design was inspired by pottery and inside the lustrous walls you’ll find a museum devoted to this Korean art form.

Kring Gumho Culture Complex (www.kring.co.kr) Looking like a giant music speaker crossed with a slab of Swiss cheese this incredible steel-clad building, designed by Unsangdong Architects (www.usdspace.com) appears particularly dramatic when illuminated at night. Inside are offices, exhibitions spaces, a cinema and a café.

Tangent Hyundai Development Company commissioned Daniel Libeskind to work with Seoul-based firm Himma on their headquarters – the result is one of Seoul’s boldest architectural statements, an enormous sculpture in glass, concrete and steel, reminiscent of a painting by Kandinsky.

Art Gallery Walk

The following is a preview of a walk around some of Seoul many commercial art galleries – it’s going to be part of the Seoul chapter in the new guide book – here you get to see some photos taken along the way.

Photographs highlighting climate change; dreamy modern renditions of traditional Korean landscape paintings; quirky public art sculptures; and a portrait of Hitler with 2m long moustache: a sample of what might you encounter on this stroll through Seoul’s eclectic contemporary art scene, starting in up-and-coming Tongui-dong west of Gyeongbokgung palace and progressing to Samchong-dong and Insa-dong to the east. Set aside the better part of a day to see everything, especially if you want to tour the palace and linger in one or more of the area’s multitude of restaurants and cafes. Unless otherwise mentioned the galleries are free. Don’t do this walk on Sunday or Monday when many of the galleries will be closed.

“Visitors to Seoul are often quite surprise by the diversity of art and number of galleries here,” says Monica Cha, owner of Gallery Cha (tel 730-1700; Mon-Fri 11am-7pm, Sat noon-6pm) specialising in emerging Korean artists. Cha is my guide on the walk – she starts by recommending the nearby Daelim Contemporary Art Museum (tel 720 0667; www.daelimmuseum.org; entry varies with exhibition; 10am-6pm) in a building with a lovely garden to the rear.

Back on the main road at the next corner is Jean Art Gallery (tel 738 7570; www.jeanart.net) one of the pioneers of the Tongui-dong gallery scene. Look for the metallic butterfly sculpture between the gallery’s two red brick buildings; art inside includes a 2m tall dotted pumpkin sculpture by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.

Further down the street peek into the packing crate turned into a one-room gallery, one of several projects in the area by Kunstdoc (tel 722 8897; www.kunstdoc.com).

Return to the main street and perhaps pause for a bowl of buckwheat noodles at the simple eatery Memilggot Pilmuryop (메밀꽃 필 무렵;%734 0367; meal W6000; noon-8pm): “It’s very popular at lunch time,” says Cha. Turn left here to find a row of hanok; on the left down an alley is the gallery and studio Ryugaheon (류가헌) in one of the hanoks.

Return to the main road, pass the non-profit gallery Brain Factory (tel 725 9520; www.brainfactory.org; 11am-6pm Tue-Sun) then turn left again into a street lined with appealing places to eat and shop including the second-hand book shop Gagarin (tel 736 9005; h12.30-7.30pm Tue-Sun) and the mid-century modern design café mk2 (tel 730 6420; 11am-11pm).

Around the corner to the right you won’t miss Zein Xeno, a red painted building with a pair of green legs sticking out of its facade. Nearby is another appealing café-bakery Goghi (tel 734 4907; www.goghi.kr; 11am-10pm) with changing exhibitions on its walls.

Retrace your steps back to the palace entrance, passing through the grounds to the east side to locate some of Seoul’s most established gallery spaces. Gallery Hyundai (tel 287 3500; www.galleryhyundai.com; 10am-6pm) has two outlets close by each other here; their main gallery is now south of the river in Gangnam. Pause to see what’s showing at Kumho Museum of Art (tel 720 5114; www.kumhomuseum.com; W1000; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun).

Between the galleries Hakogojae (tel 720 1524; www.hakgojae.com; 10am-7pm Tue-Sat, until 6pm Sun), in a converted hanok, and Kukje (tel 735 8449; www. www.kukje.org; 10am-6pm) is an old military building that is being converted to house the new annex of the National Museum of Contemporary Art; be sure to search out Kukje’s second gallery tucked away off the main strip and look up to the roof to spot the running woman sculpture by Jonathan Borofsky, the American artist who created the giant Hammering Man statue in the Gwanghwamun area.

Follow the main road to right and then take a sharp turn right to head into the heart of Samcheong-dong packed with gift shops, boutiques and more galleries; “I think this area has become too commercial” says Monica, who does favour the funkily-decorated café Kopi Bangasgan (커피 방앗간; tel 732 7656; 8.30am-11pm).

Turn right at Coffee Factory and head down hill to the junction. Turn left at the tourist information office and follow the road over the hill and down into the main Bukchon Hanok Village area, passing tiny Void Gallery at the sharp end of block on which you’ll find a branch of the Wood n’ Brick café-bakery; its few art works are always on display through the glass windows.

Turn left at the junction and look for the sculpture “Eating a Biscuit Together” that doubles as a bench in front of the Bukchon Art Museum (tel 741 2296; h11am-6pm Mon-Sat). Monica’s pick of another couple of galleries worth seeing in the area are: Gallery Skape (tel 011 9700 8130; www.skape.co.kr) and, across the road, One and J. Gallery (tel 745 1644; www.oneandj.com; 11am-6pm Tue-Sun).

Return to the tourist information centre – across the road is Artsonje Center (tel 733 8945; www.artsonje.org/asc; adult/student/child W3000/1500/1000; 11am-7pm Tue-Sun) – there’s invariably an interesting exhibition here, as well as an appealing book café and art-house cinema. Heading south of towards Insa-dong, is one of Monica’s favourite eateries: Cheonjinpoja (천진포자; meal W5000), a simple place serving meat, seafood or vegetable stuffed dumplings.

At the of the street turn left to find Anguk station; alternatively, if you’re still in search of more art, there are scores more galleries across the road along and around Insa-dong gil, including Artside (tel 725 1020; www.artside.org; 10am-6.30pm), Insa Gallery (tel 735 2655; www.insagallery.net; 10am-6pm) and the venerable Sun Art Center (www.sungallery.co.kr; 10am-6pm).

E-Stars Seoul

Second only to soccer in popularity as a “sport” in South Korea is playing computer games, or E-Sports as they are known. To get an idea of how big the scene is I dropped by the E-stars Seoul 2009 event being held at the SETEC convention hall south of the Han River. Yuni Lee from JoongAng Ilbo, the major Korean media company who are one of the event’s main sponsors, showed me around  the event’s various areas in what I’m getting to know as typical rush-rush Seoul fashion. In the Tournament Arena the Asia Championships of two games – Club Audition (a dancing game) and Southern Attack (usually shoot to kill stuff) are being played out on rows of monitors either side of the area set aside for the Continental Cup showdowns between teams East and West over the games Counter Strike and Warcraft.

In another hall is the Windy Zone ULTRA Lan-Party (don’t ask me what the name means, please!) This turned out to be a zone where game developers and publishers tested out new product on eager consumers. Get a stamp after you’ve played each of the games and once you have a full card you can go and collect a prize – the nice girl promoting one game gave me the prize any way – it’s the green plushy arm rest thingy, a copy of the character in the game which involved sweeping up a variety of different items around an obstacle course (I think! Sorry, I’m not the most adept gamer).

In the final hall the e-Party was in full swing – this was the family friendly zone; no nasty violent shoot ‘em up games here – just girls likes these in faux-sexy cartoon girl costumes peddling the latest game franchise.

There were plenty of people attending the event, but the real crowds would descend later in the evening once the StarCraft superstars swung on by. In case you didn’t know (I didn’t), StarCraft, an 11 year old military/sci-fi strategy game (that’s practically the equivalent of a dinosaur in gaming circles) has shifted some 5 million copies in Korea since its initial release, despite it never having been translated into Korean. It’s so popular in that there learning English books that use StarCraft terms as the basis of their vocabulary and grammar lessons.

“StarCraft tournaments are screened on TV here seven days  a week. Three of the most famous professional StarCraft players are all South Korean – guys such as Boxer, Nacha and Savior” explained Dan Stemkoski (gamer ID: Artosis) who along with Nick Plott (ID: Tasteless) was providing English language commentary for the event. These guys’ full time job is to be the English voices on the two TV channels that carry e-Sports – Ongamenet and MBC Game. “Its a dream come true,” said Dan, who like Nick has found himself catapulted into the mainstream of Korean pop cultural stardom. The attention they get, though, is nothing compared to that lavished on the star e-gamers who are groomed, primped and sent to the gym as well as having to train for 10 hours a day with one day off. No wonder they’re pretty much burned out by the time they’re 25.