Celebrate Lunar New Year with the Seoul Global Center

 The Seoul Global Center is inviting international residents to a special event to celebrate Seollal, Korean Lunar New Year. Participants will be able to learn about Korean traditional customs and culture, taste a variety of international cuisine, and experience traditional folk games. Come and take part in diverse programs while enjoying a pleasant time with other expats. 

►Date & Time: January 19 (Thr), 2012, 14:00 – 16:00

►Venue: Seoul Global Center (3^rd fl. of Press Center, City Hall Station, Lines 1&2, Exit 5)

►Participants: any international residents in Seoul

Seoul Global Center

Tel: 2075-4180, http://global.seoul.go.kr 

✽If you want to participate, click HERE to download the reservation form and send it to us by email michyk@sba.seoul.kr

Cultural Views 2011:

 The WHYs and HOWs of Korean Ways

 3^rd Session: The Whys & Hows of Korean Ways in Family & Home

• Time and Date : 19:30-21:00, Friday, August 26^th
• Venue : Seoul Global Culture & Tourism Center
• Language : English
• Free admission 

Seoul Global Culture & Tourism Center, established and operated by Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Tourism Organization, is presenting a special lecture series for international citizens in Seoul.

Our third lecture will cover everything about Korean culture in family and home.  Isabelle will begin by comparing the form of family in the past and at present and moving on to explore the meaning of family and home along with changes in the recent years and more. Join us in listening to Isabelle’s cultural observations and get her perspectives to your burning questions.

For more information & to RSVP:

 -Email : seoulcenter@seoulwelcome.com                 

-Phone: (02) 3789-7961

TOPIK

TOPIK, or Test of Proficiency in Korean, is a Korean language test which is offered twice annually to foreigners in Korea and those who study Korean in other countries. TOPIK is administered by the Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation.

The Yeoksam Global Village Center will begin a new term of free TOPIK class on Friday, March 4, which will run from 10:45 to12:00. The course aims at foreigners who wish to obtain the TOPIK level 3 or 4.

1. Duration:  March 4 ~ June 24, 2011 (4 months, every Friday)
2. Location:  Seminar room, Yeoksam Global Village Center
3. Registration period:  February 14 – 24
4. Application procedure:  Must be done in person at the Yeoksam GVC
5. Fees: Course is free of charge (Textbooks must be purchased by students)
6. Necessary documents: A passport sized color photo of the applicant (size: 3×4 cm)
7. Admission will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.
8. Availability: Between 10 and 12 students

During the course, if a student is absent more than 5 times, the student will no longer be allowed to participate in the class. If your schedule does not allow you to attend the course regularly, you may not be accepted into the class.

To make further inquiries, please contact us 02-3453-9038~9 or email us at yeoksam@sba.seoul.kr.

Directions to Yeoksam Global Village Center: Subway line 2, Gangnam station, Exit 1. 
Walk straight and pass the Yeoksam Tax Office, then take a right when you reach the Woori Bank.  Walk until you find the BMS Building, next to Pitti Café.  We are on the 5th floor of the Yeoksam 1 Cultural Center.

Banggui aka The Farting Lady

DATE: through February 27 (Sunday) 2011
TIME: Tues-Thur: 11AM, 2PM / Fri: 11AM, 2PM, 4:30PM / Sat-Sun: 2PM, 4PM / Closed Mondays
Entrace Fee: W25,000 per person
Place: Seoul Namsan Gugak  (Traditional) Theater, Chungmuro Station, Lines 3, Exits 3 & 4 (Walk 200m along the alley between Dongguk Univ. Culture Contents Complex and Maeil Business Newspaper Bldg.)
This performance is produced by Korea’s Sadari Theater Company and Britain’s Moby Duck Theater Company. Based on a Korean folk tale about a farting lady, the performance shocases traditional Korean dance, mime, and puppet shows.

For more information contact 02-2261-0514

(For foreign lanaguage services, call 02-1330 or 120, press #9)

Manga Realities: Exploring the Art of Japanese Comics Today

For inquiries, contact Artsonje Center Tel. 02-733-8945 or visit the website http://www.artsonje.org/asc.

This month we will be doing another class in which Korean and expat children can come to the center and do a fun activity together. Children from kindergarten to grade 3 are welcome to join.

This time the children will have a chance to make their own pizzas at a restaurant right here in Itaewon called Pizza Peel. There will be a short introduction to pizza making, then the kids will make their own pizza with a partner and eat together.

◈ Date & Time: Thursday January 27th, 4:30 – 5:30pm

◈ Place: Pizza Peel

◈ Participants: Both Korean and foreign children

◈ Participation Fee: 5,000won

Please visit the center in person, send us an email, or call to register.

Email: itaewon@sba.seoul.kr

Tel: 02) 2199-8884

[Expat's View]

My Experience living in Korea

                                                                                                         Written by Alberto Giacchini

Having lived in Korea since before the Asian financial crisis of 1997 or as the Koreans refer to it as “IMF”, I have had the good fortune to witness Korean history in the making. Throughout the years Korea has had low points, but Koreans characteristically are able to attack these situations with an uncommon strength and resolve. Ultimately, they have created a country which has made the world take notice.

From very early in my stay in Korea I came to realize the energy that this country had. I knew that I wanted to live here, but in my early days in Korea there were challenges with living here because of the unfamiliarity of everything related to day-to-day living. If I wanted to live in Korea and be a part of this dynamic country I would have to do something to support myself so I could live here. It was at this point that I started one of the first foreign- invested small businesses in Korea. To start this business was certainly challenging. Although the laws had changed to allow foreign business owners, it was difficult to know exactly what the laws were or where to turn to. In many situations, even though provisions allowing foreign investors to do business in Korea were passed, this information was often not communicated to the officials on the front lines with which you had to deal with on a daily basis.

Added to this were the unfamiliarity of the business customs in Korea, the language and the cultural challenges. Combined, these elements made doing business in Korea frustrating to say the least. Many delays and false starts which cost time and money could have been avoided if there would have been somewhere I could have gone for information.

Korea and Koreans although usually very gracious, can also be frustrating. But as frustrating as they may be they have an uncanny knack that once they realize that there is a problem they attack the problem with total conviction. A case in point is the Seoul Global Center. With the influx of foreign residents in Seoul, the metropolitan government realized that these residents were having difficulties in living in Seoul. With this in mind, the Seoul Metropolitan government decided to provide services focused on foreign residence to ease their life in Seoul. From my involvement with the Center, I can say that the Seoul Global Center fills a real need and is a great success. I only wish that a center like this was available years ago when I first came to Korea.

Mr Alberto Giacchini is a professor at Sejong University, and also a member of the Seoul Global Center Business Advisory Committee.

[Expat's View] 

I Want to Be a Bridge between Korea and Japan

                                                                                                  Written by Osamu Naka (Japan)

Let me briefly introduce myself. I arrived in Seoul on July in 2007. By that time, I had been here two times just for short business trips. I remember my company had assigned me as a representative, it seriously made me worry about myself that I may not communicate with people in the Korean language. However I started my business and my life with this personal worrisome just like many other foreign people may have.

A few months later, I experienced important momentum. When I was looking for my line at Yongsan subway station looking like a Japanese tourist who loses the way, a few Korean young guys approached to help me explaining in English about how to buy a T-Money Card and how to go to Ichon Station where I live. If it was in my home country Japan, ordinary people shall be hesitating to approach to any foreigners to help due to a lack of skills of communicating in foreign languages.

Another chance was coming at the finals of World Baseball Classic between Korea VS Japan. I watched games on TV at a coffee shop and through the wide and big screen at City Hall.

The Japanese Team won the game but it was of little importance to me. What made me happy at that moment was that many Korean people were giving a big applause to both teams and their good plays with respect. I learnt from these two events that both Korea and Japan should be more friendly and close to each other to enjoy our lives.

My company, JCB International Groups has been providing foreigners assistant service to mainly Japanese tourists in Korea since 1992. 

The nature of Japanese tourists has changed a lot; they are showing big interests in Korean cuisine, traditional aesthetics, cosmetics and Korean movie starts. In the center of this interest, there are young Japanese ladies.  

Looking at this current phenomenon, I am sure that the relationship between Korea and Japan is becoming strengthened at ordinary people’s level.

The number of Japanese tourists who travel to Korea is 2.4 million, similar to that of Korean tourists who visit Japan. This proves that the relationship of the two countries has promoted.

However, to my regrets, my experience is somewhat limited to Seoul since I’m residing in the city. I find many young Korean people learn Japanese culture and language. The ratio of those people is much higher than that of Japanese who are learning Korean culture and language in Japan. This is why I’ve determined to join activities as an advisory member of the Seoul Global Centre.

I am truly hoping that Japanese realize that the greater city of Seoul is opening its gate to Japanese tourists and investors, along with its citizens.

Mr Osamu Naka is the president of JCB Card International (Korea) Co., Ltd, and also a member of the Seoul Global Center Business Advisory Committee.

2010 Population and Housing Census in Korea

Census period 

Method 1(Online): by November 7, 2010

Method 2 (In-person interview with a census taker): November 1 – 15, 2010 
 
Statistics Korea is planning to carry out the 2010 Population and Housing Census, starting from November 1, 2010. 

The Population and Housing Census is an obligatory process that involves inquiring into all Koreans and foreigners residing in the Republic of Korea in compliance with the Statistics Act.

You can conveniently fill out the Population and Housing Census form online through an Internet response system.

For a household that did not respond online, census takers, employees hired by the local government to carry out the Population and Housing Census,  will visit the home to fill out the census form.

The Population and Housing Census form can be downloaded in any one of eight foreign languages of your choice.

Visit the 2010 Population and Housing Census Website at http://census.go.kr/hcensus/intro.html 

When you click the link above, you will see the page like this.

Choose your language and click “Go”, and it will guide you through the instructions and the process.

Further information : Contact 080-200-1345 +3 (English)

We really appreciate you all for your keen interest in G20 Seoul Summit Concert which is hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Seoul Metropolitan Government.

It would have been great if this time’s event could accommodate all of you who sent in requests for tickets to share unforgettable memories at the concert which will have a worldly renowned conductor, Myung-whun Chung, on the stage.

However, unfortunately, we had no other choice but to grant requests for tickets according to the order in which they were received due to the limited number of the seats.

Given the situation, we kindly ask for your understanding and apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause. For those who received an invitation should exchange it with a seat ticket on November 7 (Sunday) at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.

We will do our best to provide as many opportunties as possible to attend events like this one.

Seoul Global Center