The Rural-20 Project was launched by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MIFAFF) to introduce people to the scenic beauty and unique culture of Korea’s countryside. In anticipation of the G-20 Summit in November, MIFAFF will be operating the ‘Rural-20 Supporters’ Project from August to November to give visitors and international residents a chance to explore the countryside.
Twenty rural sites across the nation have been carefully selected as prime destinations and categorized into four themes (Experience, Nature, Orient, and Well-being), letting visitors easily pick locations suited to their individual interests. Tours are further divided into one-day or two-day programs, with an easy-to-use map showing site locations and types.
Though anyone can register on the site as a supporter, tours only have room for a total of roughly 2 thousand participants. Costs will be fully covered by MIFFAF and applications for the event are available at the dedicated website at www.rural20.kr. Services will be available in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese. More information on registration and reservations, and Rural-20 Travel guides, are available on the Rural-20 official website (www.rural20.kr).
* 4 categories of Rural-20 areas by theme.
○ Experience Travel: features a variety of experience programs (harvesting crops, fishing, etc.)
○ Nature Travel: focuses on the beauty of the country villages and the wide open fields
○ Orient Travel: includes villages with deep histories and rich cultural heritages
○ Well-being Travel: by doing leisure activities and relaxing, tourists can restore their health both mentally and physically
More Info)
☞ Inquires about Rural-20: +82-2-2075-2013 (English)
(Assistance is available in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese)
☞ Korea Travel Phone +82-33-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) |
Here is a list of useful links for expats in Korea.
This information is provided by the Living Advisory Committee of Seoul Global Center.
- www.korea4expats.com
one-stop source of information for people moving, visiting, living, working in Korea
- www.seoulstyle.com
bars, clubs, restaurants, entertainment, culture, shopping and fashion in Seoul
- www.koreanbloglist.com
Korean related weblogs written in English
- www.sendmetokorea.com
a blog where you can see the glimpse of everyday life in Korea through pictures and videos
- www.theyeogiyo.com
a website for expatriates living in and visiting Korea
- www.prkorea.com/english/aboutvank.html
a newspaper that the cyber diplomats publish for the foreigners residing in Korea
The autumn semester of 2010 Korean Traditional Music Class for Foreigners starts from Sep. 4.The program will be conducted in English and Korean (with language assistants) and the instruments necessary for the lesson will be leased during the class.
1. DURATION
- Sep. 4 ~ Nov 20 (12 weeks) / 10:30~12:30, Every Saturday
* Costumed final presentation scheduled on Nov. 20 and Korean traditional costumes will be leased for free.
2. PARTICIPATION FEE
- 30,000 won (covering the whole 12-week course)
3. CLASSES
- Janggu (Hourglass-Shaped Drum) Beginner’s
- Janggu Intermediate
- Gayageum (12-Stringed Zither)
- Haegeum (Two-Stringed Fiddle)
- Samulnori (Percussion Quartet, Prerequisite janggu class or janggu skills required)
* Classes are subject to be cancelled due to insufficient participants.
4. APPLICATION
- Period : Aug. 19 ~ Sep. 2.
- First come, first served
- How to: download application form, complete it and send it to baewon76@gmail.com.
For more information and questions, feel free to contact Mr. Lee Baewon (02-580-3054, baewon76@gmail.com) or visit the official website http://www.gugak.go.kr/html/jsp/eng_2006/index.jsp
Synopsis Having once done time behind bars, CHA Tae-sik now leads a quiet life. His only connection to the rest of the world is a little girl, So-mi, who lives nearby. So-mi’s mother, Hyo-jeong, smuggles drugs for a drug trafficking organization and entrusts Tae-sik with the product. When the traffickers find out they kidnap both Hyo-jeong and So-mi. Mistaking Tae-sik for another mule, the brothers that lead the gang—Man-sik and Jong-sik—promise to release Hyo-jeong and So-mi if Tae-sik makes a delivery for them. Tae-sik makes the decision to face the outside world in order to rescue So-mi. However, the delivery was part of a larger plot to eliminate a rival drug ring leader, Mr. Oh, and Tae-sik is arrested. At the same time, Hyo-jeong’s disemboweled body is discovered, and Tae-sik realizes that So-mi’s life may also be in danger. He fights off half a dozen detectives and escapes from the police station. Now on the run, Tae-sik pursues Man-sik and Jong-sik. In the process, he discovers that their drug ring operates around kidnapped children. Stumbling upon a factory where the brothers have children’s organs removed to accommodate the drugs, Tae-sik rescues one child just before surgery and becomes enraged at the prospect So-mi may already be dead. Tae-sik prepares for a battle with Man-sik and Jong-sik, putting his own life at risk…source Source http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr
Times and locations:
Synopsis
In a follow-up to popular horror film, “Death Bell” (2008), Se-hee is haunted by her step sister Tae-yeon who used to be a promising swimmer but suddenly killed herself in a swimming pool 2 years ago. During the summer vacation, she joins the study camp at school for upcoming college entrance exam with other 30 elite students. On the first night, when Se-hee finds a riddling passage scribbled in the desk, she soon sees a dead girl’s body hung upside down. Then the TV monitors are on and the students watch another friend crushed by his bike in the corridor. Since then, the succession of cruel killings occurs whenever they fail to answer the given questions in time. Meanwhile, the hidden truth behind Tae-yeon’s suicide is slowly revealed and terrified students struggle to death to undo the puzzle before they become the next victim. Source http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr
Times and locations:
Also, looks like I was wrong, there are some final showings (though they are really trickling out) of Moss coming up in the next couple of days:
Movie of the Month “Mother”
The movie of the month for August is called Mother. It was directed by Jung-ho Bong and screened at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. It is considered by many to be the best Korean film of last year.
It is the story of a widow who lives alone with her only son. The son is 28 years old but he is very shy and quiet. A murder is committed, and, although there is no real evidence against him, he is considered the prime suspect. The boy’s mother is determined to protect him and prove his innocence.
◈ Date & Time: Wednesday August 25th at 6:30pm
◈ Place: Itaewon ∙ Hannam Global Village Center
◈ Participants: Open to anyone (not suitable for youger viewers)
◈ Participation Fee: Free of Charge * Snacks and drinks will be provided.
You can sign up by visiting the center, or by telephone or email.
Tel: 02)796-2459~60 / Email: itaewon@sba.seoul.kr
“Are you new to Seoul?”
“Are you curious about what there is to see and do in the city?”
“Do you know about all of the support services available for foreigners?”
On Friday August 27th at 10:30am we will be having a Living in Seoul Orientation Session at the Itaewon-Hannam Global Village Center. At this session you will be able to learn about all the services and great opportunities that are out there for foreigners living in this city.
Seoul is an exciting place with lots of great things to see and do. Whether you or new to Seoul or even if you have lived here for years, you will be able to get some useful tips and learn more about what Seoul has to offer.
The session will consist of an informative presentation, a Q&A session, and finally refreshments and a chance to mingle with the other guests at the end. All those who attend will also receive a package of brochures, maps, and guides that will help make your life in Seoul a lot easier and more enjoyable.
This event is free of charge and anyone is welcome to attend. We just ask that you get in touch with us so we know how many people to expect. If you would like to attend please give us a call or send us an email. Tel: 02)796-2459~60 / Email: itaewon@sba.seoul.kr
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Time
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Program
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10:30~10:45
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Introduction to the Center
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10:45~11:15
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Living in Seoul Presentation
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11:15~11:30
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Q&A Session
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11:30~12:00
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Coffee and Snacks
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Making Makgeolli
(The Korean traditional rice wine)
Makgeolli is the alcoholic drink which has the oldest history in Korea.
The Yeoksam Global Village Center is hosting a program to provide you an opportunity to try making Korean traditional rice wine and to taste other Korean alcoholic beverages, too.
Come share this experience with us! Those interested in the activity, please send an email to yeoksam@sba.seoul.kr with your name, nationality and phone number.
Details :
- Date & Time : 2010, August 25 (Wed), 10:30~13:30
- Place : Bukchon Traditional Culture Center, Subway line 3, Anguk station, exit 2
- Meeting Time : 10 am
- Seats : 10 persons
- Fee : 10,000 won
If you have any questions, please contact the Yeoksam Global Village Center at 02-3453-9038 / 02-3453-9039 or email yeoksam@sba.seoul.kr.
Free Tickets for a Korean Musical
“Welcome to my world”
The Yeoksam Global Village Center invites you a Korean Musical performance.
This performance is made by well known Korean creators and will be performing in Korean.
It is a unique musical comedy and in the story a stewardess of an airline making its first international flight is
murdered and one of her colleagues is the killer. Adults and children 14 years of age and older are welcome to come watch the show. For accompanying children under the age of 14 there will be a hands-on cultural experience class offered in a classroom next to the performance hall. The venue for the show is Haechi Hall, the M Plaza (5th floor) in Myeongdong. There is no parking offered at the theater so using public transportation is recommended. You can reserve tickets for performances on any day (except Tuesdays) from now until September 19th. There are shows at 8:00pm on weekdays, 3:00 and 6:30pm on Saturdays, and 2:00 and 5:30pm on Sundays.
You can reserve free tickets for yourself, your family and friends through our center.
| Day |
Monday~Friday (No Tuesday) |
Saturday |
Sunday/Holidays |
| Time |
20:00 |
15:00, 18:30 |
14:00. 15:30 |
Please contact us at 02-3453-9038~9 or email us at yeoksam@sba.seoul.kr with your name, mobile number and the preferred schedule in order to reserve your tickets.
Details:
- Place: Haechihall, Subway line 4- Myeongdong station, The M Plaza 5th floor
- Fee: FREE
Making a wooden case of Korean National Flag
Korean Independence day aka Gwangbokjeol (August 15), is one of Korea’s Public holidays. It commemorates South Korea’s victory over Japan; the day Korea was liberated from Japanese rule.
To celebrate Gwangbokjeol, the Yeoksam Global Village Center is organizing an event where participants can make wooden cases bearing the Korean National Flag. The activity will include a brief introduction of Korean Flag, its usage, painting a Korean flag on a wooden case and assembling a wooden case set. A Korean National Flag will also be given to the participants to keep.
Please send an email to yeoksam@sba.seoul.kr with your name, nationality and phone number if you wish to attend.
Details:
- Date & Time: Friday, August 13, 2010, 10:00~12:00
- Place: Yeoksam Global Village Center
- Fee: 5,000 won
- Seats Available: 12 persons
- Directions by Subway: Subway line 2, Gangnam station, exit 1, Walk straight and pass the Yeoksam Tax Office, Take right at “Woori Bank”, then walk until you see the BMS Building (Next to the Pitti Café) We are on the 5th floor of the Yeoksam 1 Cultural Center
