Chocolate Pizza from Spannew. It wasn't all that bad. I mean it was like nutela with cheese. The pistachios and cashews were a nice crunchy touch as well.
Stuffed Pig's Feet from La Pied in Apgujeong. It was kinda like meatloaf with a condom on it. The dijon butter sauce was good.
Raspberry Sorbet at La Pied. Their desserts are awesome. The pork medallions are quite good as well.
I'm taking photography classes with Feet Man Seoul's Michael Hurt. Are my pics getting better?
A heart for you this Valentine's Day. Anyone need a date? I think if I were to put out a personal ad it would read: SKAM (Single Korean American Male) ISO SF Must like food, long conversations, good music, cooking, traveling, and dogs.
19th Neal's Loft in Itaewon. It's a cute place and they have free wifi.
This is Selyodkka Pod Shuboj.
Solyanka
The beautiful and totally cosmopolitan Elena
Farshirova Nnij Perets
Pelmeni
Our table of bounty
Me.
The EV BOYZ in the TBS eFM studio!
The EV BOYZ hold up the fantabulous host: Sara Kim.
Sara Kim and a Little Traveler.
What we didn't eat for lunch. Dukkbokki and chiggae have a very short lifespan. If they get cold, then you don't want to eat them.
Conveyor Belt Sushi.
Chocolate Pizza from Spanaco or something like that. It was chocolate with cheese and pecans and pistachios. It was alright. I can't say it's something I'd eat again, but...I wouldn't scoff at the idea of another slice.
Close up. Cheese and Chocolate can work- it just needs to be good chocolate and good cheese.
Cow cups. These remind me of my favorite cafe in Portland, Oregon. I think it was called, "Cow jumps over the moon."
Coldstone's Mint chocolate chip is not my favorite. I think Baskin Robbins does a better one. I know that Cold Stone has much better icecream, but I think Mint Chocolate Chip needs to be a little less sophisicated.
An Apple Bear and a Sour Cream Donut from Krispie Kreme. Oh, the Krispie Kreme in Sinchon isn't giving out free donuts anymore when the light is on. Now they give you a coupon when you buy something. You can use the coupon to redeem a donut that day or on a future visit.
Mugwort Donut from Krispie Kreme
Dark Chocolate Donut from Krispy Kreme
Richard Copycat's Jalapeno Ranch Burger in Itaewon. It's a tad pricy at 11,900, so I had very high expectations.
It's pretty, especially with the hashbrowns. I would say that this was a nice man-sized burger. It was greasy like it should be and the meat was alright. The jalapenos added a bit of heat while the ranch cooled it down. It was nice. I wouldn't say the best, but I'd have it again.
Here's a close up.
Here is an omelet from the Copycat. Big. Greasy. Not too tasty. If you are hung over, then this will work to settle your alcohol bombed gut. It's not good for much else.
Ramen made in the Korean way.
This horsey picture is just bizarre. I think it's a horse and a chicken, It's like Picasso....kinda but with a graffiti edge. The horse seems to be part anteater as well and he has a golf wood between his legs. Just bizarre.The offer is ONLY open to people who buy presale tickets before this Friday, so hurry!
Oh, and pick up your copy of the January issue of 10 Magazine at GS 25 stores today!
Thanks~
10
Is the world ready for Korean cuisine?
[First in a three-part series: Globalizing Korean food]Korea stakes out its plans to feed global tastes with traditional dishes
January 28, 2009
 | |
| Tuna roll with rosemary sauce. |
And it’s not just kimchi. In an e-mail interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, Bittman said he has even tried his hand at Korean hot pot, barbecue and side dishes.
This is not a recent infatuation. This is a long-standing relationship. As far back as 1996, Bittman wrote about Korean food in lofty terms.
Go here to the Joonang Ilbo for the rest.
This was aired on TBS efm on Monday February 2nd on Soul of Asia. There is information on cycling, events, credit cards, and how you can get your pension back.
PS. The reason I am posting it on this site is because when I upload this to the TBSefm website, it is not searchable so the information is difficult for others to find.
So here is the script.
Let’s start with some news from the Seoul Global Center, because you know how I heart them.
The Itaewon·Hannam Global Village Center on Feb. 6th will be having a living in Seoul orientation class at 10:30am. There will be lots of good living tips and information there. Plus, you’ll meet other Seoulites. And you can get the fabulous Living in Seoul books at the orientation and they’ll have snacks and coffee.
Also the Itaewon.Hannam Global Center will be offering an exciting tour of the city on this Saturday, February 7th. The tour is free of charge and it has a jam packed itinerary full of great activities. It starts with a cooking class to make bulgogi and haemulpajeon and then, and this is the best part, you get to eat it.
Then the tour will go to Gyeongbok Palace, the Folk Museum, and Insadong. It will end with a performance of Nanta. Families and individuals are welcomed to attend. I’m pretty sure it’s for foreigners only, so sorry Seoul citizens. You can RSVP by calling the Global Center at 796-2459 or email them at itaewon@sba.seoul.kr
Now we have received some questions from listeners to our e-mail address and I would like to answer some of them today. If you have questions you can send them to tbsefm@gmail.com. Dan and I are happy to research and answer these questions for you, so be sure to e-mail us at tbsefm@gmail.com
Here is a question from a listener: Can you get a credit card if you work for a hagwon?
The answer is yes, but it is more difficult than if you are working for a public school, a corporation, or a University. If you work at a university, a reputable company or public school you’ll get much higher credit limits than at a hagwon.
If you need a credit card that can be used overseas, you can get one at most banks by putting down a deposit. You can put down 1 million or 2 million and you’ll gain interest on deposit you put down, however, it’s not a credit card per se: it’s more like a debit card. However, you will be able to use it in another country and get cash advances. You will also be able to use the credit card to pay for purchases in separate installments.
Well, listener, I hope that answered your question about getting a credit card.
Here is another question: Sara, how do I get my pension refund?
If you want to get your pension you should go to your nearest pension office. They are in every city and there are several in Seoul. I know that the one by Gangnam station has English speaking help. You go out Gangnam Station exit 4 and it is right next to the KTF building. It’s on the 4th floor.
In order to apply you need to take your Air Tickets, your bank book, passport, and Alien Registration Card. For an overseas account, you’ll need your bank transfer number. A voided check should have all the necessary information. Some banks are requesting SWIFT codes these days, so be sure to have it ready just in case.
You’ll have to fill out a form and present your information and then the money will be sent. If you send it your Korean account, it usually takes a week. For overseas accounts, it usually takes 1 month. Oh, and if you would like the money to go to another person’s account then you are going to have to get a notarized letter from an attorney.
You can find the forms and additional information at the National Pension Office Website at www.nps.or.kr
Here is another question, Sara, I recently purchased a car from another foreigner and I found out that there are over 2 million in unpaid fines and tickets on the vehicle. The previous owner has left the country, what am I supposed to do?
Listener, I’m sorry to tell you this but the fines and tickets need to be paid before you can register the car. I hope you didn’t pay too much for the vehicle. This brings me to my next point, you should get the car registration checked before you buy a car. If you are buying a car for 500,000 won, there might be a reason why the car is so cheap.
Let’s take a break, Here is
BREAK
SONG?
Surviving Seoul Part 2
Over the weekend we had two cyclist on the show and they shared great information about cycling in Seoul. First of all, I learned about Critical Mass. Critical Mass is a cycling event held on the last Friday of every month in over 300 cities around the world. Cyclists meet and ride together through the city. Some of the largest ones in the world have had over 80,000 riders. That one was held in April in Budapest.
There is a monthly Critical Mass in Seoul. Now I’m not sure that it will have 80,000 people, but for cycling enthusiasts it sounds like fun. The next one will on February 21st at 4pm and it meets in Gwanghwamun. You can find more information about it at http://bike.jinbo.net
On our message board you’ll find a whole list of bike shops where you can buy fixed gear bikes as well.
Alrighty, so back to Surviving Seoul.
Let’s talk about the yellow dust. Springtime is coming and some of you might have heard about yellow dust. So first of all, you might be asking yourself, What is yellow dust?
During certain times of the year, dust from China’s Gobi Desert will mix with pollutants from China and then flow conveniently into Korea. When it is really bad, you will notice that the sky will have a safari sheen. Yellow dust can cause respiratory problems and eye problems. For people that have to speak a lot, the effects of yellow dust can be devastating. So how can you protect yourself?
When it is really dusty, you should try to avoid being outside. Also, have a face-mask in your backpack. You can get these at most drugstores. I know, you might think you look ridiculous, but know that you’ll be protecting your lungs. Just think of yourself as an urban ninja. Plus, people will probably stare less if you’re a foreigner because it covers your face.
Also, you should drink a lot of water. This will help your lungs flush out the pollutants.
I found a great website to keep abreast of air quality in Korea. It’s at http://eng.airkorea.or.kr/ that’s http://eng.airkorea.or.kr/
And one last thing, if some is retiring in Korea it is polite to say:
건강 하게 지내세요. That’s 건강 하게 지내세요.
It means, I wish you good health in the future.
Someone I know is retiring soon, so it’s something that I had to look up. It’s a good phrase to remember and it is much better than saying, See you around.
Well, that’s it for Surviving Seoul Today. Again, if you have questions you can e-mail them to us at tbsefm@gmail.com, post them on our message board, or you can send us a text message at #1013.
PS. The reason I am posting it on this site is because when I upload this to the TBSefm website, it is not searchable so the information is difficult for others to find.
So here is the script.
Let’s start with some news from the Seoul Global Center, because you know how I heart them.
The Itaewon·Hannam Global Village Center on Feb. 6th will be having a living in Seoul orientation class at 10:30am. There will be lots of good living tips and information there. Plus, you’ll meet other Seoulites. And you can get the fabulous Living in Seoul books at the orientation and they’ll have snacks and coffee.
Also the Itaewon.Hannam Global Center will be offering an exciting tour of the city on this Saturday, February 7th. The tour is free of charge and it has a jam packed itinerary full of great activities. It starts with a cooking class to make bulgogi and haemulpajeon and then, and this is the best part, you get to eat it.
Then the tour will go to Gyeongbok Palace, the Folk Museum, and Insadong. It will end with a performance of Nanta. Families and individuals are welcomed to attend. I’m pretty sure it’s for foreigners only, so sorry Seoul citizens. You can RSVP by calling the Global Center at 796-2459 or email them at itaewon@sba.seoul.kr
Now we have received some questions from listeners to our e-mail address and I would like to answer some of them today. If you have questions you can send them to tbsefm@gmail.com. Dan and I are happy to research and answer these questions for you, so be sure to e-mail us at tbsefm@gmail.com
Here is a question from a listener: Can you get a credit card if you work for a hagwon?
The answer is yes, but it is more difficult than if you are working for a public school, a corporation, or a University. If you work at a university, a reputable company or public school you’ll get much higher credit limits than at a hagwon.
If you need a credit card that can be used overseas, you can get one at most banks by putting down a deposit. You can put down 1 million or 2 million and you’ll gain interest on deposit you put down, however, it’s not a credit card per se: it’s more like a debit card. However, you will be able to use it in another country and get cash advances. You will also be able to use the credit card to pay for purchases in separate installments.
Well, listener, I hope that answered your question about getting a credit card.
Here is another question: Sara, how do I get my pension refund?
If you want to get your pension you should go to your nearest pension office. They are in every city and there are several in Seoul. I know that the one by Gangnam station has English speaking help. You go out Gangnam Station exit 4 and it is right next to the KTF building. It’s on the 4th floor.
In order to apply you need to take your Air Tickets, your bank book, passport, and Alien Registration Card. For an overseas account, you’ll need your bank transfer number. A voided check should have all the necessary information. Some banks are requesting SWIFT codes these days, so be sure to have it ready just in case.
You’ll have to fill out a form and present your information and then the money will be sent. If you send it your Korean account, it usually takes a week. For overseas accounts, it usually takes 1 month. Oh, and if you would like the money to go to another person’s account then you are going to have to get a notarized letter from an attorney.
You can find the forms and additional information at the National Pension Office Website at www.nps.or.kr
Here is another question, Sara, I recently purchased a car from another foreigner and I found out that there are over 2 million in unpaid fines and tickets on the vehicle. The previous owner has left the country, what am I supposed to do?
Listener, I’m sorry to tell you this but the fines and tickets need to be paid before you can register the car. I hope you didn’t pay too much for the vehicle. This brings me to my next point, you should get the car registration checked before you buy a car. If you are buying a car for 500,000 won, there might be a reason why the car is so cheap.
Let’s take a break, Here is
BREAK
SONG?
Surviving Seoul Part 2
Over the weekend we had two cyclist on the show and they shared great information about cycling in Seoul. First of all, I learned about Critical Mass. Critical Mass is a cycling event held on the last Friday of every month in over 300 cities around the world. Cyclists meet and ride together through the city. Some of the largest ones in the world have had over 80,000 riders. That one was held in April in Budapest.
There is a monthly Critical Mass in Seoul. Now I’m not sure that it will have 80,000 people, but for cycling enthusiasts it sounds like fun. The next one will on February 21st at 4pm and it meets in Gwanghwamun. You can find more information about it at http://bike.jinbo.net
On our message board you’ll find a whole list of bike shops where you can buy fixed gear bikes as well.
Alrighty, so back to Surviving Seoul.
Let’s talk about the yellow dust. Springtime is coming and some of you might have heard about yellow dust. So first of all, you might be asking yourself, What is yellow dust?
During certain times of the year, dust from China’s Gobi Desert will mix with pollutants from China and then flow conveniently into Korea. When it is really bad, you will notice that the sky will have a safari sheen. Yellow dust can cause respiratory problems and eye problems. For people that have to speak a lot, the effects of yellow dust can be devastating. So how can you protect yourself?
When it is really dusty, you should try to avoid being outside. Also, have a face-mask in your backpack. You can get these at most drugstores. I know, you might think you look ridiculous, but know that you’ll be protecting your lungs. Just think of yourself as an urban ninja. Plus, people will probably stare less if you’re a foreigner because it covers your face.
Also, you should drink a lot of water. This will help your lungs flush out the pollutants.
I found a great website to keep abreast of air quality in Korea. It’s at http://eng.airkorea.or.kr/ that’s http://eng.airkorea.or.kr/
And one last thing, if some is retiring in Korea it is polite to say:
건강 하게 지내세요. That’s 건강 하게 지내세요.
It means, I wish you good health in the future.
Someone I know is retiring soon, so it’s something that I had to look up. It’s a good phrase to remember and it is much better than saying, See you around.
Well, that’s it for Surviving Seoul Today. Again, if you have questions you can e-mail them to us at tbsefm@gmail.com, post them on our message board, or you can send us a text message at #1013.
Remind me to never drink soju again. One bottle of Soju contains 540 calories per bottle. So to walk off this awful swill you would have to walk 2 hours. Walking two hours with a soju hangover is a task and a half.
I had my last cup of soju about 1 year ago (and I was so hung over the next day that I spent my morning dry heaving and hating myself for being so stupid.) And now with the added warning, I find that it is better for me to stick to light beers. 5 beers equal 1 bottle of soju and they won't give me a nasty hangover the next day.
But I think it's better to stick to red wines. They always say that reds are good for your help and many doctors even recommend you drink one glass a day. I've found some really nice chianti's and bordeaux in Seoul. Most of them are under 20,000.
Dan
Here is an article I wrote on Ola! Mario for Arirang Magazine. Enjoy, and Happy New Year!
Dan
Ola! Mario
By Daniel Gray
Do me a favor and don’t recommend this restaurant to anyone. The service is sophisticated, the atmosphere is chic, the menu is creative, and the food-the food-is scrumptious. So whatever you do, please, please do not recommend this restaurant. Just don’t do it. I want to keep it all mine.
Ola! Mario is located between the Rocky Mountain Tavern and the Cheil Building on the developing end of Itaewon. I must admit. It’s bright red exterior and the name Ola! Mario initially made me write this off as another faux Italian Restaurant on Itaewon’s main drag. Italian cuisine in Itaewon has long been the territory of the Sortino Family. In recent years, many restaurants have tried to piggyback off of their success. Volpia and La Tavola both had respectable runs, but they went out of business and were quickly replaced by Antonio’s and Villa Sortino. So, does Itaewon need another Italian restaurant?
No, but it did need a high-end restaurant that knows how to take care of its customers and serves unique and delectable cuisine.
Walking in, you are greeted by a concierge at the door. She’ll walk you around a long bar that has a cascade-like chandelier that hangs above it. The interior of the restaurant looks like it was straight out of Soho in New York. The dark chairs and red décor give it an industrial, Victorian flair. It’s romantic. It’s elegant.
I went with my friend Kelly. We were a bit hesitant at first, because the pasta dishes were a bit expensive; they ranged from 16-24,000 excluding tax and the dishes just seemed like the standard fare. They had spaghetti with seafood and tomato sauce and they had risotto, but nothing screamed, “Eat me!” But, what caught our attention were the appetizers and the desserts. Most restaurants leave these as afterthoughts. But Ola! Mario’s menu had Foie Gras with a Marsala wine sauce (12,000) and Lobster in Sole Paupiettes with a Saffron cream sauce (14,000) and they had Ginseng Ice Cream for dessert. These sounded ambitious and exciting, so we decided to start with them.
The Foie Gras came out looking like a perfectly arranged Georgia O’Keefe painting. The goose liver, freckled with black caviar, was placed on sautéed endives, which were set in a dab of reduced balsamic. Then topping this were hand picked micro greens and champagne foam. It was self-indulgence at it’s best.
Also, the desserts did not fail to impress. The cheesecake was perfectly cut. Pythagoras himself must have cut it using a complicated algorithm. I’m a cheesecake snob and I think all cheesecakes need to have a snappy cookie crunch, which this did not. But the light cheese layer was velvety and subtly sweet, so it made up for it. I must say it ranks up there as one of the best cheesecakes I’ve had in Korea.
Then the ginseng ice cream glided to the table on caramel candy wings. The ice cream had an earthy, red ginseng flavor that was unexpectedly enlightening. It had a complicated, elusive zing that you would never find among Baskin Robbins’ 32 flavors.
So after dessert, we decided to tackle some pasta. We went with the capellini with artichoke, olives, and other vegetables in a tomato sauce and with a hint of truffle oil. When I think of this dish, I picture a hippie that turned yuppie. The natural flavors of the vegetables seemed to be dressed in a fine tailor made suit.
Since my first meal, I’ve gone back and each time there is a new surprise in store. The gnocchi with basil cream sauce was pillowy: each piece of pasta hand made. The pumpkin soup was like cashmere and it came served in a whole pumpkin. The salmon dish had pink peppercorns for a piccolo accent. Even the customary pickles in Ola! Mario are done with flair. You might find a pickled persimmon one day and a yellow tomato the next. The bread is always crusty and the servings of garlic bread are generous.
Ola! Mario is a gem in Itaewon. The service is top notch and the food is full of mirth and skill. I think the other establishments in the area should pay heed to its virtues. It is a classy place that is perfect for any special occasion.
Ola! Mario
Itaewon
www.ola.co.kr
02 793 9003
Upscale Italian
Prices 15-40,000 per dish
One of my favorite YouTubers, singindork888, did a nice cover of the Wondergirls' Nobody (in English). Just thought I'd share. ^^ Check it out below.
Cheri
Cheri
Listeners, I’m not sure if you know this, but I haven’t always been an MC in Korea. Like many foreigners that come to Korea, my first job in Korea was working at a hagwon. I came to Korea totally naïve and I just thought to myself, “This is going to be easy; I’ll just think of it as playing with kids.” And like many I thought, “I can speak English, therefore I can teach English.”
Boy was I wrong.
Jennifer gave us many insights into teaching and I want to expound a bit more on teaching in Korea. Let’s start off with some tips.
Tip number 1: You are the teacher in the classroom. You are the boss. You are not a friend. Roles should be distinctly established in the classroom- especially when you are working with younger kids. If you go into a classroom and try to be too friendly or too fun, kids will not take the class seriously. If you are working at a hagwon, your boss has convinced the parents that you will teach their children.
Tip number 2: You need to be aware of the parent’s expectations. Parents expect students to have lots of homework and projects and they expect the teachers to check the homework. The red pen is your friend, the more you use the red pen the more the parents will be convinced that you are a good teacher. My students would always groan when they got their papers back. One of them even said, “Teacher my paper is bleeding. I told them it wasn’t bleeding; instead, it was a sign of my love for them. If the paper wasn’t marked, it would mean that I didn’t care and I didn’t want them to improve.
Tip number 3: Be aware of your student’s expectations. When students start your class they have very high goals that they would like to meet. If the students want to learn grammar, then teach them grammar. If they want to improve speaking, then focus on speaking. Give them many drills and repeat, repeat, repeat.
Tip number 4: Ask lots of questions. It keeps students on their toes and makes sure that they are paying attention.
Tip number 5: Learn your student’s names. It means a lot. Just think about when you were young. How would you feel if your teacher didn’t know your name? There are many memory tricks to do this. You should look at the student’s name and then visualize their face in your mind for 5 seconds. Each time you go through the list, you should try to recall that student’s face.
It might even help to take their picture.
Try to remember their face by a distinguishing characteristic. Maybe one of your students, Ji-young is missing a tooth. You should repeat the name, “Ji-young” and think of her smiling face sans tooth.
If Korean names are too difficult, then give your students English names. Oh, and if you have a student that refuses to adopt an English name, then tell them, “This is English Class and everyone has to have an English name.”
Also, you can write their names down on a cheat sheet and have it on you until you can remember all of your student’s names.
Tip number 6: Learn grammar. Seriously, it’s no joke. If you want to lose your credibility as a teacher then not knowing your grammar is the fastest way to do so. Many students here study grammar because it is more logical than idiomatic expressions and vocabulary. It won’t take you long to brush up on it. The book that most students have grown up on is Murphy’s English Grammar in Use. Read through the book, do the exercises and learn your grammar. Another really fun grammar book is: Grammatically Correct by Anne Stilman. I also like the Little English Handbook by Edward Corbett and Sheryl Finkle. There are also many podcasts that you can download and listen to.
Now if someone gives you a grammar question that you can’t explain then tell them: “it’s an exception.” Or: “It’s grammatically correct but it’s not very colloquial.”
One more note about grammar: There are different grammar rules for British and American English. Be aware of them.
OK. Well there are some tips for you to start. Let’s take a break and when we come back, I’ll have more tips for you.
BREAK
Surviving Seoul Part 2: Teaching Activities
So I just went over some tips on how you can be a better teacher. I’ll give you some more tips in the future. The tips I’ve given you so far have been: Be the teacher in the classroom, not a playmate; be aware of student’s and parent’s expectations; Ask your students questions; learn your student’s names; and learn your grammar.
Now I wanted to get into some fun activities that I’ve found have worked for students. These first activities are geared for 3rd to 5th grade students. One thing in my repertoire is my fuzzy dice. You can find these at many school supply stores. My fuzzy dice are square, 8cm by 8cm and filled with soft foam. The die is marked with numbers and it is very light. This die was the best thing ever because it is so versatile. When ever, I would ask a question, I would toss the die to a student. The student would then answer and then he can toss it to another student. The student would then have to ask a question and the student who received the die would have to answer. I know it sounds so simple and yet, all my students were always really excited about this game. You can even make the game like hot potato or like dodgeball.
You can also play a quiz game using questions from your book or from popular media. I would make a jeopardy board on the blackboard of about 25 questions. Give each square a point. I used to make quiz questions about Harry Potter, Spongebob Squarepants, things from the day’s lessons, grammar, books, anything at all. I would make two teams and then have them try to answer the questions and give each team points if they get it right and subtract it if they get them wrong.
Oh, a great website for trivia questions on books is www.funtrivia.com You can find quizzes on books, cartoons, history, etc. It’s great.
Another fun thing I used to do was what I called word relays. I would divide up a class into teams of five and then have them line up in a row. I would write down letters from A-M on a sheet of paper for each team and then the first person in the line would have to write down a word using one of the first letters on the sheet of paper. Then they would pass it to the next person and then the next. After all the letters would be filled the winning team would bring me their word list to be checked. I would circle words that were misspelled and I would give extra points for words over 4 words.
And one last game. Instead of playing hangman, which I find a bit morbid. I would do different variations such as parachute man. With parachute man, you draw a stick figure with a parachute with 8 or 10 strings. Beneath the man, you draw a huge shark with razor sharp teeth waiting to eat the parachute man. Each time a student gives the wrong letter, erase a string.
Ok. Now onto adults.
Teaching adults is a very different beast then with kids. One thing that I have learned is that you shouldn’t go out drinking with your students. It tends to blur the relationship of teacher and student. Here are some things that I’ve found work with adult students.
You should first go by the book. Older students grew up in culture that focuses on the textbook. You shouldn’t skip portions of a book just because you think it is boring. If you don’t use the book that a student has bought, then the student will think that the teacher is not prepared. They might also think that they wasted their money.
Koreans don’t like to waste money.
Plus, when a student finishes a book there is usually a small party. And they’ll feel a sense of accomplishment.
Another thing that I found works well with adult students is for you to write down what they say or take notes. This shows the student that the teacher is paying special attention. Korea is all about extra service. So, if a student feels that a teacher is working hard then they will try hard as well. With adult students, I’ve found it easy to actually type out what they are saying and then e-mail them. I’m not saying everything, just major details.
Give adult students homework. Most of them like it.
Also, correct their spoken mistakes.
If you are teaching business English, I find it best to seek out newspapers and other current information to discuss. The BBC has a great section on learning English. Also, I found a great book on business English called Intelligent Business by Tonya Trappe and Graham Tullis. I also like the Voice of America series that have been put out. The VOA book is in English and in Korean, plus it is in dialogue format, so the student can practice their speaking and reading.
And if you are having problems keeping a conversation going, it’s good to work on phonics and accent training. It’s a fun activity and many students want to learn this.
Ok. I think that’s it for teaching tips. If anyone has other suggestions, you know how to contact us. You can call us at 778-1013 or message us at Pound or Sharp 1013.
Boy was I wrong.
Jennifer gave us many insights into teaching and I want to expound a bit more on teaching in Korea. Let’s start off with some tips.
Tip number 1: You are the teacher in the classroom. You are the boss. You are not a friend. Roles should be distinctly established in the classroom- especially when you are working with younger kids. If you go into a classroom and try to be too friendly or too fun, kids will not take the class seriously. If you are working at a hagwon, your boss has convinced the parents that you will teach their children.
Tip number 2: You need to be aware of the parent’s expectations. Parents expect students to have lots of homework and projects and they expect the teachers to check the homework. The red pen is your friend, the more you use the red pen the more the parents will be convinced that you are a good teacher. My students would always groan when they got their papers back. One of them even said, “Teacher my paper is bleeding. I told them it wasn’t bleeding; instead, it was a sign of my love for them. If the paper wasn’t marked, it would mean that I didn’t care and I didn’t want them to improve.
Tip number 3: Be aware of your student’s expectations. When students start your class they have very high goals that they would like to meet. If the students want to learn grammar, then teach them grammar. If they want to improve speaking, then focus on speaking. Give them many drills and repeat, repeat, repeat.
Tip number 4: Ask lots of questions. It keeps students on their toes and makes sure that they are paying attention.
Tip number 5: Learn your student’s names. It means a lot. Just think about when you were young. How would you feel if your teacher didn’t know your name? There are many memory tricks to do this. You should look at the student’s name and then visualize their face in your mind for 5 seconds. Each time you go through the list, you should try to recall that student’s face.
It might even help to take their picture.
Try to remember their face by a distinguishing characteristic. Maybe one of your students, Ji-young is missing a tooth. You should repeat the name, “Ji-young” and think of her smiling face sans tooth.
If Korean names are too difficult, then give your students English names. Oh, and if you have a student that refuses to adopt an English name, then tell them, “This is English Class and everyone has to have an English name.”
Also, you can write their names down on a cheat sheet and have it on you until you can remember all of your student’s names.
Tip number 6: Learn grammar. Seriously, it’s no joke. If you want to lose your credibility as a teacher then not knowing your grammar is the fastest way to do so. Many students here study grammar because it is more logical than idiomatic expressions and vocabulary. It won’t take you long to brush up on it. The book that most students have grown up on is Murphy’s English Grammar in Use. Read through the book, do the exercises and learn your grammar. Another really fun grammar book is: Grammatically Correct by Anne Stilman. I also like the Little English Handbook by Edward Corbett and Sheryl Finkle. There are also many podcasts that you can download and listen to.
Now if someone gives you a grammar question that you can’t explain then tell them: “it’s an exception.” Or: “It’s grammatically correct but it’s not very colloquial.”
One more note about grammar: There are different grammar rules for British and American English. Be aware of them.
OK. Well there are some tips for you to start. Let’s take a break and when we come back, I’ll have more tips for you.
BREAK
Surviving Seoul Part 2: Teaching Activities
So I just went over some tips on how you can be a better teacher. I’ll give you some more tips in the future. The tips I’ve given you so far have been: Be the teacher in the classroom, not a playmate; be aware of student’s and parent’s expectations; Ask your students questions; learn your student’s names; and learn your grammar.
Now I wanted to get into some fun activities that I’ve found have worked for students. These first activities are geared for 3rd to 5th grade students. One thing in my repertoire is my fuzzy dice. You can find these at many school supply stores. My fuzzy dice are square, 8cm by 8cm and filled with soft foam. The die is marked with numbers and it is very light. This die was the best thing ever because it is so versatile. When ever, I would ask a question, I would toss the die to a student. The student would then answer and then he can toss it to another student. The student would then have to ask a question and the student who received the die would have to answer. I know it sounds so simple and yet, all my students were always really excited about this game. You can even make the game like hot potato or like dodgeball.
You can also play a quiz game using questions from your book or from popular media. I would make a jeopardy board on the blackboard of about 25 questions. Give each square a point. I used to make quiz questions about Harry Potter, Spongebob Squarepants, things from the day’s lessons, grammar, books, anything at all. I would make two teams and then have them try to answer the questions and give each team points if they get it right and subtract it if they get them wrong.
Oh, a great website for trivia questions on books is www.funtrivia.com You can find quizzes on books, cartoons, history, etc. It’s great.
Another fun thing I used to do was what I called word relays. I would divide up a class into teams of five and then have them line up in a row. I would write down letters from A-M on a sheet of paper for each team and then the first person in the line would have to write down a word using one of the first letters on the sheet of paper. Then they would pass it to the next person and then the next. After all the letters would be filled the winning team would bring me their word list to be checked. I would circle words that were misspelled and I would give extra points for words over 4 words.
And one last game. Instead of playing hangman, which I find a bit morbid. I would do different variations such as parachute man. With parachute man, you draw a stick figure with a parachute with 8 or 10 strings. Beneath the man, you draw a huge shark with razor sharp teeth waiting to eat the parachute man. Each time a student gives the wrong letter, erase a string.
Ok. Now onto adults.
Teaching adults is a very different beast then with kids. One thing that I have learned is that you shouldn’t go out drinking with your students. It tends to blur the relationship of teacher and student. Here are some things that I’ve found work with adult students.
You should first go by the book. Older students grew up in culture that focuses on the textbook. You shouldn’t skip portions of a book just because you think it is boring. If you don’t use the book that a student has bought, then the student will think that the teacher is not prepared. They might also think that they wasted their money.
Koreans don’t like to waste money.
Plus, when a student finishes a book there is usually a small party. And they’ll feel a sense of accomplishment.
Another thing that I found works well with adult students is for you to write down what they say or take notes. This shows the student that the teacher is paying special attention. Korea is all about extra service. So, if a student feels that a teacher is working hard then they will try hard as well. With adult students, I’ve found it easy to actually type out what they are saying and then e-mail them. I’m not saying everything, just major details.
Give adult students homework. Most of them like it.
Also, correct their spoken mistakes.
If you are teaching business English, I find it best to seek out newspapers and other current information to discuss. The BBC has a great section on learning English. Also, I found a great book on business English called Intelligent Business by Tonya Trappe and Graham Tullis. I also like the Voice of America series that have been put out. The VOA book is in English and in Korean, plus it is in dialogue format, so the student can practice their speaking and reading.
And if you are having problems keeping a conversation going, it’s good to work on phonics and accent training. It’s a fun activity and many students want to learn this.
Ok. I think that’s it for teaching tips. If anyone has other suggestions, you know how to contact us. You can call us at 778-1013 or message us at Pound or Sharp 1013.
Note: No Side has closed
Quick Bites and Drinks: Hongdae
No Side: Hiroshima Okonomiyaki
Chefs should be serious and when they get angry when you are taking pictures of their food, then you know there must be a special reason. The chef trained in Hiroshima to learn his craft and he brought what he has learned to Hongdae. This popular place has shrimp, samgyeopsal, squid, and cheese for toppings. The secret is the use of Japanese style ramen noodles. www.noside.co.kr 02-3143-5963. CLOSED
Penang
It’s a Chinese Restaurant in Hongdae that’s all right. The interior is classy and it’s a good place for a date or for a business luncheon. I had the duck dish and it is like a moo shoo pork but with Vietnamese rice paper rolls. The Chinese food is not the typical style you’d find in Korea. I don’t recall seeing Jja jja myeong on the menu. 02-325-3114.
BaB
Excellent Korean restaurant that is right next to the main park in Hongdae. The side dishes are so good that the restaurant won’t give you utensils to eat them until the main course comes out. Their bulgogi, sundubu, and nokdu jeon are excellent. 02-334-1866.
Coffee Prince
Named after the very popular MBC drama, you can see the place that started the whole barista craze in Korea. It’s hidden behind Ho Bar and you have to make a left at a large picture of a cat. Inside you’ll find a beautiful 2 story café that is beautifully decorated. The coffee is top notch and you can have your Coffee Prince or Princess serve you. www.coffeeprincekorea.com 02-786-4018.
Club Evans
This is the best Jazz club in Hongdae. The venue has amazing energy and vibe. The patrons have very high expectations and the musicians all seem to thrive off it. On Friday and Saturday nights, there is not a seat left in the house. This is a place that will definitely impress any guest you may have. So go here early, get a martini and get ready to listen to some jazz. There is a cover charge. www.clubevans.com 02-337-8361.
Samgori Poja
The red tent where Jangdari-gil and Wausan-gil meet has been a mainstay in Hongdae. It has standard tent food fare. You can get great Egg Omelets (Gaeran Roll) or Kimchi with Tofu. Get your soju and maekju on here.
Club Palm
When Club Evans is totally packed, a good second option is Club Palm. It’s a smaller bar, but they also have excellent jazz acts. It’s right across from the park. Be sure to call and make a reservation. www.clubpalm.co.kr 02-336-9016.
Studio 80’s
Sometimes the millennium is just too much to handle so you wanna cocoon back to the 80’s. A great place to do this is at Studio 80’s. The place is loaded with vinyl LPs and the dance floor starts to fill up once the Karma Chameleon gets a rocking. It’s down from Sangsu Station exit 1. Make a left right before the 7-11. 02-332-7335.
Penang
It’s a Chinese Restaurant in Hongdae that’s all right. The interior is classy and it’s a good place for a date or for a business luncheon. I had the duck dish and it is like a moo shoo pork but with Vietnamese rice paper rolls. The Chinese food is not the typical style you’d find in Korea. I don’t recall seeing Jja jja myeong on the menu. 02-325-3114.
BaB
Excellent Korean restaurant that is right next to the main park in Hongdae. The side dishes are so good that the restaurant won’t give you utensils to eat them until the main course comes out. Their bulgogi, sundubu, and nokdu jeon are excellent. 02-334-1866.
Coffee Prince
Named after the very popular MBC drama, you can see the place that started the whole barista craze in Korea. It’s hidden behind Ho Bar and you have to make a left at a large picture of a cat. Inside you’ll find a beautiful 2 story café that is beautifully decorated. The coffee is top notch and you can have your Coffee Prince or Princess serve you. www.coffeeprincekorea.com 02-786-4018.
Club Evans
This is the best Jazz club in Hongdae. The venue has amazing energy and vibe. The patrons have very high expectations and the musicians all seem to thrive off it. On Friday and Saturday nights, there is not a seat left in the house. This is a place that will definitely impress any guest you may have. So go here early, get a martini and get ready to listen to some jazz. There is a cover charge. www.clubevans.com 02-337-8361.
Samgori Poja
The red tent where Jangdari-gil and Wausan-gil meet has been a mainstay in Hongdae. It has standard tent food fare. You can get great Egg Omelets (Gaeran Roll) or Kimchi with Tofu. Get your soju and maekju on here.
Club Palm
When Club Evans is totally packed, a good second option is Club Palm. It’s a smaller bar, but they also have excellent jazz acts. It’s right across from the park. Be sure to call and make a reservation. www.clubpalm.co.kr 02-336-9016.
Studio 80’s
Sometimes the millennium is just too much to handle so you wanna cocoon back to the 80’s. A great place to do this is at Studio 80’s. The place is loaded with vinyl LPs and the dance floor starts to fill up once the Karma Chameleon gets a rocking. It’s down from Sangsu Station exit 1. Make a left right before the 7-11. 02-332-7335.
Russian Gostiny Dvor is a Russian Restaurant that was recommended by my Russian friend Elena. Now she says that this is one of the few authentic Russian Restaurants in Korea. It’s over by Dongdaemun Stadium Station Exit 7 (Sorry my mistake.) and this area is like little Russia. Most of the stores have Russian signs. There are Russian Groceries nearby too.
Russian food is very hearty and the taste ranges from sour to wholesome. I wouldn’t say the stuff that I ate was really spicy. It’s excellent food for winter.
Selyodka pod shuboj is like a layered smoked salmon and lox dish. It has beets on top and then a layer of mayonnaisse, potatoes, I believe onions and then a smoked fish on the bottom. The flavors all together merge into a very pleasant medley of flavors. The subtle potatoes are sweetened with the tart beets and then you get that smokey fish pop.
Solyanka is a slightly sour soup with sausage, olives, cucumbers, and paprika and topped with sour cream and green onions. Delicious as well.
Farshirova niij perets- stuffed pepper dish.
Sorry, for the quick post, but I have to get ready for work. Thanks for reading and does anyone know of any Ethiopian restaurants in Korea? I've heard there is one. I just don't know where it is.
Dan
Have you heard/seen/eaten fugu? It's the poisonous puffer fish in Japan.
My interest in Japan has been completely consumed by curiosity of this fish and I have to say, Anthony Bourdain's Japan special didn't help! After doing some research, I found that a full fugu dinner costs upwards of $100 or so.
I'm heading to Tokyo on Saturday and need some recommendations on where to get good fugu, what to order (if not the full multiple-course dinner), and anything else ya'll know about this fantastic fatal beauty.
I promise I'll post pics when I return, but for now, you'll have to settle for this:
Cute, isn't he?
Looks like dinner to me! Let me know if you have any suggestions on fugu restaurants in Tokyo!
My interest in Japan has been completely consumed by curiosity of this fish and I have to say, Anthony Bourdain's Japan special didn't help! After doing some research, I found that a full fugu dinner costs upwards of $100 or so.
I'm heading to Tokyo on Saturday and need some recommendations on where to get good fugu, what to order (if not the full multiple-course dinner), and anything else ya'll know about this fantastic fatal beauty.
I promise I'll post pics when I return, but for now, you'll have to settle for this:
Cute, isn't he?
Looks like dinner to me! Let me know if you have any suggestions on fugu restaurants in Tokyo!
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Dr. Joseph Lowery Delivers the Inauguration Benediction for Barack Obama
I'll be going to this tonight with Sara and some other people. You should join us. I got to talk to Simon yesterday and he has lots of insightful information on North Korea.
Dan
You can find events like this at www.korea4expats.com, which is run by the fabulous Anne.
The Royal Asiatic Society holds regular lectures on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at the Somerset Palace near Isa-dong. Exceptionally, because of the two holidays in January, this lecture is on the 3rd Tuesday and is the only RAS Lecture in January.
DATE: Tuesday 20 January
TIME: 7:30PM
VENUE: Somesert Palace, 2nd Floor Residents Lounge
COST: Free for RAS members /Non-members are asked to contribute W5,000.
About the Topic:
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) is a place that any and all can locate on a map, name the leader of and know a good amount of information about (some true, some false) but yet despite being located in the heart of the world’s most economically dynamic region and surrounded by such major states as China, Russia, Japan, and South Korea, still maintains the distinction of being the least visited country in the world; a place that exudes mystery. A black-hole of certainty that regularly fills the world’s newspapers with rumour, claims, and counter-claims; a paradise for information speculators and an enigma for the great many people in East Asia and beyond that take a keen interest in events that take place between the Yalu River and the Korean DMZ.
Since 1993 Beijing-based Koryo Tours (http://www.koryogroup.com) has been the market leader in accessing the DPRK and organising group and individual tours for almost all nationalities. In the past few years this company has innovated not only in the field of tourism but has produced 3 award winning documentary films within North Korea with unprecedented access to the most fascinating stories and everyday life of the population of this mysterious country. In addition Koryo Tours have organised school trips, cultural exchanges, sports tours (the first soccer, volleyball, ice hockey, and even cricket tours of the North) as well as visiting the country every month to maintain a close contact and awareness of the ground realities of what life is like in the capital Pyongyang, and beyond
About the speaker:
Simon Cockerell, General Manager of Koryo Tours, has, since 2002, visited North Korea 70 times and travelled to all of the places it is possible to reach as a non-NGO, non-governmental worker. He will share with us his experiences and anecdotes in the broader context of explaining just what can be expected from a trip to the DPRK, what hoops must be jumped through to make it all happen, what sort of people go there, how the tourism system there works, and much more besides. Expect to hear rumours confirmed and debunked, unexpected and humanizing stories about the North Koreans that his company deals with, unusual tales of what you experience when you spend part of every month travelling around North Korea, and what being Air Koryo’s most regular flier does to a person.
Simon Cockerell is from the UK and has been based in Beijing, PR China for the past 8 years
For more information contact: raskb@kornet.net or telephone 02-763-9483.
Getting to Somerset Palace:
From Anguk Station (line number 3, Stop 328) go out exit No 6. OR from Jonggak Station (line number 1, Stop 132),go out exit No. 2. Somerset Palace is located in the same block as Jogyesa Temple and the Jongno-gu Office.
See attached map
Taxi Directions: [안국동, 한국일보사 앞에 내려주세요.]
Please visit: http://www.raskb.com
So, my boyfriend, Jay, was supposed to come and visit me in Korea. But, even though he's a permanent resident of the U.S., they wouldn't let him into Korea because his passport says "Pilipinas Pasaporte." Thus, I found myself in the Philippines for the last couple weeks!! Thought I would share some food pics with you all just in case you are thinking of journeying off to some sunny white beaches yourselves!
If you want to know the whole story, check out my blog. Let's just say everything happens for a reason.
Some of the delicious foods I tried in the PI:
Lechon manok (delicious roasted chicken basically basted in its own juices):
Every part of a chicken you would ever want to eat (neck, intestines, hearts, livers):
Balut (duck egg with partially formed baby duck inside) and bananas:
A typical meal at the beach: fire-roasted fish, pork belly similar to sam gyeop sal, plenty of coke, and Tanduay rum (80%--pretty much rubbing alcohol) and a banana leaf served as the tablecloth:
AND, the KING of all Filipino dishes, lechon (a whole pig roasted over a fire very slowly for upwards of 6 hours or so):
Before:
After:
Labor is cheap in the Philippines. One of these whole-roasted pigs in the States costs about $300, and you have to get it from someone who does it underground as this type of thing cannot be found at any restaurant. Instead, one must order it from a Filipino family running an illegal lechon-roasting business from their basement. We paid the equivalent of about $40 for our pig. We bought it live, and had it killed. Then, we paid someone to roast it. I doubt if the whole process (including the pig) cost more than $50.
If any of you are readers of Michael Pollan's books, you will recognize the difference in the way food is treated simply by these pictures alone. Personally, it was a refreshing (and revolting) experience to see all of my food nearly killed right before my eyes. It's not a place with those who have faint stomachs and can't deal with seeing their meat processed right in front of them. I felt that it was necessary to have an experience where I actually see where my food comes from.
As dumb as it sounds, I didn't realize there were different types of rice in Asia. Korean rice is a short-grain rice that, depending on who you talk to, has a flavor and an aroma to it. Filipino rice is a long-grain rice that is much blander in comparison. Perhaps this is part of the reason for the differences in the two cuisines. Filipinos tend to pour on the salt, vinegar, soy, and fry most of their foods. Though delicious, it was easy for me to see why the country has an epidemic of heart disease and diabetes. Though Korean food is spicy, it doesn't even come close to the amount of fat in the Filipino dishes. I wonder if this has anything to do with the flavor of the accompanying rice--more fatty dishes with bland rice, less with flavorful rice? Just a theory I guess... then again, I have to remember that because of the extremely poor economy, usually the cheapest/most frequent dishes are the worst for your health. On the other hand, only the rich can afford to drink Coke in the Philippines... so it's a kind of damned if you do, damned if you don't type of thing...
Overall, my taste buds got a "kick" so to speak and it was nice to eat some stuff that wasn't so spicy. If you are planning on going to the Philippines, prepared to be treated like royalty. I was, and it was pretty dang nice (oh yeah, the hot weather was lovely too!!). *(^_^)*
If you want to know more about Filipino culture and my experience there, check out the whole story on my blog. Happy Eating!
If you want to know the whole story, check out my blog. Let's just say everything happens for a reason.
Some of the delicious foods I tried in the PI:
Lechon manok (delicious roasted chicken basically basted in its own juices):
Every part of a chicken you would ever want to eat (neck, intestines, hearts, livers):
Balut (duck egg with partially formed baby duck inside) and bananas:
A typical meal at the beach: fire-roasted fish, pork belly similar to sam gyeop sal, plenty of coke, and Tanduay rum (80%--pretty much rubbing alcohol) and a banana leaf served as the tablecloth:
AND, the KING of all Filipino dishes, lechon (a whole pig roasted over a fire very slowly for upwards of 6 hours or so):
Before:
After:
Labor is cheap in the Philippines. One of these whole-roasted pigs in the States costs about $300, and you have to get it from someone who does it underground as this type of thing cannot be found at any restaurant. Instead, one must order it from a Filipino family running an illegal lechon-roasting business from their basement. We paid the equivalent of about $40 for our pig. We bought it live, and had it killed. Then, we paid someone to roast it. I doubt if the whole process (including the pig) cost more than $50.
If any of you are readers of Michael Pollan's books, you will recognize the difference in the way food is treated simply by these pictures alone. Personally, it was a refreshing (and revolting) experience to see all of my food nearly killed right before my eyes. It's not a place with those who have faint stomachs and can't deal with seeing their meat processed right in front of them. I felt that it was necessary to have an experience where I actually see where my food comes from.
As dumb as it sounds, I didn't realize there were different types of rice in Asia. Korean rice is a short-grain rice that, depending on who you talk to, has a flavor and an aroma to it. Filipino rice is a long-grain rice that is much blander in comparison. Perhaps this is part of the reason for the differences in the two cuisines. Filipinos tend to pour on the salt, vinegar, soy, and fry most of their foods. Though delicious, it was easy for me to see why the country has an epidemic of heart disease and diabetes. Though Korean food is spicy, it doesn't even come close to the amount of fat in the Filipino dishes. I wonder if this has anything to do with the flavor of the accompanying rice--more fatty dishes with bland rice, less with flavorful rice? Just a theory I guess... then again, I have to remember that because of the extremely poor economy, usually the cheapest/most frequent dishes are the worst for your health. On the other hand, only the rich can afford to drink Coke in the Philippines... so it's a kind of damned if you do, damned if you don't type of thing...
Overall, my taste buds got a "kick" so to speak and it was nice to eat some stuff that wasn't so spicy. If you are planning on going to the Philippines, prepared to be treated like royalty. I was, and it was pretty dang nice (oh yeah, the hot weather was lovely too!!). *(^_^)*
If you want to know more about Filipino culture and my experience there, check out the whole story on my blog. Happy Eating!
This restaurant has closed
Black Sheep
By Daniel Gray
For a university area, Hongdae has the most eclectic range of restaurants. Most university students are poor so they are quite undiscerning about flavor. They are usually more concerned about the amount of food and if there is alcohol to accompany it. Well, Hongdae students are an eclectic bunch and the variety of restaurants around their university reflects this. If you go down to Sogang University, you’ll find beer bars, dirty barbecue shik-tangs, and some commercial bars and eateries. Near Ewha, you’ll find lots of artsy eateries and cafes that obviously spent more on décor than on developing the menu. Hongdae is the arts mecca in Korea and it has a wide range of differing flavors that cater to their creative palate.
The owner of the famous Aa Design Museum and café decided to open up an organic cuisine restaurant right up the street. He decided to stick to the formula that made the café such a mainstay. He would offer healthy food made with quality ingredients in an awe-inspiring space. His restaurant Black Sheep has been around for several months and it seems to embrace a healthy Mediterranean approach. The décor is raw, for it looks like a gutted house. Bricks and pipes can be seen throughout and the furniture is a mix mash of different styles and eras. The decorations are minimal. You might have an old whisky jar here, a fireplace there, or antlers on the wall.
The menu is written like a recipe book. For example the “Grilled Tuna with Mixed Salad (W15,000)” lists the ingredients: “Grilled Tuna 125g, French Bean 45g, Green Olive 10g, Mixed Salad 40g, and 1 half boiled egg.” Then it gives a picture and a description.
The first dish I tried was the “Chicken Salad with New Potato and Red Onion (W15,000)”. The hearty potatoes were perfectly oven roasted and well seasoned. The chicken was crisp on the outside and moist and the savory flavor of the chicken contrasted nicely with the tangy leafy salad. To heighten the flavors, the chef used rich olive oil, a basil pesto sauce, and pink peppercorns. This is a nice dish for a cold winter day.
Then we had the “Pan-Fried Salmon with French Bean Salad (18,000)”. The salmon here was textbook perfect. The salmon had a nice crust and the flesh was flaky and glistening with the salmon’s natural oils. The salad that it rested on had a cool yogurt dressing on it. Personally, I think a citrus dressing would have been a better match. There was a lack of green beans and I felt the eggs didn’t really match with the dish. But because the salmon was so good, the accoutrements didn’t really matter.
My first visit to Black Sheep was quite a treat.
I went back again, because it’s not fair to rate a restaurant with just one visit. The second time I went, it seemed like a completely different place. First of all, the restaurant was freezing cold. We had to go upstairs to the smoking section, because it was too cold to sit downstairs. I tried to order the “Charcoal Grilled Organic Beef and Peach Serano Ham with Fresh Salad (W19,000) but I was told it wasn’t available. So I ordered the “Fragrant Orange Duck Breast with Saute Mushroom(W19,000)” instead and the “Deep Fried Calamary and Bacon with Wild Tomato Sauce Pasta (W12,000)”. I have to be honest with you. This time around I was simply embarrassed for the chef. Do not order the duck breast dish. Now, I don’t often do this, but I had to send the dish back. The ingredient lists honey and maple syrup, but clearly corn syrup was used and because the restaurant was too cold it had coagulated into a goop that was inedible. The pasta dish was ok, but nothing overly special.
Now I didn’t want to leave the restaurant with the second impression, because sometimes restaurants just have bad days. So I went a third time. This time, the restaurant was back in form. The temperature was comfortable and the food was back on par. This time I had the Salmon with Linguine and the Beef Salad. The Salmon was grilled and flakey and I loved the roasted slivers of garlic and silky linguine. “The Charcoal Grilled Organic Beef and Peach Serano Ham with Fresh Salad” wasn’t quite as advertised. It did have beef, but it was lacking the Serano Ham and the peaches had been replaced with prunes. Actually, the prunes were a good substitute-peaches being so hard to get in winter. Now if I was told that the dish had changed, I would have been more prepared for the dish.
Overall, I found this to be a restaurant with lots of potential. I enjoy the direction the restaurant is taking and I think in time it will mature into a great place. Usually it takes a restaurant a year to get into form and this restaurant is getting there. There are some issues right now, but it shouldn’t keep you away. It is a charming place to have a beer with friends or to take a second or third date. It is definitely a black sheep in Hongda; its food does stand out.
Black Sheep
*** (3 stars out of 4)
408-1 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu
02 3143 0757
Organic Cuisine
Directions: Go out Sangsu Station Exit 1. Walk towards Hong-ik University. Make the first left after you pass a little bar called vinyl. Walk 100 meters. It’ll be on the left.
Black Sheep
By Daniel Gray
For a university area, Hongdae has the most eclectic range of restaurants. Most university students are poor so they are quite undiscerning about flavor. They are usually more concerned about the amount of food and if there is alcohol to accompany it. Well, Hongdae students are an eclectic bunch and the variety of restaurants around their university reflects this. If you go down to Sogang University, you’ll find beer bars, dirty barbecue shik-tangs, and some commercial bars and eateries. Near Ewha, you’ll find lots of artsy eateries and cafes that obviously spent more on décor than on developing the menu. Hongdae is the arts mecca in Korea and it has a wide range of differing flavors that cater to their creative palate.
The owner of the famous Aa Design Museum and café decided to open up an organic cuisine restaurant right up the street. He decided to stick to the formula that made the café such a mainstay. He would offer healthy food made with quality ingredients in an awe-inspiring space. His restaurant Black Sheep has been around for several months and it seems to embrace a healthy Mediterranean approach. The décor is raw, for it looks like a gutted house. Bricks and pipes can be seen throughout and the furniture is a mix mash of different styles and eras. The decorations are minimal. You might have an old whisky jar here, a fireplace there, or antlers on the wall.
The menu is written like a recipe book. For example the “Grilled Tuna with Mixed Salad (W15,000)” lists the ingredients: “Grilled Tuna 125g, French Bean 45g, Green Olive 10g, Mixed Salad 40g, and 1 half boiled egg.” Then it gives a picture and a description.
The first dish I tried was the “Chicken Salad with New Potato and Red Onion (W15,000)”. The hearty potatoes were perfectly oven roasted and well seasoned. The chicken was crisp on the outside and moist and the savory flavor of the chicken contrasted nicely with the tangy leafy salad. To heighten the flavors, the chef used rich olive oil, a basil pesto sauce, and pink peppercorns. This is a nice dish for a cold winter day.
Then we had the “Pan-Fried Salmon with French Bean Salad (18,000)”. The salmon here was textbook perfect. The salmon had a nice crust and the flesh was flaky and glistening with the salmon’s natural oils. The salad that it rested on had a cool yogurt dressing on it. Personally, I think a citrus dressing would have been a better match. There was a lack of green beans and I felt the eggs didn’t really match with the dish. But because the salmon was so good, the accoutrements didn’t really matter.
My first visit to Black Sheep was quite a treat.
I went back again, because it’s not fair to rate a restaurant with just one visit. The second time I went, it seemed like a completely different place. First of all, the restaurant was freezing cold. We had to go upstairs to the smoking section, because it was too cold to sit downstairs. I tried to order the “Charcoal Grilled Organic Beef and Peach Serano Ham with Fresh Salad (W19,000) but I was told it wasn’t available. So I ordered the “Fragrant Orange Duck Breast with Saute Mushroom(W19,000)” instead and the “Deep Fried Calamary and Bacon with Wild Tomato Sauce Pasta (W12,000)”. I have to be honest with you. This time around I was simply embarrassed for the chef. Do not order the duck breast dish. Now, I don’t often do this, but I had to send the dish back. The ingredient lists honey and maple syrup, but clearly corn syrup was used and because the restaurant was too cold it had coagulated into a goop that was inedible. The pasta dish was ok, but nothing overly special.
Now I didn’t want to leave the restaurant with the second impression, because sometimes restaurants just have bad days. So I went a third time. This time, the restaurant was back in form. The temperature was comfortable and the food was back on par. This time I had the Salmon with Linguine and the Beef Salad. The Salmon was grilled and flakey and I loved the roasted slivers of garlic and silky linguine. “The Charcoal Grilled Organic Beef and Peach Serano Ham with Fresh Salad” wasn’t quite as advertised. It did have beef, but it was lacking the Serano Ham and the peaches had been replaced with prunes. Actually, the prunes were a good substitute-peaches being so hard to get in winter. Now if I was told that the dish had changed, I would have been more prepared for the dish.
Overall, I found this to be a restaurant with lots of potential. I enjoy the direction the restaurant is taking and I think in time it will mature into a great place. Usually it takes a restaurant a year to get into form and this restaurant is getting there. There are some issues right now, but it shouldn’t keep you away. It is a charming place to have a beer with friends or to take a second or third date. It is definitely a black sheep in Hongda; its food does stand out.
Black Sheep
*** (3 stars out of 4)
408-1 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu
02 3143 0757
Organic Cuisine
Directions: Go out Sangsu Station Exit 1. Walk towards Hong-ik University. Make the first left after you pass a little bar called vinyl. Walk 100 meters. It’ll be on the left.
If you haven’t heard yet, Sam and Annabelle from Drivetime are having a special contest. They would like to have Annabelle to eat live octopus on the radio. She is vehemently opposed to this idea which makes this contest, oh, so more enticing. So to do this we need to have 100 people to vote “yes, to live octopus” on their message board.
Go to the tbsefm website here.
Hit the button to Drivetime and then hit "board" Write, "Yes for Octopus!"
If you like Kimchi, you should vote, "Yes, for Octopus!"
If you like Obama, you should vote, "Yes, for Octopus!"
If you breathe oxygen, you should vote, "Yes, for Octopus!"
Vote Yes! For Octopus!
Go to the tbsefm website here.
Hit the button to Drivetime and then hit "board" Write, "Yes for Octopus!"
If you like Kimchi, you should vote, "Yes, for Octopus!"
If you like Obama, you should vote, "Yes, for Octopus!"
If you breathe oxygen, you should vote, "Yes, for Octopus!"
Vote Yes! For Octopus!
These are some living tips that will help you survive Seoul. They were announced on Soul of Asia on TBSeFM 101.3 this week by Sara Kim.
Here are the tips.
Did you know that if you have a sore throat you can just gargle with a half glass of hot water and a teaspoon of cayenne pepper? The cayenne pepper will kill all the bacteria in your throat that’s causing the pain. This will also work with pickle brine, lemon juice, or Tabasco sauce.
Now if you would like more traditional medical advice then I think you should call the medical referral service at 010 4769 8212 or e-mail them at medicalreferral@seoul.go.kr There are English Speaking operators available that can refer you to general practitioners as well as specialists in dermatology; dentistry, PODIATRY, gynecology…basically whatever medical need you have.
If you are going to a hospital or to a clinic it might help to have your health insurance card. Your school should give you a health insurance card that says NHIC on it. If you don’t know if you have health insurance then I would call the nhic at 02 390 2000 that’s 02 390 2000. Get your school’s business ID number and your alien card. They should be able to check to see if you are registered.
You can also get more information about the National Health Insurance Corporation at www.nhic.or.kr that’s www.nhic.or.kr
Now back to what I was saying about insurance, it’s important to get it. And it’ll really help you with your payments. For example you’ll get 30 percent off of prescriptions and you can save 30-50% for outpatient services. And 10-20% for inpatient procedures.
Let’s take a quick break and when we come back, we’ll continue with our tips.
BREAK
We are back. And I just wanted to remind you of the quiz question for the day. It is… and the winner will get a gift certificate to the amazing Tartine pie shop in Itaewon. Think Strawberry Rhubarb pie…Yum… Keep the texts a coming.
O.K. Let’s get back to tips. Let’s get into some labor law review.
As an employee, you are entitled to all the rights that a Korean citizen has under the labor law. Now you still have these rights if you are working illegally. The only problem being that if you file an action against an employer while working illegally, you might win, but you will also face consequences. Just keep that in mind.
Let’s review about maternity leave. If you have worked for the same company for a 12-month period, then you are entitled to maternity leave. A minimum of 45 days is given before and 45 days after for woman. For the father, he is also able to get 3 days of maternity leave.
So…I guess if you are Thomas Beatie, the man who gave birth to a girl, he would get 93 days for maternity leave.
The days that are taken off are paid and if a company refuses to grant maternity leave or salary, the employer will be sentenced up to 2 years in prison or fined up to 10 million won.
There is also time given if you need to take off to take care of a child that is under 3 years of age. The company is obligated to give 30 days leave.
Another labor law is that if you work a 12 month contract the school is obligated to pay the “toejikgeum.” If they fire you for unjustified reasons then I suggest you talk to a lawyer.
There is free legal advice at the Seoul Global center in City Hall offers on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-5 and the Seoul Bar Association, the 서울지방변호사회 offers free legal advice for foreigners on Mondays from 2-5pm. The place is easy to find. Just go out exit 8 of Seocho Station.
In other news, the city of Seoul has appointed 20 real estate agents to specifically help the foreigner community. These agents speak a variety of languages including, English, French and Spanish. There is even one realtor in Yeong-deungpo that speaks English and Arabic. These realtors can help find an apartment or house and then go through all the necessary forms to sign the lease.
The city of Seoul putting on a show of social consciousness these days. They are planning an 802.1 billion won project to help the handicap by constructing better infrastructure for the disabled and for the improvement of subway, taxi, and the bus systems.
If that wasn’t enough, the City of Seoul is offering foreigner-specific taxis that will have drivers that will be able to speak English, Japanese, Chinese, and Spanish. There will be a 24-hour call reservation service available as well. These new taxis will have a special sticker or designs that will make stand out from regular taxis. These taxis will cost 20 percent more than regular taxis. They will accept credit cards and there will be fixed fare rates during the late hours and for distances to prevent quarrels.
Oh, another tip that I just discovered was that the Gwanghwamun post office is open until 8pm every night. So, if you really need to get to the post office then I recommend you head over to Gwanghwamun station and go out exit 5.
For those that don’t know already, Korea’s biggest holidays is coming soon. Seollal is the Lunar New Year in Korea and most of you will have the 26th and 27th off. So, what this means is that you’ll have a very long weekend.
Here are some places that you can go in the city that are more…traditional.
Gyeongbokgung Palace, located near Gwanghwamun, will have some special programs during this time. They’ll reenact some traditional rituals, games and perform some traditional folk plays.
Other palaces that will have events include the Unhyeonggung Palace and the Jongmyo Shrine.
And the final tip for this review is: any place that you see the “TAX FREE Shopping” Sign means that you can get the Value Added Tax or known as VAT in Korea back for up to three months after you make your purchase. This means that if you paid for a thousand dollar new camera then you will get 10 percent back or 100,000 won. Listeners, that’s nothing to scoff at for sure. The condition is that you have to leave the country, or go on a trip before the 3-month period expires.
Here is the short version of how you can get your tax back.
1. Buy stuff where they have a Tax Free Shopping Sign.
2. Get a Global Refund Cheque Reciept
3. Leave the country within 3 months of your purchase.
4. Get a Customs stamp at the Customs Declaration section at the airport.
Go to the Cash Refund office at the airport.
Here are the tips.
Did you know that if you have a sore throat you can just gargle with a half glass of hot water and a teaspoon of cayenne pepper? The cayenne pepper will kill all the bacteria in your throat that’s causing the pain. This will also work with pickle brine, lemon juice, or Tabasco sauce.
Now if you would like more traditional medical advice then I think you should call the medical referral service at 010 4769 8212 or e-mail them at medicalreferral@seoul.go.kr There are English Speaking operators available that can refer you to general practitioners as well as specialists in dermatology; dentistry, PODIATRY, gynecology…basically whatever medical need you have.
If you are going to a hospital or to a clinic it might help to have your health insurance card. Your school should give you a health insurance card that says NHIC on it. If you don’t know if you have health insurance then I would call the nhic at 02 390 2000 that’s 02 390 2000. Get your school’s business ID number and your alien card. They should be able to check to see if you are registered.
You can also get more information about the National Health Insurance Corporation at www.nhic.or.kr that’s www.nhic.or.kr
Now back to what I was saying about insurance, it’s important to get it. And it’ll really help you with your payments. For example you’ll get 30 percent off of prescriptions and you can save 30-50% for outpatient services. And 10-20% for inpatient procedures.
Let’s take a quick break and when we come back, we’ll continue with our tips.
BREAK
We are back. And I just wanted to remind you of the quiz question for the day. It is… and the winner will get a gift certificate to the amazing Tartine pie shop in Itaewon. Think Strawberry Rhubarb pie…Yum… Keep the texts a coming.
O.K. Let’s get back to tips. Let’s get into some labor law review.
As an employee, you are entitled to all the rights that a Korean citizen has under the labor law. Now you still have these rights if you are working illegally. The only problem being that if you file an action against an employer while working illegally, you might win, but you will also face consequences. Just keep that in mind.
Let’s review about maternity leave. If you have worked for the same company for a 12-month period, then you are entitled to maternity leave. A minimum of 45 days is given before and 45 days after for woman. For the father, he is also able to get 3 days of maternity leave.
So…I guess if you are Thomas Beatie, the man who gave birth to a girl, he would get 93 days for maternity leave.
The days that are taken off are paid and if a company refuses to grant maternity leave or salary, the employer will be sentenced up to 2 years in prison or fined up to 10 million won.
There is also time given if you need to take off to take care of a child that is under 3 years of age. The company is obligated to give 30 days leave.
Another labor law is that if you work a 12 month contract the school is obligated to pay the “toejikgeum.” If they fire you for unjustified reasons then I suggest you talk to a lawyer.
There is free legal advice at the Seoul Global center in City Hall offers on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-5 and the Seoul Bar Association, the 서울지방변호사회 offers free legal advice for foreigners on Mondays from 2-5pm. The place is easy to find. Just go out exit 8 of Seocho Station.
In other news, the city of Seoul has appointed 20 real estate agents to specifically help the foreigner community. These agents speak a variety of languages including, English, French and Spanish. There is even one realtor in Yeong-deungpo that speaks English and Arabic. These realtors can help find an apartment or house and then go through all the necessary forms to sign the lease.
The city of Seoul putting on a show of social consciousness these days. They are planning an 802.1 billion won project to help the handicap by constructing better infrastructure for the disabled and for the improvement of subway, taxi, and the bus systems.
If that wasn’t enough, the City of Seoul is offering foreigner-specific taxis that will have drivers that will be able to speak English, Japanese, Chinese, and Spanish. There will be a 24-hour call reservation service available as well. These new taxis will have a special sticker or designs that will make stand out from regular taxis. These taxis will cost 20 percent more than regular taxis. They will accept credit cards and there will be fixed fare rates during the late hours and for distances to prevent quarrels.
Oh, another tip that I just discovered was that the Gwanghwamun post office is open until 8pm every night. So, if you really need to get to the post office then I recommend you head over to Gwanghwamun station and go out exit 5.
For those that don’t know already, Korea’s biggest holidays is coming soon. Seollal is the Lunar New Year in Korea and most of you will have the 26th and 27th off. So, what this means is that you’ll have a very long weekend.
Here are some places that you can go in the city that are more…traditional.
Gyeongbokgung Palace, located near Gwanghwamun, will have some special programs during this time. They’ll reenact some traditional rituals, games and perform some traditional folk plays.
Other palaces that will have events include the Unhyeonggung Palace and the Jongmyo Shrine.
And the final tip for this review is: any place that you see the “TAX FREE Shopping” Sign means that you can get the Value Added Tax or known as VAT in Korea back for up to three months after you make your purchase. This means that if you paid for a thousand dollar new camera then you will get 10 percent back or 100,000 won. Listeners, that’s nothing to scoff at for sure. The condition is that you have to leave the country, or go on a trip before the 3-month period expires.
Here is the short version of how you can get your tax back.
1. Buy stuff where they have a Tax Free Shopping Sign.
2. Get a Global Refund Cheque Reciept
3. Leave the country within 3 months of your purchase.
4. Get a Customs stamp at the Customs Declaration section at the airport.
Go to the Cash Refund office at the airport.
UPDATE: Toque no longer does brunch
You may ask, "where are the best brunch places in Seoul. It’s all the rage and you’ll find places in Apgujeong and Itaewon and over by Samcheong dong. In America, brunch was kinda popular but mainly for those hung over from all nighter. Koreans love Brunch. I mean pancakes can cost like 14,000 won and eggs, bacon, toast and coffee can easily come to 12,000. Is it ridiculous? Maybe, so I think it would be good to pick out the gems from the duds.
My favorite places for brunch are in Itaewon. I’m just going to start from the start of the street as if you are coming from Banpo Bridge, and work my way down.
Suji’s has great classic style pancakes and eggs.
Richard Copycats has greasy heart attack inducing breakfasts like gravy and biscuits and omlettes just oozing grease. Let me tell you, this place is great if you’re need something to sop up all the alcohol in your gut. I will warn you though, sometimes service is a tad...awful. Hopefully they are working on this because it could be a great place.
There’s McDonalds too, which will serve breakfast. I wouldn’t eat there, but I know many Mickey D’s in Korea don’t serve breakfast.
You go further down you’ve got Neal’s Yard which has great coffee and decent homemade desserts. Then across from the Hamiliton you’ve got Gecko’s Terrace and Chef Meili’s. Gecko’s is hit or mix sometimes. I’ve had a French toast there that was just awful. it was a mushy cream cheese and fruit compote stuffed french toast. They were trying to be too creative. Besides that, it's a good place and the bread is amazing. Chef Meili’s has the best sausages, but the portions for brunch are a bit Spartan. Now I recommend you buy his sausages and make breakfast in bed for your significant other.
Hmmm…What else.
Oh across, you’ve got my favorite brunch place. Flying Pan blue. It’s eclectic, hip and creative. you can read my review of Flying Pan here: http://www.seouleats.com/2008/01/flying-pan-blue-review.html
Then down the street you’ve got the Rocky Mountain where you can get a Canadian Trucker’s breakfast with eggs, bacon, toast and baked beans. It’s nothing fancy. It’s hearty.
Then further down you’ve got Toque, which I think has the best eggs benedict.
Honorable mention. The Waffle Factory in Gyeongmi Dong. It’s alright. I like the different compotes they have like Cassis and Cherry. The waffles are decent too.
If you want to go fancy, you’ve got the Hyatt which has an amazing brunch for around 30,000
There is also Butterfinger’s Pancakes in Apgujeong and All Day Brunch. I think these are just overly expensive, but they are the hip places to go. Butterfinger’s pancakes are good, but they are small-like size of a fist. I want my pancakes massive- like the size of my fist.
Dan
You may ask, "where are the best brunch places in Seoul. It’s all the rage and you’ll find places in Apgujeong and Itaewon and over by Samcheong dong. In America, brunch was kinda popular but mainly for those hung over from all nighter. Koreans love Brunch. I mean pancakes can cost like 14,000 won and eggs, bacon, toast and coffee can easily come to 12,000. Is it ridiculous? Maybe, so I think it would be good to pick out the gems from the duds.
My favorite places for brunch are in Itaewon. I’m just going to start from the start of the street as if you are coming from Banpo Bridge, and work my way down.
Suji’s has great classic style pancakes and eggs.
Richard Copycats has greasy heart attack inducing breakfasts like gravy and biscuits and omlettes just oozing grease. Let me tell you, this place is great if you’re need something to sop up all the alcohol in your gut. I will warn you though, sometimes service is a tad...awful. Hopefully they are working on this because it could be a great place.
There’s McDonalds too, which will serve breakfast. I wouldn’t eat there, but I know many Mickey D’s in Korea don’t serve breakfast.
You go further down you’ve got Neal’s Yard which has great coffee and decent homemade desserts. Then across from the Hamiliton you’ve got Gecko’s Terrace and Chef Meili’s. Gecko’s is hit or mix sometimes. I’ve had a French toast there that was just awful. it was a mushy cream cheese and fruit compote stuffed french toast. They were trying to be too creative. Besides that, it's a good place and the bread is amazing. Chef Meili’s has the best sausages, but the portions for brunch are a bit Spartan. Now I recommend you buy his sausages and make breakfast in bed for your significant other.
Hmmm…What else.
Oh across, you’ve got my favorite brunch place. Flying Pan blue. It’s eclectic, hip and creative. you can read my review of Flying Pan here: http://www.seouleats.com/2008/01/flying-pan-blue-review.html
Then down the street you’ve got the Rocky Mountain where you can get a Canadian Trucker’s breakfast with eggs, bacon, toast and baked beans. It’s nothing fancy. It’s hearty.
Then further down you’ve got Toque, which I think has the best eggs benedict.
Honorable mention. The Waffle Factory in Gyeongmi Dong. It’s alright. I like the different compotes they have like Cassis and Cherry. The waffles are decent too.
If you want to go fancy, you’ve got the Hyatt which has an amazing brunch for around 30,000
There is also Butterfinger’s Pancakes in Apgujeong and All Day Brunch. I think these are just overly expensive, but they are the hip places to go. Butterfinger’s pancakes are good, but they are small-like size of a fist. I want my pancakes massive- like the size of my fist.
Dan
Hey TBSeFM Listeners!
As a special treat have a very special announcement. Soul of Asia has obtained two tickets for the Swell Season concert from the lovely Claire Leadbitter who helps manage the band.
We are going to give these tickets away as a set. The concert is on Saturday, January 17th. In order to win, you have to post a message on the Soul of Asia message board saying why you think you should win these two tickets. The best letter will be chosen by the band on Thursday, January 15 so you have plenty of time to get your pens working to write the best message stating why you should win these two tickets.
Be creative, be bold, tell us a story, just write a message and post it on our message board. We’ll be reading them all week and we’ll choose on our winner on Thursday, January 15th.
So go to http://tbsefm.seoul.kr and go to the Soul of Asia message board and leave us a message on why you should win these 2 tickets. You can enter as many times as you wish and be sure to post an e-mail address so we can contact the winner.
You can also email us the letter at tbsefm@gmail.com
Thanks,
Sara
PS. If you can think of things that are "Uniquely Korean" please email us. This could be like SPAM gift boxes, toilet paper on the table and the push button waiter service. We'll be collecting these and announcing the best ones on air.
As a special treat have a very special announcement. Soul of Asia has obtained two tickets for the Swell Season concert from the lovely Claire Leadbitter who helps manage the band.
We are going to give these tickets away as a set. The concert is on Saturday, January 17th. In order to win, you have to post a message on the Soul of Asia message board saying why you think you should win these two tickets. The best letter will be chosen by the band on Thursday, January 15 so you have plenty of time to get your pens working to write the best message stating why you should win these two tickets.
Be creative, be bold, tell us a story, just write a message and post it on our message board. We’ll be reading them all week and we’ll choose on our winner on Thursday, January 15th.
So go to http://tbsefm.seoul.kr and go to the Soul of Asia message board and leave us a message on why you should win these 2 tickets. You can enter as many times as you wish and be sure to post an e-mail address so we can contact the winner.
You can also email us the letter at tbsefm@gmail.com
Thanks,
Sara
PS. If you can think of things that are "Uniquely Korean" please email us. This could be like SPAM gift boxes, toilet paper on the table and the push button waiter service. We'll be collecting these and announcing the best ones on air.
Surviving Seoul Part 1: Your Rights
Everyone, it is getting dangerously cold out so be sure to make sure you are safe. Most of the houses are warmed through the ondol floor heating system, so it’s very important that you let your water faucet drip a little so your pipes don’t freeze. If they do freeze you could look at a couple million in expenses and most landlords will foot you with the bill.
And if you have one of those thermal fan heaters, please be sure to turn them off when you leave the house and be very careful where you have them located. Do not have lots of loose paper around and also be sure that you are not too close to the heater when you go to sleep. And those heaters take up a lot of power, so be sure not to plug it into a power plug that is overloaded. It could cause a spark.
Today, I wanted to start by going into a bit about labor laws. Korea has a lot of laws on the books, and I feel it’s important to know your rights. Now if you ask your employer about the rules, they will often dissuade you from what you are entitled to. For example, yesterday I talked about how an employer will discourage you from getting health insurance by saying that you would have to back pay for all the months from January, the beginning of the fiscal year, if you want to get health insurance. Although, it might seem like they are doing you a favor by saving you money; there is an ulterior motive: the company doesn’t want to have you listed as a full time employee with rights to National Pension, Health Insurance, Employment Insurance, and the Unemployment Grant. Furthermore, they are probably not taxing you correctly; hence, you wouldn’t be able to get your full tax refund.
Oh, by the way…listeners, has anyone received their tax refund yet? I’m still waiting on mine.
Anyway, make sure that your employer is following the rules. If not, then you might question their credibility and trustworthiness. I mean if they are willing to cheat the government, then they would probably not blink before cheating an employee.
As an employee, you are entitled to all the rights that a Korean citizen has under the labor law. Now you still have these rights if you are working illegally. The only problem being that if you file an action against an employer while working illegally, you might win, but you will also face consequences.
Let’s talk about maternity leave again. If you have worked for the same company for a 12-month period, then you are entitled to maternity leave. A minimum of 45 days is given before and 45 days after for woman. For the father, he is also able to get 3 days of maternity leave. The days that are taken off are paid and if a company refuses to grant maternity leave or salary, the employer will be sentenced up to 2 years in prison or fined up to 10 million won.
There is also time given if you need to take off to take care of a child that is under 3 years of age. The company is obligated to give 30 days leave.
The purpose of the maternity leave and the Child Rearing leave is so the employee is not punished for having children. Also, the employee’s job will be protected when they are ready to come back to work.
Furthermore, with Korea’s current problem with low population growth and the aging community, I think these are great measures that will encourage more adults to have children. Let’s take a break now and when we come back, I’ll have more tips for you.
Surviving Seoul Part 2: Tips
Your rights are very important and it really peeves me when I hear of employers breaking the law because they think the foreigners won’t press for legal actions.
Just the other day, a friend of mine told me that one of our mutual acquaintances was fired in the 11th month of her contract for unexplained, reasons. It was quite obvious that the employer simply didn’t want to pay the contracted severance. I’ve also heard of people signing 2 6-month contracts because the school didn’t want to offer a 12-month contract.
Look. The law is that if you work a 12 month contract the school is obligated to pay the “toejikgeum.” If they fire you for reasons that aren’t warranted then I suggest you talk to a lawyer. Don’t worry, there are lots of free legal advice out there.
I think I’ve already mentioned that the Seoul Global center in City Hall offers legal advice on Tuesday and Thursday from 2-5, but I’ve dug up even more places.
The Seoul Bar Association, the 서울지방변호사회 offers free legal advice for foreigners on Mondays from 2-5pm. The place is easy to find. Just go out exit 8 of Seocho Station.
Plus, as soon as you get a lawyer involved most employers will just go ahead and do the right thing. They’d rather not get sued because they know that they will probably lose plus they would be responsible for the legal expenses.
O.K. Now on a lighter note, if you have a younger brother, sister, cousin, etc and you would like to bring them over for a summer or something, you could have them get an H-1 visa. This visa is called the Working Holiday Visa and it’s for people that are between the ages of 18-25 years old. This visa is for those whose main intention is for tourism, but they can also pick up some part time jobs to help pay for expenses.
I think coming to Korea would be a great place for young person with no responsibilities. They could work when you wanted and travel easily to lots of other countries. Korea really is like a hub.
Oh, one last tip that I just discovered the other day because I am always trying to go to the post office, but it’s always closed by the time I get there. I found out that the Gwanghwamun post office is open until 8pm every night. So, if you really need to get to the post office then I recommend you head over to Gwanghwamun station and go out exit 5.
Everyone, it is getting dangerously cold out so be sure to make sure you are safe. Most of the houses are warmed through the ondol floor heating system, so it’s very important that you let your water faucet drip a little so your pipes don’t freeze. If they do freeze you could look at a couple million in expenses and most landlords will foot you with the bill.
And if you have one of those thermal fan heaters, please be sure to turn them off when you leave the house and be very careful where you have them located. Do not have lots of loose paper around and also be sure that you are not too close to the heater when you go to sleep. And those heaters take up a lot of power, so be sure not to plug it into a power plug that is overloaded. It could cause a spark.
Today, I wanted to start by going into a bit about labor laws. Korea has a lot of laws on the books, and I feel it’s important to know your rights. Now if you ask your employer about the rules, they will often dissuade you from what you are entitled to. For example, yesterday I talked about how an employer will discourage you from getting health insurance by saying that you would have to back pay for all the months from January, the beginning of the fiscal year, if you want to get health insurance. Although, it might seem like they are doing you a favor by saving you money; there is an ulterior motive: the company doesn’t want to have you listed as a full time employee with rights to National Pension, Health Insurance, Employment Insurance, and the Unemployment Grant. Furthermore, they are probably not taxing you correctly; hence, you wouldn’t be able to get your full tax refund.
Oh, by the way…listeners, has anyone received their tax refund yet? I’m still waiting on mine.
Anyway, make sure that your employer is following the rules. If not, then you might question their credibility and trustworthiness. I mean if they are willing to cheat the government, then they would probably not blink before cheating an employee.
As an employee, you are entitled to all the rights that a Korean citizen has under the labor law. Now you still have these rights if you are working illegally. The only problem being that if you file an action against an employer while working illegally, you might win, but you will also face consequences.
Let’s talk about maternity leave again. If you have worked for the same company for a 12-month period, then you are entitled to maternity leave. A minimum of 45 days is given before and 45 days after for woman. For the father, he is also able to get 3 days of maternity leave. The days that are taken off are paid and if a company refuses to grant maternity leave or salary, the employer will be sentenced up to 2 years in prison or fined up to 10 million won.
There is also time given if you need to take off to take care of a child that is under 3 years of age. The company is obligated to give 30 days leave.
The purpose of the maternity leave and the Child Rearing leave is so the employee is not punished for having children. Also, the employee’s job will be protected when they are ready to come back to work.
Furthermore, with Korea’s current problem with low population growth and the aging community, I think these are great measures that will encourage more adults to have children. Let’s take a break now and when we come back, I’ll have more tips for you.
Surviving Seoul Part 2: Tips
Your rights are very important and it really peeves me when I hear of employers breaking the law because they think the foreigners won’t press for legal actions.
Just the other day, a friend of mine told me that one of our mutual acquaintances was fired in the 11th month of her contract for unexplained, reasons. It was quite obvious that the employer simply didn’t want to pay the contracted severance. I’ve also heard of people signing 2 6-month contracts because the school didn’t want to offer a 12-month contract.
Look. The law is that if you work a 12 month contract the school is obligated to pay the “toejikgeum.” If they fire you for reasons that aren’t warranted then I suggest you talk to a lawyer. Don’t worry, there are lots of free legal advice out there.
I think I’ve already mentioned that the Seoul Global center in City Hall offers legal advice on Tuesday and Thursday from 2-5, but I’ve dug up even more places.
The Seoul Bar Association, the 서울지방변호사회 offers free legal advice for foreigners on Mondays from 2-5pm. The place is easy to find. Just go out exit 8 of Seocho Station.
Plus, as soon as you get a lawyer involved most employers will just go ahead and do the right thing. They’d rather not get sued because they know that they will probably lose plus they would be responsible for the legal expenses.
O.K. Now on a lighter note, if you have a younger brother, sister, cousin, etc and you would like to bring them over for a summer or something, you could have them get an H-1 visa. This visa is called the Working Holiday Visa and it’s for people that are between the ages of 18-25 years old. This visa is for those whose main intention is for tourism, but they can also pick up some part time jobs to help pay for expenses.
I think coming to Korea would be a great place for young person with no responsibilities. They could work when you wanted and travel easily to lots of other countries. Korea really is like a hub.
Oh, one last tip that I just discovered the other day because I am always trying to go to the post office, but it’s always closed by the time I get there. I found out that the Gwanghwamun post office is open until 8pm every night. So, if you really need to get to the post office then I recommend you head over to Gwanghwamun station and go out exit 5.
Daniel says listen to Danya Gunnell talk about motorcycling in seoul on the radio http://tbsefm.
Dan
Breakfast burrito. Again. It's greasy.
I think that Richard Copycat's is an alright diner. The food has that greaseball American flair going for it. The problem is that the service is still awful. Management really needs to work on this. This time the food didn't take as long to get, but they seem to nitpick about everything and they have this cautious attitude. For example, I asked if I could get a salad with my burger and I would pay extra. I just didn't want the fries. I know that's strange, but I need to balance my grease with some vegetables. They could have said no, but it took like 5 minutes to get a response. There's no point to it. We had the same problem the time before when my friend ordered a chocolate milk and only a chocolate milk and he didn't get it until after everyone else was halfway through their meal. He was rightfully a little upset so he refused to pay for the milk. It took 15 minutes to get an apology. Look, I don't care so much if you give me bad service-I'm a bit more understanding, but if you do that to my friends, I tend to get upset.
Mani, mani Christmas Donuts from Mister Donut. They were colorful, but dry.
Yay! people read my blog! Here is a question I recently got from a reader and my answer is below. If anyone has any other questions, feel free to send them to me.
Dan
Lynn
I've been reading your blogs and articles for the past 6 months. They were helpful for my first trip to Seoul. I mostly used your site for restaurants and culture research. But now I'm going back to Seoul at the end of January and want to spend my days cooking. (After all, it is freezing now and wandering about isn't going to be as fun as it was in the fall.) I couldn't find any butchers on my last trip. Can you suggest a couple places? I'm staying just south of the river in kang-nam-gu and only get around by subway.
Thank you!
Me
It's best to find a local butcher. You'll find them around in each neighborhood, but it really depends on the kind of meat that you would want and the cut. You would go to the chicken guy to get chicken. Most of the fish you can get fairly fresh at a market or you can go to noryrangjin: the fish market. For pork and beef, you'll find a separate shop and it's just important you know what cut you are looking for. Here's a list of cuts of beef and they are applicable to pork as well.
갈비 Short Rib/Plate
갈비본살 Boneless Chuck Short Rib
갈비심 Rib Eye Roll
곱창 Small Intestine
긴 혀 Tongue Long Cut
꼬리 Ox Tail
꾸리살(전각살) Chuck Tender
대창 Large Intestine
도가니 Leg Cartiledge
뒷사태 Hind Shank
등갈비 Back Rib
목갈비 Chuck Short Rib
목심 Chuck Roll
보섭살 Rump Round
볼살 Cheek Meat
부채살(서대살) Top Blade(Flat Iron)
뼈사태 Bone-in Shin Shank
사분도체 Quarter
사태 Shin Shank
살치살 Chuck Flap
설깃 Outside Round
설도상 Top Sirloin Butt
설도하(도가니살) Knuckle
소간 Liver
스지 Tendon
안심 Tenderloin
안창살 Outside Skirt, Thin Skirt, Diaphragm
알목심 Chuck Eye Roll
앞다리(대분할) Chuck
앞다리(소분할) Shoulder Clod
앞사태 Fore Shank
양(1위) Tride Intestine
우둔상 Round Top, Inside
우둔하 Round Bottom
우설 Beef Tongue
우족 Beef Feet
이분도체 Side (Half Carcass)
잡육 Trimming
정선 혀 Tongue Swiss Cut
제비추리 Neck Chain(Rope Meat)
중간 혀 Tongue Square Cut
짧은 혀 Tongue Short Cut
차돌백이 Brisket,,Deckle off
차돌양지 Brisket,Flank
채끝(채끝등심) Striploin (Striploin)
치마살 Thin Flank
토시살 Hanging Tender, Thick Skirt
홍두깨살 Eye of Round
In Korea, the cuts near the bone are more expensive. Galbi is quite expensive, but other cuts such as brisket and flank are not. Also the bones are expensive because they are used for soup.
There are kosher butchers in Itaewon as well.
Thank you so much for reading! And I hope this helps!
Dan
Hey everyone, one of my friends started up a magazine and he is hosting an event on Lunar New Year. It's going to be on Sunday the 25th and I am planning on going. You know how I feel about the food at Ola! Mario. If not, go here http://www.seouleats.com/search?q=ola
So, who would like to join me? I'm going to preorder my tickets. Let me know know if you are going to be there too. Here is the facebook group event listing.
http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=43103772569&ref=share
Dan
Hi 10 Magazine Group!
If you are stuck in Korea this Lunar New Year, we've got a treat for you!
10 Magazine and Glenlivet are sponsoring a Lunar New Year's Eve party at Ola Mario restaurant in Itaewon. Unlimited Glenlivet Single-malt Scotch and Glenlivet cocktails along with appetizers served all night long, DJs and an incredible atmosphere - all for only W40,000 - normally!
But for 10 Magazine Group Members who sign up this week tickets are available for just W30,000!!! This is an incredible deal - you'd pay that amount for two glasses of Glenlivet at most places. glentlivetparty@10magazine.asia
The offer is ONLY open to people who buy presale tickets before this Friday, so hurry!
Oh, and pick up your copy of the January issue of 10 Magazine at GS 25 stores today!
Thanks~
10
So, who would like to join me? I'm going to preorder my tickets. Let me know know if you are going to be there too. Here is the facebook group event listing.
http://www.new.facebook.co
Dan
Hi 10 Magazine Group!
If you are stuck in Korea this Lunar New Year, we've got a treat for you!
10 Magazine and Glenlivet are sponsoring a Lunar New Year's Eve party at Ola Mario restaurant in Itaewon. Unlimited Glenlivet Single-malt Scotch and Glenlivet cocktails along with appetizers served all night long, DJs and an incredible atmosphere - all for only W40,000 - normally!
But for 10 Magazine Group Members who sign up this week tickets are available for just W30,000!!! This is an incredible deal - you'd pay that amount for two glasses of Glenlivet at most places. glentlivetparty@10magazine
The offer is ONLY open to people who buy presale tickets before this Friday, so hurry!
Oh, and pick up your copy of the January issue of 10 Magazine at GS 25 stores today!
Thanks~
10
Let’s start with some trash talk. These are items that are not and let me reiterate, NOT, acceptable as food wastes. You can throw these away in your regular trash bags that you buy from the store. Ok, here we go. Hard nut shells such as chestnut, walnuts, peanuts, acorns, coconut, pineapple, or cherry or grape stems. These are also not acceptable: Onion peels, roots of green onions, garlic peels, corn husks, large seeds or pits of peaches, apricots, persimmons and other fruits with pits or seeds.
Just remember this, if an animal can eat it, then it is considered food waste. If not then it goes in the regular trash bag. The trash in the regular bags are usually burned, so it is very important to get rid of all the recyclable items.
Oh, and bones from meat and feathers from poultry (now I don’t know who would defeather their own poultry, but just in case) are NOT food waste. Neither are clam shells, abalone, crab or lobster.
Oh and if you happen to gut and clean your own blowfish (which has the lethal poison: tetraodontidae: a lethal dose is the amount on top of a pin.) that is also NOT food waste. That’s just poison and it is dangerous.
And finally, Tea bags, egg shells, and herbal medicine residue such as cinnamon sticks with cloves and honey (a great sore throat cure) are NOT food waste.
If you have a gas bill or an electric bill, you can pay it through a couple of different ways. Many convenience stores will let you make the payments there. Which convenience stores allow you to pay your bill will be listed on your bill. You can also do a bank transfer at the bank. Just send your payment to the correct bank and account number listed. The final way is to take your paper bill and head to your nearest bank and there are special machines that you feed your bill through and pay by debit. It can be a bit confusing so get the security guard to help. Just hold up the bill and say, Help me or (say it in Korean) or you can simply say How, (Ottakgye) and move both hands up and open palmed. Tilt your head to the side and lift your left foot. As we all know, this is the universal sign for I’m confused, help me. He’ll be sure to help your through this process.
Just review a little about money or woney in Korea. If you happen to encounter an ATM that is all in Korea here are some tips for you to get your money out of the machine. Insert your card and then hit the button for withdrawal, which is 예금인출. Then put in your pass code, which is 비밀번호를누르시오 just remember 비밀번호. Then it’ll ask you for the amount that you would like: 원하시는금액을누르시오. Just remember 원 and this should be pretty easy because you’ll see numbers pop up in won amounts. Choose the amount you need and then finally hit confirm: 확인.
Just review a little about money or woney in Korea. If you happen to encounter an ATM that is all in Korea here are some tips for you to get your money out of the machine. Insert your card and then hit the button for withdrawal, which is 예금인출. Then put in your pass code, which is 비밀번호를누르시오 just remember 비밀번호. Then it’ll ask you for the amount that you would like: 원하시는금액을누르시오. Just remember 원 and this should be pretty easy because you’ll see numbers pop up in won amounts. Choose the amount you need and then finally hit confirm: 확인.
Carol is really a Teddy Bear, but Maggie doesn't care.
Beef Salad from Black Sheep in Hongdae.
Vegetarian Shepard's Pie from Indigo in Haebangchon.
Cream Puff with Peach.
Cake Soldiers
Pretty Lily Decapitates a X-mas Snowman
