By Rizzleboffin at en.wikipedia [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons

As Sonya has mentioned in her post, the tune, “Arirang” indeed is an unofficial national anthem of Korea that men and women of all ages know and sing. The song differs from region to region, but the most well-known one is “Bonjo Arirang.” Unlike other versions that have been orally passed down from generation to generation with no specific composers, “Bonjo Arirang” is an exceptional case that was composed for the theme song of the movie called Arirang which was written, acted, and directed by Na Woon-Gyu, the starter of the auteur film-making tradition in Korea.

“I produced the song,” Na Woon-Gyu explained during his past interview. “When I was in elementary school, I could hear the labourers from south who were constructing the railway continually singing the verse ‘Arirang, Arirang.’ Then after years, I came up to the capital [Seoul] and looked for the original song, but unfortunately I couldn’t find any clues. So there was no other way, but to remember back the melody as much as I could and write lyrics by myself.” His movie released on October 1, 1926 projected a shadow of the nation suffering during the Japanese colonial era, and as it  gained much popularity across the country, the people started to sing the theme song, “Bonjo Arirang” as a way of expressing their sorrow of losing their country. Since then, it has been recognized as a piece of music that embodies the spirit of the nation, not only reflecting grief, but also joy of winning back Korea’s freedom and independence after 1945.

For this reason, “Arirang”  has been overwhelmingly loved by Koreans for generations, and with the government’s endless efforts and community’s collective contributions toward protecting this cultural asset, it has been finally inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of  Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 5, 2012! In a press release, UNESCO introduced this traditional song as “an evocative hymn with the power to enhance communication and unity among the Korean people, whether at home or abroad.”

“We hope the registration of Korea’s most popular folk song as UNESCO cultural heritage will help increase the world’s awareness of Korea and the South Korean people’s perception of the importance of their own intangible cultural heritage,” the Cultural Heritage Administration of South Korea concluded. To celebrate and share this pleasant news, the Administration will be holding more Arirang festivals and exhibitions from this year.

Sources:

http://nasanha.egloos.com/10949000

http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/RL/00445

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/culturesports/2012/12/06/65/0701000000AEN20121206000500315F.HTML

Carpenter (Carpe), J.W.

J.W. Carpenter (Carpe) (1913-1991)

Oil on Canvas Board, 7 x 5

http://daryl.chin.gc.ca:8000/SEARCH/BASIS/aich/advanced/www/DDW?W%3DARDD_INDEX++%3D++++1991%26M%3D44%26K%3D51361%26R%3DY%26U%3D1

Written on the back, “The Artist J.W. Carpenter (Carpe) born in Calgary 1913.  Specializing in Miniature Oils. Landscapes of Western Canada.”

Please leave a comment especially if you have information on this piece of art or the artist.

GW20120399

James Scarth Gale in 1888

James Scarth Gale may as well be one of the first Canadians to set foot in the Land of the Morning Calm. Born in a small town of Pilkington, Ontario in 1863, Gale studied Foreign Languages in University College, University of Toronto and then Theology in Knox College until his leave to Korea as a missionary volunteer with the YMCA in 1888. While it is unclear where he learned Korean, it is likely that he learned Korean in Japan, like most missionaries entering Korea during that time. It’s fair to say that Gale was fascinated with Korean culture. Gale traveled frequently throughout Korea; he translated and published Korean folk stories as well as its superstitions, recording Korean events whenever he found the opportunity. He immersed into Korea so much that he even created his own Korean name, Gee-Il(奇一).

At any rate, Gale left his accounts of his travel to Korea in series of books. His earliest accounts of Korea can be excavated in his first book, Korean Sketches (1898). Gale, with humor where applicable, describes his early journey in and out of Korea in detail. There is a slight hint of Orientalism in his writing due to the time frame of his book, but with an open mind his honest-to-his-own-opinion writing does not discomfort his readers. He comments on various things that he observed, from his horrified opinion on what Koreans do with their dogs (which he later accounts, changed very quickly after he had his own taste in one dog’s day of summer) , to the unbearable smell of Seoul sewage system, and almost dystopia-like description of the Chosun Dynasty fuming its last breath.

A local governor house in Old Korea. Local governors in Korea acted as a man of all trades, taking command of all things including levying taxes, fixing up water reservoirs, military training, hearing litigation and holding trials. There seems to be a lawsuit hearing at the moment when this picture was taken.

“A great wall of China seemed to separate us”

One of the most interesting of his accounts in Korean Sketches is his first meeting with a governor of Haeju (Today’s Haeju, Hwanghae Province) during his travels, where he decided to take the courage to “step outside Seoul for a change” when other foreigners could not dare to step outside of the capital city. Days after his departure from Seoul and many new friends and acquaintances later, he arrived in Haeju without being bitten by a tiger. Moments after he arrived to Haeju Gale was summoned by the governor’s court to be interviewed. From this encounter Gale notes the different understanding of the universe between the learned Korean gentleman and a visiting foreigner:

I remained in Haeju two week, and several times was ushered into the presence of the governor, a nervous man, who seemed in a perpetual state of uneasiness. He asked my name, how old I was, if I was married, and what I had come to do in the land of Morning Calm. He wished to know my country, and when I said Mi-Guk (meaning “American”. Gale seems to have given up on informing everyone about Canada in Korea; though in some instances he identifies himself as a habitant of the American Continent), he inquired of the servants gazing in at the window if they knew to which of the outskirts of the universe such a kingdom longed. Of course they knew not, and the governor shook his head doubtfully.

A great wall of China seemed to separate us. My country, me calling, my appearance, were all mysteries to him. For example, why had I taken my hat off on entering, when Korean custom requires you to put it on if you will show respect. I tried to say, that our country, being on the other side of the earth, had fallen into many customs the very opposite of those in Korea. “The other side of the earth,” what did that mean? And at once we were into the perplexing question of the shape of matter in general.

Gale notes the cultural difference between a Korean and a Westerner that, most of us experienced, or will experience in our own visits to Korea today, though perhaps the context of the difference is rather different today. For Gale, the experience is quite philosophical. What did Gale mean by saying that there was an ‘opposite side’ to earth? Or on the flip side, what did the governor mean by questioning Gale by wondering what the ‘opposite side’ of earth was? Governor enlightens his own world view to Gale and the readers:

Confucius says that the heavens are round and the earth, square and flat, and here this foreign gentleman pretends the opposite; and a shock of nervousness took him that threatened violent prostration.

The governor, educated in the most sophisticated works of Confucianism is clearly shocked to hear that “earth is circular” instead of the flat four corners and the round skies above him, as understood in the most orthodox ideas of Confucianism in Korea. What other baffling things could this strange man with an odd mustache say about his customs? Will he say that his kind does not enjoy dog soup in a hot summer’s day? Will he say that he wears hats made of beaver pelts instead of horse hair (see image below)? It’s not too hard to imagine the confusion and horror that may have passed through the mind of this nervous but very curious governor. Gale’s alien status among Koreans soon subsided however, by the most Korean way we may imagine: though sharing a table of food together.

Photo depicting a simple Korean dinner table. Note: 1) the interesting hats 2) topknots, and 3) that the picture is taken on a stage; many of these photos were produced and sold by Japanese merchants as exotic collections and souvenirs.

The wall of China grew apace, till a servant brought in a table of food, and His Excellency asked me to partake, eyeing me closely the while to see whether I ate the food of the brass bowls and chopsticks; for Koreans hold that different degrees of spiritual being require different material for food, some eat metal, some wood, some grass, some air, while the purely human ears rice, pork, raw fish etc. The first spoonful of rice I took leveled that wall of China. The governor had unfailing proof that I was human, and he could afford to overlook minor differences on the question of the universe, seeing that we had in common this capacity for rice that made us fellow mortals.

What meaning does sharing food together have for Koreans? Certainly it seemed to have disarmed the Haeju governor from all kinds of caution and distrust he had about Gale! A meeting is not complete and a friend is not adequately treated until something enters their stomachs. A weird feeling of obligation seems to compel Koreans to do so and there is a strange sense of togetherness comes from eating together in Korea. Is this a part of Korean culture? Gale’s experience in Haeju seems to indicate that it may as well be! And as we will find out later, this is not the first time Gale encounters his “Korean moments” that is still not uncommon today.

Next Story: Travelling as a visitor in old Korea- The terror that is horang-i
http://wp.me/p2NGKq-19i

Would you like to get your hands on Korean Sketches by James S. Gale? Follow the link below (Open Content Alliance):

http://books2.scholarsportal.info/viewdoc.html?id=/ebooks/oca1/28/koreansketches00galeuoft

When we look at the potential angel pool in Calgary it is staggering.  With 2,400 millionaires (#1 in Canada on a per capita basis) living here, you would think the city was bursting at the seams with wannabe dragons looking for the next big idea. Sadly, this is not the case for non-energy sector entrepreneurs, although I also get tired of hearing the “there’s no money in Calgary” drool that is pervasive in the startup community.

Angel 101

For those new to startup investing, an angel group is a “Dragons Den” group that meets frequently to look at supporting entrepreneurs. Notice I used the word support instead of finance, that’s because there’s a lot more to building companies than what you see on TV.  I’m currently in a number of companies, some since 2005, and I would love to tell you that it has been a “throw money at it and watch it grow” strategy, but this is not the case. There are angel investors that have taken this approach with outstanding success. However, I would say that our group has found there is almost a universal requirement to have at least one angel actively engage with the companies who are being supported. This can be anything from being on the company board, to providing rolodex contacts, giving time, and of course developing the capital requirement and deal structure that the rest of the investors can participate in.

Angel returns are some of the best among the various asset classes, however, it’s the amount of work required to grow a “startup” company that scares most of the 2,400 potential Calgary angels away. Thus, there are only a few who willingly enter the startup world with their capital.

If 2,400 Isn’t Accurate, What Is?

The super wealthy who invest are known as super angels, these are the marquee names Calgarians already know and probably have heard about from the companies they built or sold. The issue for the super angel is the staggering amount of deal flow they see on a monthly and even daily basis, so the amount of time they have to babysit super early stage companies is limited. Therefore, they tend to not participate in these deals except through their wealth office or internal networks.

The average millionaire is what makes Calgary a great place to start a company. This group doesn’t participate as the lead “angel”, but instead make-up the phenomenal network of secondary investors who finance the angel “round”. They are the group who support both the angel and the startup. (Stay tuned for more on the perfect angel deal and deal structuring in the next article).

Truthfully, this group usually comes into a deal through a friend, and they don’t want to work on building the companies they invest in. These millionaires will typically look for the least risky paths to increasing their capital. This is why generally they invest in real estate or other standard wealth management products.  And of course with their “risk money”, this being Calgary, they are more than likely in an Oil and Gas Deal or a publicly trading energy stock that was shown to them by their broker.

Finally, if they are millionaires from the service sector (lawyers/investment bankers), well they quite frankly don’t have a track record of participating in risk, so it’s rare they go the angel route even as a supporting investor. (Yes, dear reader I know the TV exception you are going to mention here). Although, this group is usually the connector- they are the guy who knows a guy who’s looking for money.

So you can from what I’ve outline above, how the angel investor pool in the city is a thin sliver of “the 2,400” who are left to invest in what I call “magic bean investing”. It’s about going home to your spouse and saying “Honey I know we said we wouldn’t touch that mutual fund but I found this great medical device company that needed money!”

Entrepreneurs with Money

For the millionaires that become angel investors there is a process, they don’t become angels overnight. If you think about how these people became millionaires I would contest that very few of them have MBA’s and/or took finance, but in fact that they made their money through their own business or the family business. They in fact aren’t investors at all –they are entrepreneurs with money. And ironically, this is what makes them perfect angel investors!

These entrepreneurs with money spent a career taking the risk out of a business they owned. They learned cash management, the value of a long term relationship and a handshake, how a value chain works and how many players sit between your product and the “store shelf”. They managed lawyers, accountants, and learned about corporate governance and raising capital. As a startup can you imagine how valuable an individual like that would be to your company?

The Takeaways

Calgary, and Edmonton, makes Alberta a great place for starting companies. So, if you’ve got a startup entrepreneur and they’ve identified their lead angel investor, then the only thing missing is the supporting investment capital from the investor community (i.e. the 2,400). It is the start of an “enviable ecosystem”, a term we use for places like Silicon Valley. Here at home, we need to do a better job of finding the 2,400, and providing them with opportunities that are far more lucrative and exciting than simply investing in another real estate or energy play.

–Randy Thompson

Photo credit: Inflective Havoc

R Stewart Thompson (Randy) is a builder of companies, angel investor and angel group leader at Canada’s most active angel group. He is currently invested in seven companies and has been working in the startup venture space since 1992 when he started the first ISP in Alberta. In 1999, he started working on developing angel groups in Alberta, beginning with an organization that matched deals for Western Canada investors on the Internet. In 2001, Randy began to work as a venture capital advisor to the Province of Alberta and started the Alberta California Venture Channel, bringing together investors and companies in both regions. He is founder and CEO of VA Angels. In addition to this work, Randy is an Entrepreneur in Residence at NAIT and a member of the A100.    |  @VentureAlberta

About VA Angels

For the past nine years VA Angles, formerly VentureAlberta Forum, has supported entrepreneurship and investing around the globe. Investments have been made across Canada, in the US, the UK and Europe. In operation since June 2003, is one of the largest gatherings of angel investors in Western Canada and has chapters in Calgary, Edmonton, Kelowna and Winnipeg. Since its inception, the 55 members of VA Angels have done 57 deals for $28.3 million.     |  @VA_Angels

It is wintertime in South Korea and the 2013 PyeongChang Special Olympics World Winter Games will open on January 29th until February 5th, 2013. With 3,300 participants from 120 different countries, the games will comprise of 7 sports and 55 events including Alpine Skiing, Cross Country Skiing, Snowboarding, Snowshoeing, Speed Skating, Figure Skating, and Floor Hockey.

In cooperation with the Special Olympics International and Special Olympics World Winter Games Organizing Committee PyeongChang 2013(SOPOC), it invites the world to come together to promote equality, tolerance, and acceptance.

The chairwoman of the 2013 PyeongChang Special Olympic Winter Games Organization Committee, Na Kyung Won, released the following statement on the official website.

“At the 2013 PyeongChang Special Olympics Winter Games, 3,300 athletes with mental disabilities from around the world will participate in seven Olympic sports competition including alpine skiing. It is a place of global festival in which the athletes can show their skills with others regardless of their region, borders, political ideologies, age, race, and religion. “

“In order for those with mental disabilities to enhance their skills and capacities, and become recognized as a proud member of society, and to create a happy world in which those with and without disabilities can live together, your interest and participation is of utmost importance.”

“We invite you to applaud the passions and excitement, while enjoying the thrills that will take place on the bright snow fields in 2013.”

The torch lighting ceremony in Athens, Greece at Zappeion Palace took place on January 17, 2013.  During the torch run and torch welcoming ceremonies, the flame will travel from Seoul to 40 different cities all across South Korea carried by 133 teams. Once its arrival in PyeongChang on January 29th during the opening ceremony, the flame will light the cauldron accompanied by the opening address, theme performance, grand choir, etc.

The venues will be held at the Alpensia Resort, YongPyong resort,  Gangneung Culture and Sports Complex, and Kwangdong University.

Appointed honorary ambassadors for the 2013 PyeongChang Special Olympics World Winter Games include Yuna Kim, Guus Hiddink, Kim Yun-Jin, Lee Moon-Sae, Kim Jin-Ho, Yiruma, Gyeong Ju Nam, Oops I-Kooo, Poppin Hyunjun, Kim Tae-Won, and the Wonder Girls.

Pyeongchang 2013 special olympics world winter games. (2011, June 01). Retrieved from http://2013sopoc.org/hb/eng

On July 6, 2011, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) elected PyeongChang, Republic of Korea  as the host city for the 2018 Winter Olympics. It was announced during the 123rd Session of the IOC General Assembly in Durban, South Africa, where the City of PyeongChang won by  63 votes, defeating rival cities Munich and Annecy.

The IOC President Jacques Rogge congratulated and praised the PyeongChang delegation for their outstanding portfolio and on winning the vote.

“PyeongChang presented a strong and inspiring project that enjoys massive support from the government and the public…I have every confidence that PyeongChang will deliver on its commitment and host excellent Games in 2018.”

“PyeongChang’s inspiring project sets out to have the heart of the Olympic Winter Games beating in the mountains. The South Korean project will leave a tremendous legacy as PyeongChang will become a new winter sports hub in Asia, allowing athletes and young generations to practice winter sports at home, be exposed to the Olympic Values of Excellence, Friendship, and Respect, and pursue their Olympic dream. I congratulate PyeongChang. The IOC looks forward to collaborating with them over the next seven years.”

The President of the Republic of Korea Lee Myung Bak, reigning Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu Na, and the former Governor of Gangwon Province accompanied the South Korean delegation to the 123rd Session of the IOC General Assembly. They all spoke strongly in support for the 2018 Winter Olympics to be held in PyeongChang, Republic of Korea.

In the past, the City of PyeongChang led the votes in hosting the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, however narrowly lost to rival cities Vancouver and Sochi in the final ballots. The CEO and Secretary General of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Jean R. Dupre congratulated PyeongChang on its victory.

“We wish the people of PyeongChang good luck on this exciting journey hosting the Olympic Winter Games…It is an event that can change a county, as we have seen here in Canada.”

“The Canadian Olympic Team looks forward to competing against the world’s best in this wonderful setting.”

The 2013 PyeongChang Special Olympics World Winter Games will begin on January 29, 2013 following the opening ceremony. Please visit their official website for more details.

Sources:

BBC. (2011, July 06). PyeongChang will host the 2018 Winter Olympics . BBC News. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/winter_sports/8753631.stm

Julliart, R. (2011, July 06). IOC elects PyeongChang as the host city of 2018 Olympic Winter Games. International Olympic Committee. Retrieved from http://www.olympic.org/ioc?articlenewsgroup=-1&articleid=133129

The Associated Press. (2011, July 06). PyeongChang wins right to host 2018 Winter Olympics. CTV News. Retrieved from http://www.ctvnews.ca/pyeongchang-wins-right-to-host-2018winter-olympics-1.66650

In Korea, one’s blood type is viewed as an equivalent to the astrological sign of the western world. Despite having only 4 types in total, distinct personality traits are associated with each sex of each type. There is even a 2005 romantic comedy film called My Boyfriend is Type B (B형 남자친구) in which the heroine falls –  despite a warning from a caring friend - for a Type B male, which supposedly makes him arrogant and hardheaded.

How did this craze with the blood type begin? Apparently it all started from a book by a Japanese author, Masahiko Nomi, in the 1970s. Despite the book being anecdotally-based and not scientifically researched, the idea that one’s blood type can indicate a personality trait and temperament gained huge mass appeal and quickly seeped into Korea’s popular culture. Don’t be surprised if you are asked what blood type you are when meeting people in Korea, especially if you are on a date with one.  Judging from the aforementioned film title, if you are a Type B male, however, maybe it’s best to claim ignorance of your blood type on a date. (Being a Type B myself, should I be thankful that this topic never came up on my dates?)

Just like daily horoscopes and tarot card readings, if you take this whole thing too seriously, well, to borrow an expression from the 90s, it’s time to take a chill pill.

But for the curious, feel free to take a quick peek at the list of personality traits based on blood types, courtesy of Wikipedia:

Do you think it is time to grab the rod, start reeling madly and sit in a hut on a frozen lake? What am I talking about? It is Ice fishing!

<Photo courtesy of Travel Alberta:travelalberta.com>

If you want to experience your heart pumping at subzero temperatures when the fish take the bait, why not give ice fishing a try in Korea! You will enjoy ice fishing while surrounded by the beautiful mountains and the equally stunning mountain trout. Today, I would like to introduce the 2013 Sancheoneo ( Mount Trout ) Festival in Korea. Since 2003, the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival has opened their frozen rivers every January under the slogan of “Unfrozen Hearts, Unforgettable Memories”. Hwacheon has an unpolluted environment so Sancheoneo, a trout native to Korea, is known to live in clean and cold fresh waters of the stream in Hwacheon. This virtually untouched region is famous for being the first area in Korea to freeze over in winter, and the river is covered with a thick layer of ice.

Marking its 10th year anniversary, the festival is one of Korea’s major winter festivals held annually. Visitors can enjoy many activities including not only ice fishing but also outdoor barbeques, sledding, ice sculpting and bare-hand fishing! If you are feeling brave (or stupid), give it a try to catch mountain trout with your bare hands.

You can see thousands people sitting in front of their holes looking into the river to catch trout! I don’t have to teach you how to say “I caught it!” in Korean, cause you would hear it with joy everywhere across the crowded ice. Afterwards, when you catch something, there are BBQ grills where you can cook up yourself caught tasty trout!

Don’t worry even you couldn’t catch any fish. It is really easy to grab raw, fried, grilled fish anywhere in the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival! So let’s taste some fresh mountain trout and enjoy ice activities and have fun winter days!

Ice fishing is family fun. Enjoy the great winter scenery while fishing for trout on the ice. Ever tried to cut a hole in a frozen lake? If you’ve tried it in Alberta, what about Korean style ice fishing this time?

<2013 Sancheoneo ( Mount Trout ) Festival>

- Period : 5th Jan 2013 – 27th Jan 2013

- Location : Hwacheon in Gangwon province

- Program: Ice Fishing, Lure Fishing, bare-hand fishing, Ice Sledding, Thrilling Bobsleigh, Ice Soccer & Mini Ice Hockey, Snow Sculptures, Snow Sledding, Asia Ice Lights Square, Hope light Street

- Transportation : From Dong Seoul Bus Terminal, take an intercity bus to Hwacheon (화천)

Takes 2-3 hours  from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal. (Bus Schedule: 07:05-19:35, 30-40min intervals)

Hwacheon Stream is a 10-min walk from the Hwacheon Bus Terminal.

- Age Limit : None (Visitors of all ages are welcome)

- For more info: http://www.narafestival.com/07_global/?f_code=02_01&lang=eng

Forty four years ago, a small black-haired boy with bangs held his three year old sister’s hand in a protective grip and embarked on a journey over the Pacific Ocean. This began another immigrant’s life in Canada. The parents he didn’t recognize met him: parents who had months before made the same journey in order to forge a family dream.

Born in Seoul, Korea, Stan came to Canada in the mid-sixties. Through sometimes tumultuous times, Stan would become a Canadian success story. He experienced the vastness of Canadian climate and of Canadian dreams. Westcoast monsoons and oyster shells. Snow-encrusted prairie blooms and mosquitoes. The clinging mud of the BC interior. Great urban adventures. His father became a United Church minister and his mother a bookkeeper.

Stan recently became Vice President, Academic and Research at Red River College, one of the largest institutes of applied learning in Canada. This position and his recently published book, Global Citizen: River of Love and Other Essays reflect Stan’s rise in post-secondary education and administration. Beginning as an English Instructor, he held positions as Associate Professor, Chair of Communications, Associate Dean, Dean of Arts and Science, and Director of Learning and Teaching in the institutions of the College of New Caledonia, Okanagan College, and Camosun College.

If careers were windows, Stan’s would open into a hub of activity, one which would illuminate a multitude of interests and activities. Stan would simultaneously be writing, recording songs, teaching university courses, and passing wisdom onto his children. He would be planning family adventures and looking for a tennis match. And he would be dreaming up ways to celebrate his Korean connection, exploring his realization that he is “probably more Korean now than ever.”

“My Korean background informs my work in education and in community which must be very sensitive and aware of the transforming power of culture,” says Stan. As an adult he bemoans the loss of his ability to speak Korean; he wants others to understand how important it is to be proud of one’s own cultural identity, and to get to know oneself through ancestry. “Without this knowledge,” he says, “we lack the ability to make critical choices for ourselves, our families, and our communities.”

Stan is creating a legacy – both personal and professional – which will inspire others to believe in their own potential and in opportunities that will make Canada a better place.

These stories, although fascinating, were forgotten in Europe and was ancient literature by the time Canada begun to pay attention to the affairs over the Pacific Ocean in the mid 19^th century. Canada often traded with China and Japan, although due to the Anglo-Japanese Alliance they took more positive opinions towards Japanese folks than any other Asians. However, despite initial contacts it could be said that East Asia was a mysterious land to Canadians; most Canadians paid more attention to European and American affairs and knew little, and perhaps cared little too, about what lied beyond the Pacific Ocean; shows in New York, or serious politics of the Empire in London were more fascinating to Canadians of the time. Korea then, often dubbed the Hermit Kingdom to Westerners, stood as a mysterious civilization to many Canadians alongside China and Japan.

A street car, which certainly passed the baptism of fire racing against the finest steed that Seoul has to offer, passes through the West Gate of Seoul. (1903)

Then Korea opened its doors.

It was 1876 when the Hermit Kingdom finally opened its gates to the outside world. Rather hurried and perhaps pressured by the Japanese, Koreans nevertheless were exposed and somewhat bombarded by the new materials, new ideas and new toys from the outside world; what was a trickle beforehand through here-say from Chinese merchants and diplomats, who also saw things and heard things second hand, now flooded Korea, wave after wave at an unprecedented level. Coffee and chocolates were first tasted by the royal family of Korea during this time. Men raced horses against street cars to benchmark the new ride in town, while women went to school for the first time to study science and English. Korea’s first westernized army composed of young yangban (traditional Korean aristocracy) volunteers marched in the streets of Seoul with their servants carrying their chamber pots few meters behind them. Children ran away from cameramen in terror believing that camera lenses may suck out their souls and press them into photographs. Newspapers were printed for the first time, with Korea’s first commercial advertisement in history while public servants vowed to the telephone before receiving  phone calls from his majesty the King of Korea. These were fascinating times, as it was also unprecedented times for Korea. Some worried for the fate of the country while others dreamed of what new thrilling things would enter the port of Incheon the next day. It is during this time when first Canadians arrived in Korea, riding those waves of new things, people and ideas.

Wycliffe College today on Harbord Street (2013)

Who were these Canadians? What business did they have in the land of the morning calm? Apparently many of them, if not dominant, were there for missionary purposes. Many schools in Canada (notably Wycliffe College and Emmanuel College, which still teaches Theology in University of Toronto) taught and dispatched missionaries all across the world in the spirit of servitude. Surely, Korea was one of those countries that Canadian missionaries felt that the gospel words and pipe organ notes needed to be heard. So off they went, across the Pacific Ocean with a carriage bag in one hand and the Bible in another, to the land of morning calm in excitement of what to come, and timidity for the strange new people in countless funny looking hats that they would meet in Korea.

As we will see, not only did these missionaries were gifted in teaching the words of the Bible and giving a little peace of mind to fellow human beings, they also carried some great tricks and trades to Korea as well. Many were doctors, many were linguists. Some carefully documented events and some took part in the turning points of world history, as we will see in later posts.

What I plan to do in the later posts of this topic, is to follow the two most prominent figures of the Canadian mission to Korea: Mr. James Scarth Gale and Dr. Frank William Schofield. While following their footsteps in the Land of the Morning Calm, We will also explore what happened in Korea as these gentlemen stayed in Korea. Events of joy, sadness, surprise, and as we will see, to be “only accounted with shaking hands”, as a personal witness to turning points of history not only in Korea, but for the world.

Next: Missionaries Part 1: Mr. Gee-Il: The English-Korean Dictionary, and the mid-morning in the Land of the Morning Calm.
(follow the link below)

http://wp.me/p2NGKq-Q8

COMPANY DESCRIPTION:
Bonavista Energy is an intermediate sized exploration and production company with operations in Western Canada primarily focused on opportunities within the Deep Basin of Alberta and British Columbia.

Investment recommendation

Bonavista announced a dividend cut to $0.07 per month (from $0.12) which was generally expected by the market given a pre-cut dividend
yield on the stock of 10.2%. Post cut, its dividend yield drops to 6.0% and our revised forecasts assume a total payout ratio pre/post DRIP of
120% and 106% in 2013, respectively, a much healthier level but still above the sustainability level of 100%. Additionally, the company
announced modest tweaks to 2013 guidance on the back of a $73 million natural gas weighted acquisition at Edson.

Our BUY rating remains unchanged; however, we are reducing our target to C$18.00 per share (from C$20.00) given the lack of production growth in 2013, and a revised total payout ratio still above 100%. We expect the stock to trade at a discount to NAV and its peers given the perception of better total return opportunities elsewhere.
Investment highlights
Dividend cut helps but may not be enough from a sustainability perspective. On our 2013 estimates its total cash payout ratio (after DRIP) moves to 106% (from 128% previously), however is based on our current US$4/Mcf gas price assumption. On strip pricing we estimate a total gross payout ratio of 114% which is still above 100% and likely to be a focus of investors concerned about sustainability. We forecast zero production growth when comparing our Q4/13 to Q4/12 production.
Acquisition in line with strategy but doesn’t move the needle. The tuckin at Edson was done at reasonable metrics, however provides little
unbooked upside considering only 17 identified development locations.
Valuation
Bonavista currently trades at a 0.7x multiple to CNAV, a 7.2x EV/DACF multiple, and $51,300/BOEPD based on our 2013 estimates, versus peer
group averages of 0.8x CNAV, 11.0x EV/DACF, and $76,600/BOEPD.

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• Bonavista Energy : Investors Seek Yield (amp2012.com)

Western Canada Select, a heavy blend of oil-sands bitumen, fell $2.50 to a $39.50 discount against the U.S. oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate, according to Calgary oil broker Net Energy Inc. Syncrude, a synthetic light oil processed from bitumen, sank 75 cents to a 25-cent discount.

Enbridge, the largest transporter of Canadian oil, said it was forced to make the move after a series of operational issues across its system threatened to force large volumes scheduled to move this month to be held over into February, according to sources that have seen a company memo to shippers.

The 796,000 barrel per day Line 4, between Edmonton, Alberta, and Superior, Wisconsin; and 450,000 bpd Line 67, between Hardisty, Alberta, and Superior, are apportioned at 10 percent. Line 6A, which can carry 609,000 bpd between Superior and Griffith, Indiana, is apportioned at 16 percent.

Enbridge normally sets apportionment levels monthly. It will set new limits for February volumes based on shipper nominations following the close of this month’s trading period.

The company blamed the mid-month pipeline rationing for the first two pipelines on power outages in Manitoba and an electrical equipment failure at Edmonton in late December, according to the sources.

Apportionment on 6A is due to unplanned outages on that line and the adjoining 6B, terminal problems where the two lines connect, as well as high inventory levels at Chicago.

Rising volumes of heavy crude and limited pipeline capacity to move it to major markets has pressured Canadian oil prices over the past two months, hitting the bottom lines of producers and even prompting the Alberta and Canadian governments to warn of the impact on the economy.

Western Canada Select heavy blend from February last sold for $38 a barrel under benchmark West Texas Intermediate, compared with $37.10 under WTI on Wednesday, according to Shorcan Energy Brokers.

© Thomson Reuters 2013

Christmas lights in Seoul

In between Christmas and New Years, I started sketching out a list in my head of resolutions for 2013. I have always considered the beginning of a calendar year as a clean slate — it’s bright, it’s shiny, it’s dazzling. My resolution year-after-year focuses on living and leading my life by example. Be the light, see the light. And in my adulthood, I’ve seen the light, so to speak. 

To explain myself, in recent years, I’ve come to recognize the value of having Korean role models.   

There’s something quite special about being able to identify with your role model through, among other things, a shared ethnicity. As a Korean adoptee, it’s a concept that didn’t resonate with me until later in life when I had my own daughter.

So, who is my Korean role model? Most certainly, Senator Yonah Martin.

The Honourable Yonah Martin

As a Conservative Senator from British Columbia, Senator Martin was appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in January 2009. She is the first Canadian of Korean descent to serve in the Senate of Canada and the first Korean-Canadian Parliamentarian in Canadian history. She is an excellent example of someone whose achievements transcend gender, ethnicity, and age.

I ask myself though, from where does Senator Martin derive her inspiration, who are her role models and sources of strength as a Korean-Canadian. Thankfully for me and you, she graciously took the time to answer these very questions. Enjoy!

Q: Being a role model yourself, I’m interested to learn who your role models were when you were growing up? What are the greatest influences he/she/they had in shaping the person you are today?

My parents have been my greatest role models.

My father was a man of few words, but his silence spoke volumes. He was a man of authenticity and honesty, which actually got him into trouble with my mother because he could never disguise his emotions, be it boredom or displeasure or other, in public places. In silence (but for a few gasps when I narrowly missed a parked car), he let me learn how to drive, never showing anger or frustration towards me. He quietly demonstrated his steadfast faith in God, staying at the same church for nearly 4 decades, until he physically was unable to attend. At his funeral, the Minister shared an anecdote about my parents whose quiet service in the church would have gone unnoticed had he (the Minister) not stayed late in his office one Saturday evening to discover their unsung service. He heard a slight noise in the main sanctuary adjacent to his office, and thinking a burglar had perhaps broken into the church, he peeked in to see my parents cleaning the pews, as they apparently had done for years as weekend custodians to save the church money. I learned from my father, the virtues of humility, patience and true faith.

My mother is the opposite – expressive, passionate, and above all, compassionate. From her I have learned to savour the moment, find joy and beauty in small things, and care deeply for humanity.  When I returned to work full time, she and my father (then retired) offered to provide full-time child care for our daughter. My mother’s mantra to me, “Do everything I never had the chance to do” inspires me to seize each and every day.

I am a healthy blend of my father and mother. My parents, who were both born at a time when Korea was occupied by Japan and later spent their teen years surviving the Korean War, inspire me to live with intention and realize all my dreams.

 
Q: What does it mean to you to be the first Canadian of Korean descent to hold federal public office? Do you have an extra sense of responsibility or do you place more pressure on yourself as the first? Can you describe some of your proudest professional moments, either in your career as a teacher or your tenure as a Senator? How do you want to be remembered by Canadians?

Byong-gil (Ron) Suh, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Senator Yonah Martin (Nov 2012)

It is truly an honour for me to be the first Canadian of Korean descent to be appointed to the Senate and to be the first Korean-Canadian Parliamentarian in Canadian history. On most days, I feel extremely privileged to be where I am, to have the opportunity to represent the national Korean community and further Canada Korea relations. As a proud daughter of Canada and Korea, I have the opportunity to be where no one has been before. But with great privilege comes great responsibilities. On rare days, I can feel the weight of my deep sense of duty and pressure as the ONLY Korean-Canadian in Canada’s Parliament. I feel the growing pressure of people’s high hopes and expectations all around me, of the self-imposed pressure I feel within me, and the weight of the work that seems endless, no matter how early I start my day or how diligent I try to be. But on most days, I feel a sense of destiny and determination to do the best that I can. And I am sincerely grateful for this divine opportunity.

Senator Martin with Canadian veterans of the Korean War and Leo Demay, Director General of International Affairs, at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan, Korea (2010)

There have been several key moments where I have felt an acute sense of destiny. One of the first was in Seoul, the city of my birth, in 2010, sitting at a round table as the Canadian representative with the Heads of delegations from nearly 20 countries that had been part of the United Nations force during the Korean War. I was there for the 60th anniversary commemoration of the Liberation of Seoul, with several Canadian veterans, most returning to Korea for the first time in six decades. As each of us were asked to speak in turn at this tea with President Lee Myung-bak, I rose to speak, and just as I did, the President interjected with these words that are now etched in my memory: “Senator Yonah Martin is a proud daughter of Korea, and she is here as the Canadian representative…” In that moment, I felt a swell of pride as a daughter of Korea, the country of my birth and equally as a daughter of Canada, my home sweet home. I was proud to be representing Canada, my home since 1972.

Senator Martin on the steps of the Blue House with President Lee Myung-bak and representatives of countries that contributed to the UN forces during Korean War during the 60th Anniversary of the Liberation of Seoul commemoration (2010)

                                                                                                                                                                    As a Senator of Canada, I am a public servant. My mandate is to serve to the best of my ability for as long as I hold public office. Therefore, when Canadians speak of me, I hope they will say that I served them well, with respect and compassion, and brought honour to the Upper Chamber during my tenure.

Q: Has your gender or your ethnicity presented any challenges in your life? If so, how did you overcome them? In difficult situations, where you to find your strength? Knowing what you know now, what advice would you tell your younger self?

I have been fortunate to live in Vancouver for forty years, a place that has been ethno-culturally diverse for as long as I can remember. Not only that, but blessed to have grown up in East Vancouver, where the diversity is even more visible than elsewhere in the city.  Other than my first year in Canada and early memories of culture shock, Vancouver has been an amazing city in which to grow up as a proud Korean-Canadian. That is not to say that I have not struggled with my own self-identity; this self-reflective process is inescapable, regardless of gender or ethnicity. It’s a part of everyone’s life journey. And I have experienced racism or discrimination in Canada, as would be expected over a 40-year period, as I have also faced prejudice and sexism within the Korean community.

My source of strength and what advice I have for my younger self are one in the same for readers who will encounter challenging people or situations and may also find these words empowering…

Being a 1.5 (2nd/3rd gen or quarter/half/part or an adopted) Korean-Canadian does not mean we are “less” Korean than someone who is “Korean-born”, “full-blooded” or “fluent”. I used to think that it was a zero-sum equation, whereby my Korean-ness and Canadian-ness had to equal 100%. On some days, I felt 50-50 or 30-70, etc but more or less Korean, depending on how included I felt in the situation or how others treated me. In 2004, I heard Sandy Lee, the first Korean-Canadian politician in Canadian history, say that being Korean Canadians is to be “as strong as two people”. It’s up to each Korean Canadian as to how much we embrace the dual-identity so that we are 100% of each in our minds and hearts. It was a crystallizing moment for me to see myself as “strong as two people” as a Canadian of Korean descent; and have raised my daughter (who is “half-Korean”) to also be proud of her 100% Korean heritage and be “as strong as two people”. And she is.

Q: I read that your daughter’s desire at a young age to connect with the Korean community has influenced your own journey to better understand and embrace your Korean identity and this eventually lead to you co-founding the C3 Society. Were you surprised by your daughter’s interest? Do you think it’s important for young people to learn about their heritage — if so, why?

C3 Society (www.c3society.org) was inspired by a number of events and people, one of them being my daughter, Kiana.

Senator Martin with her beautiful daughter
Kiana Mi-Sun Martin (Dec 2012)

When Kiana first started asking questions to me that hinted at a search for “identity”, she was only four. I was so surprise to hear her questions at such a young age. I remember one morning as I was getting ready for work, she was looking up at me with bright eyes, intently examining my face and then asking, “Mama, why is my face different from mama’s?” (Kiana used the word “different” to describe anything that stood out or made her feel “different”, like the time she was the only tiny tot wearing powder blue tights and tutu while others in her class wore pink). There were other questions that followed.

What puzzled me was why my Canadian-born daughter with a “white” Canadian father and a Canadianized Asian mother who spoke English as if it were her native tongue, would be questioning her “identity”? Why??

The reason is that we all do, in one way or another that is both unique and universal.

Kiana is a perfect blend of me and my husband, a “happa” or mixed-race child. When she’s with a group of Korean-Korean children, she looks clearly caucasian. And when she’s with a group of fair-haired caucasians, she looks quite Asian. We live in East Vancouver which is more than 80-90% Asian. And at the time, we lived with my parents who were her primary care givers; she was attending a Korean church; and on Saturdays, a Korean language school attended mostly by Korean Canadians. So, wherever Kiana looked in her life, she saw mostly Asians and she felt “different”.

I realized that there was a danger of my daughter being squarely “in between”, not fitting in, in either worlds. That really got my attention and I knew that I had a responsibility as a mother to create opportunities for my daughter (and others like her) to experience Korean culture and feel connected to her Korean roots. C3 Society was one of the ways to create a place of belonging for my daughter.

What I hadn’t anticipated was that in helping others find a place of belonging, that I would ultimately find my own. I can honestly say that through the process of co-founding, shaping, and implementing the vision of C3 through various initiatives (like Korean Heritage Day Festivals, Camp Korea or Career Leadership Conferences), I truly found my distinct role in Canadian society – to “bridge communities” (C3′s mandate).

I encourage my daughter and others to feel “as strong as two people” as they learn about Korean history and experience Korean culture. There is nothing more empowering than knowing one’s own past.

It was Winston Churchill who said: “The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.”

_______________________________
I would like express my appreciation to Senator Martin for taking the time to answer my questions. I thoroughly enjoyed reading her responses. And many thanks to her Executive Assistant Grace Seears for co-ordinating the interview.

In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet asks Romeo, “What’s in a name?”. She then answers her own question with “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”, referring to the fact that she loves the person who is called “Montague”, not the name itself or the family. 

Philosophically, this thought couldn’t be more reasonable and modern. To a parent of a newborn, however, this question has a different sort of significance. What is in a name indeed? So plenty – considering the lifelong consequences. 

Having just had a baby girl, I have recently given this question a much thought. Wanting to leave a trace of my cultural heritage to her identity, I decided to give her a Korean middle name. Not satisfied with popular names, I searched for a name that was unique enough, sounded pretty and not overly difficult to pronounce in English, but it still had to embody something meaningful.  

Traditionally Korean names are a combination of syllables (often two), one of which is a generational name syllable and the other an individually distinct syllable. For instance, my mother and her sisters are named He-rim, He-ja, and He-won, with “He-” being the obvious generational name syllable in this family. However, this is a declining practice among individualistically inclined younger people. Even my own parents did not follow this practice with their children and I wasn’t about to pick it up either. 

Korean given names are typically composed of hanja, or Chinese characters. Taking my mother’s name, He-rim, as an example, the character “He” means “giving” and “Rim” means “forest”,rendering the full meaning “a bountiful forest”. There are a set number of hanja permitted to be used in given names, in addition to a small number of alternate forms. People’s names are recorded in both hangul, native Korean  and hanja (if available) on official documents, such as birth registration.

Using native Korean words as a name is seen as a more unique naming practice. For instance, it’s not unusual to find girls named Haneul (하늘; “Heaven” or “Sky”) and Isul (이슬; “Dew”).  Now this was a practice that I preferred to adapt which also seemed to me like a more authentic tribute to my cultural heritage.  Even though there are still usually just two syllables in these names, in my search for a meaningful word that meets all the objectives I set out, I ended up choosing a three-syllable word, Soleym (설레임; “heart’s flutter”). In addition to being a unique name, it was quite a literal description of my feelings about having this baby daughter – an anticipation of a lifelong bond that is based on unconditional love and the continuation of the type of relationship that I have with my own mother who is also my best friend and confidante. My heart flutters thinking about how my relationship with my daughter would grow over the years, and how much meaning it would add to our lives. 

According to an article on the Huffington Post from a few months ago called “Baby Name Rules: No Dumb Names And 21 Others Worth Following”, I have just broken a couple of rules: No made up names; Don’t pick a name that will eternally have to be pronounced and explained to everyone.  Perhaps my daughter will end up hating it due to these very reasons. But at least she will know that it was an expression of my love for her. Perhaps that alone would be sufficient.

Historically, the Republic of Korea has been a strong footballing nation and regional power in the sport since the end of the second world war.  Canada, however, did not consistently field an international side until 1972, when they attempted (and failed) to qualify for the upcoming world cup. Despite these long histories, the two teams did not officially cross paths until 1993 – when they met for a pair of friendlies in Victoria and Vancouver in preparation for Canada’s World Cup qualification campaign.

These two friendlies were split, each with a score of 2-0. The first match was won by the ROK, on goals by K-League legend Kim Hyun Seok and career Chunnam Dragons defender Kim Tae Yeong, who would gain notoriety as the ROK’s masked defender during their famous 2002 World Cup run. Canada’s victory was earned on goals from prolific Canadian Soccer League striker John Catliff and journeyman Eddy Berdusco. Unfortunately, the preparations would be for naught, as Canada would again fail to qualify for the World Cup, eventually losing on penalties following a playoff eliminator with Australia.

The next meeting would not be for another seven years, when the sides were involved in a spot of lunacy during the 2000 Gold Cup. While their match in Los Angeles was a dull 0-0 draw, the end of the group stage saw Canada and the ROK tied not only on points, but on every official tiebreaker as well.  Eventually, a coin toss was used to decide who would advance. Canada won the coin toss, and then went on to win the Gold Cup in the country’s greatest football achievement to date.

The two countries met again in the 3rd place match at the 2002 Gold Cup. Veteran ROK striker Kim Do Hoon scored early, then added a second before half-time to make it 1-1 – a disastrous own goal. Canadian icon Dwayne De Rosario then added another in the disarray that followed, and the match ended with a 2-1 victory for Canada. This would be the last time that the two nations would meet in international football to date.

While the footballing history between Canada and the Republic of Korea is minimal, there has been no shortage of drama during the few times when the two sides have met. It has also proven to be a competitive relationship, with only a coin-toss and an own-goal to separate the two sides. It seems a bit unfortunate that the countries have not met in almost eleven years, and with the 50th Anniversary of diplomatic relations fast approaching, it would certainly provide a suitable backdrop for a resumption of this minor, but engaging rivalry.

By Evantumyung

Bungeoppang

As you can see from the photo above, Bungeoppang is a pastry made in the shape of a fish called Carassius, commonly known as Crucian carp, which comes under the ray-finned fish family, and dark-brown red bean paste fills the inside of the golden toasted bread – so don’t expect there to be real fish inside! During the winter season, it is absolutely one of the hottest-selling snacks in Korea; firstly because one bite of it warms the whole body in the freezing weather and at such a cheap price (generally ₩1000, or about $1, for three), and secondly, just like Starbucks, vendors selling Bungeoppang can be found on almost every street corner. Try to imagine yourself walking down the street, exhausted after a long day’s work, when suddently the savory aroma of Bungeoppang wafting through the air tickles your nose. Who couldn’t resist stopping by for a moment to enjoy some of these appetizing fish cakes?

Some of you might be confused and think, “the one I have in my hand looks exactly like a Bungeoppang but has a different taste.” Yes! Here is the good news for those who don’t really like red beans: The original filling of this bread, which always has been my favourite, is red bean paste, but more and more versions of fillings seem to come out each year such as pizza sauce and toppings, custard creme, sweet potatoes, spicy vegetables, etc. Now, what is your favourite among these mouth-watering choices?

P.S. Just a small tip on how you can best enjoy Bungeoppang

You see, there are three main parts to this fish cake: the upper jaw, stomach, and the tail. But have you ever imagined that there might be a reason for this? I’m telling you, it’s almost like having a three-course meal in a fine restaurant. Your first bite starts with the upper jaw, the golden tender bread, that works up an appetite; next comes the stomach, the superb combination of soft  bread and sweet red bean paste that satisfies and delights the diner as the main dish; and last but not least, the dessert, the crunchy tail at the end. Can you see what I’m getting at? So that’s my personal recommendation to you: Start eating from the upper jaw, not from the tail, in order to save the best for last!

The move to Seoul two years ago is a tribute to Judy’s high energy and her desire to better communicate with her many international students. As the International Co-ordinator and the Community Relations Head - in addition to being a language teacher - at Byrne Creek Secondary School in Burnaby, B.C., she knew learning Korean would be helpful, and immersing herself in Korean culture and customs would provide excellent insights for her work with students, parents and homestay families.

Once in Korea, Judy passed beginner’s level so quickly she quit her group lessons, and hired a private tutor. Judy was racing through one workbook a week!  Two hours of structured lessons with ten hours of studying and watching Korean TV a day elevated her reading and listening ability quickly, yet her conversational ability was lagging behind. So, Judy spent the rest of her time each day searching out opportunities to improve her Korean.

Her main plan was to practice in Myeongdong in Seoul, the neighbourhood where she lived. Highly international, and providing 24 hours of shopping for citizens and tourists, Judy spent Christmas interacting with its shopkeepers. The result? “The people were so warm, so friendly,” Judy is sure to tell you. She’s also sure to joke that “it’s easier to speak Korean in Burnaby’s Koreatown than it is in Myeongdong!” Judy was routinely sought out by those in the community to speak one of the other four languages she knows. Nevertheless, Judy made good contacts and kept up her language work.

Language learning was only a small part of the inspiration Judy felt while living in Seoul. The transit was the “best in the world.” Community volunteers kept the streets “spotless.” There was “always” something “interesting to do.” And, better yet, the weather was “not as rainy as Vancouver’s.”

Judy’s adventure in Korea lasted almost three months. She returned to her work in education at last, happy to see her dear family and ready for the rest of her very busy life. You see, Judy is not satisfied with just doing anything, or simply doing nothing! She is willing to jump into many adventures without hesitation. A trip to Korea, a field trip for international students, serving a turkey dinner to the community, or opening her very own coffeehouse with her family… all of these very worthwhile endeavours she has taken on.

You won’t have to move to Korea to have a fresh start this 2013, but you could work on getting some of Judy Fujiki’s contagious enthusiasm. Judy lives life to the fullest and when she says “Every single day, I’m happy I’m alive,” she really means it.

Not long after Taejo Lee Seong-gye founded the Joseon Dynasty in 1392, he ordered Muhagdaesa, a Buddhist monk and his personal advisor, to find a new site for the nation’s capital. Hanyang, as Seoul was known back then, had always been a prominent city dating back to the era of the Three Kingdoms, and Muhagdaesa was sent to see whether this city had the potential to become the nation’s new capital.

Muhagdaesa first arrived at Mt. Bukhansan north of Hanyang. It resembled the long body of a dragon, along which he walked all the way down south to Mt. Namsan. From here, he could see a flat, fertile land stretched in front of him and he quickly judged that this was the perfect place for the new capital.

Pleased with himself at his quick discovery, he lay down on the side of a road to take a break when an old man riding an ox passed by, shouting, “What a mindless ox you are, taking the wrong route here. You are as thick-headed as Muhagdaesa!”

Muhagdaesa jumped up when he heard his name. Astonished, he stared at the person who had shouted his name. Even at first sight, he knew this was no ordinary old man.

“Please sir, help me find the right place for the new capital,” begged the monk as he kneeled down before him. “I am the Muhagdaesa that you just described as thick-headed and mindless. Please help me find the way.”

The old man, after scanning the monk from head to foot with a pitied look on his face, raised his hand and said, “If you follow this road for 10 Li (approximately 5km) to the northeast, you will find what you are looking for.”

After finishing his last word, the old man hurriedly took off and disappeared into the mist. Then, Muhagdaesa realized that the spirit of Doseondaesa, the highly respected master of the Pungsu jilihag (feng shui) doctrine during the ancient Silla Dynasty, had returned to give him guidance.

When Muhagdaesa walked 10 Li northeast, he found himself at the foot of the Bugaksan mountain, the place where Gyeongbokgung, the King’s palace, sits today. Looking around, he could see that it was surrounded by three mountains, Bugaksan to the north, Inwangsan to the west, and Nagsan to the east. Moreover, a stream as clear as the east sea flowed from the north and curved its way to the east, directly running through the capital’s centre; and while Mt. Namsan to the south provided the final enclosing of the area, in the distance, the Han River flowed softly like the morning mist, offering the ideal route for transportation and trade.

“Certainly, there is no better place to hold our nation’s capital than here!” exclaimed Muhagdaesa.

Upon returning, Muhagdaesa reported his findings to the King.

“The three mountains offer an ideal protection from foreign invasion, and the Namsan mountain down South directs all traffic to the south-western plains, offering a strategic position for defence. Also, according to the doctrine of Pungsu Jilihag, Mt. Nagsan in the east carries the air of the blue dragon, while Mt. Inwangsan in the west breathes the spirit of the white tiger. The stream’s exit is hidden from outside view by Mt. Namsan as well, an ideal location for streams as defined by Pungsu Jilihag.”

Here, the stream that Muhagdaesa described to the King is what we know today as Cheonggyecheon; the doctrine of Pungsu Jilihag refers to the theoretical study of how physical geography affects the well-being of the people and their country. This study was highly respected and well-known ever since the era of the Three Kingdoms. It was believed that the specific positions of mountains, rivers, weather, fertile land, and other physical traits of the given region, and how they reconciled with each other, promised prosperity and longevity for the country and its people. Hanyang was seen as the epitome of this doctrine.

On November 29, 1394, Taejo Lee Seong-gye moved the capital to Hanyang. But the work was not yet completed; he still had to figure out where to build the walls for his new capital. After staying up all night pondering, he looked outside at the first light of day and noticed that the snow that had fallen the night before had mysteriously covered the land in an oval-like shape, as if it was surrounded by an invisible wall.

“Yes! This must be a sign from god!”

Excited, Taejo Lee Seong-gye ordered the wall to be constructed following the layout of the snow. Later, because the layout for the capital was adopted from the way the snow had covered the land, the city came to be known as “seol,” (雪)meaning snow, and “oul,” from the word “oultari,” meaning fence in Korean. Combined, they formed the word “Seoul” and that is the how our capital first got her name!

And, because Muhagdaesa had to walk 10 Li to find the new capital, the road where he walked is now known as Wangsimni (王十里), meaning “to go 10 Li.” It is a popular tourist destination lined with delicious restaurants and shopping malls.

If you are interested in learning more about how Seoul became our capital city, you can watch Daepungsu, a Korean drama that is currently being broadcast on SBS, which recounts Taejo Lee Seong-gye’s rise to power and the birth of the Joseon Dynasty.

Q1. Tell me about yourself.

Hi, my name is Kim Mina working for a non-profit organization, Immigrant Services Calgary (ISC), as a Settlement / Integration counselor. My company provides a variety of services to support the settlement and integration of newcomers in the Calgary community. In my department, SLBC (Settlement and Language Bank Centre), we do an orientation about settlement in Calgary and general information about living in Canada every week and give some information about government benefits, education, living, English education, career and legal advice, etc. And also we hold various workshops on information about living in Calgary both in English and participants’ first languages, and run senior programs, translation and notary services, a volunteer interpretation service, referral services to other community resources and many other supportive services.

Q2. What made you immigrate to Canada?

My husband and I are Christian. We always wanted to share Jesus’ love helping children in poor countries. And that is why we chose Canada, where there is an established culture of charity and volunteerism. And also as Canadians, we can do wider range of work more freely, which we can’t in Korea because of ideological reasons, such as helping North Koreans. We are not doing much now but we will try hard to achieve our goal soon in the future.

Q3. As an immigrant, it must be hard to get into a Canadian organization, where everybody wants to work.  How did you do it?

Well, I am not sure everybody would like my job… but I quite enjoy it. It matches my vision and my personality, I enjoy helping other people, and so I like supporting immigrants to get on their feet and get established with settlement information. As to actually obtaining my position, I would say specifically my career as an English teacher in Korea and my immigration law office experience in Canada were very helpful for me to get into ISC.

Q4. Do you feel any difference in terms of working circumstances between Korea and Canada?

Going for a drink after work, and the over-time work culture is different. At the beginning, it was a bit hard for me to understand (the fact that) employees are not pushed to work overtime and if they do, they are paid properly. And people usually prefer to invite others for dinner at their house if they want to get together, whereas going for a drink (outside) after work is the custom in Korea. As I’d often had to do overtime work and join colleagues for drinks after work, it was hard for me to balance my family and health with work. Canadians, however, they respect other people’s family and private lives and try to balance work and family life as much as they can. I felt good about that.

Q5. If you had difficulties in the work place, what were they? How did you get over them?

I often see immigrants having communication troubles. I also had similar problems but I worked harder than other people to overcome them. However, in this job I have not had any big problems because although there are many immigrants at ISC, the organizational culture is based on respecting other cultures with trust and cooperation rather than competition. We are like a family. Of course, I try hard to be more friendly to our clients and impress them with typical Korean diligence, hard work and Jeong (affection).

Q6. When do you feel proud of being a Korean at work?

The Korean community in Calgary is very impressive at showing its presence and strength. There are not many communities with so many active organizations, holding “Korean day”, “Independence day” and “Samil jeol” (anniversary of the independence movement of Samil, or March lst, 1919) ceremonies in front of Calgary City Hall.  Those things help me to work as a Korean counselor with pride. In my organization, Korean newcomers are a minority but well-known for their passionate attendance at all kinds of self-help and skills upgrade training and workshops. For example, we recently started a free computer class for Korean seniors and which was heavily registered and attended, which made us decide to provide it continuously.  I felt proud of being a Korean.

Q7.  What are your goals in the future?

First, I hope I can help newcomers adjust and prosper with quality information. I am gradually getting to know our client’s needs and what services there are for them, many of which they are simply unaware of. The children of immigrants have difficulties in getting used to a new life, identity issues, getting a job and so on. In the meantime adult immigrants experience greater language barrier and social isolation issues, stress from cultural differences, and ordinary but still stressful issues of health and finance. And they don’t know of social community services or, even if they do, they give up for one reason or another.

Secondly, I want to run a multi-cultural nursing home connected to the services of ISC someday because seniors need more help than younger generations. It is just a dream currently but if I keep wanting it and trying hard, I think I can get it.

Q8. What is your advice to people who want to join the mainstream of Canadian society?

Many prior immigrants say, study hard, make human networks, get a certificate at the local college, volunteer a lot. I agree with them all! And one more thing I want to add is, “Do what you really want and enjoy it, don’t give up easily and you’ll have a happy life in Canada!”

What is it about queens and princesses that still somehow capture even grown-up women’s hearts in this day and age? It’s no surprise that we see pictures of a blissfully pregnant Kate Middleton currently gracing the cover of every celebrity-focused publication. Gossip magazines have been speculating on the name and the possibility of twins from day 1 of her pregnancy announcement. Even the BBC devoted quite a bit of time discussing the royal succession bill that allows the first child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to become a monarch, regardless of the gender.

With all this interest and admiration smothering this future queen of England, I couldn’t help thinking  dolefully about another princess from a different era with a very different life – one whose life was marred by the burden of the tragedy of a colonized Korea. Princess Deokhye (덕혜) (1912∼1989) was the last princess of the Joseon Dynasty -  Korea’s last dynasty. The tragedy of the forced annexation of Korea to Japan that took  place just before her birth became the root of her own tragic personal life.

She was born to King Gojong, the 26th king of the Joseon Dynasty and the first emperor of the Korean Empire, on May 25, 1912. In 1925, She was taken to Japan at a young age against both her and her father’s wishes under the pretense of continuing her studies. Upon the news of her mother’s death in 1929, she isolated herself in her room and was eventually given permission to visit Korea temporarily to attend her mother’s funeral in 1930.

In May 1931, she was forced to marry Count Sō Takeyuki, (1923-1985) a Japanese nobleman, despite her family’s protests. She gave birth to a daughter, Masae, in 1932, the same year she was also afflicted with mental illness.  She continued to spend many years in various mental clinics and suffered through an unhappy marriage which finally resulted in divorce in 1953. Added to her suffering was the loss of her daughter who committed suicide by drowning in 1955. She finally returned to Korea at the invitation of the Korean government in 1962. Despite her mental state, she was said to be extremely emotional upon seeing her motherland and accurately remembered the court manners. She lived in isolation in Nakseon Hall, Changdeok Palace until her death in 1989.

More than 20 years after Princess Deok-hye’s death, her life, once forgotten from history books, is making a comeback in the form of a special exhibition that opened  December 11 at the National Palace Museum of Korea to commemorate the 100th anniversary of her birthday.

A collection of items owned by Princess Deokhye and currently in the possession of the Japanese Bunka Gakuen Costume Museum and the Kyushu National Museum will be on display in Korea for the first time. If traveling to Korea to see the exhibit is not an option, you can treat yourself to selective photos online here.

Note: Wikipedia was the primary resource for the historical information provided above.

(Photos courtesy of Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper’s official website / www.pm.gc.ca )

The Government of Canada is committed to enhancing bilateral relations with South Korea, in addition to promoting cultural diversity in Canada. To this end, on December 4, 2012, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that 2013 would be designated as the Year of Korea in Canada, which aims to highlight Korea’s culture, traditions and diversity, and to celebrate the contributions of the Korean Diaspora to Canadian society.

Organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to Canada, the Year of Korea in Canada will feature a number of cultural and artistic events across the country and will give Canadians the opportunity to learn more about the Korean culture.

Canada-South Korea relations

2013 will mark the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and South Korea, as well as the 60^th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice. The friendly bilateral relationship between the two countries continues to grow as South Korea becomes an increasingly important economic partner and as both countries continue to collaborate in multilateral fora.

Our relations are also further enhanced by a series of high level visits. Prime Minister Harper has travelled to South Korea three times since 2006, including for an official visit in December 2009, the G-20 Summit in Seoul in November 2010, and the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit in March 2012.

Canada and South Korea support trade liberalization – including strengthening the multilateral trading system – and work together in a number of economic organizations, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the G-20. Both countries also share similar views on many multilateral and global issues, including UN Security Council reform, human rights and non-proliferation and disarmament.

Canada and South Korea also have strong people-to-people ties stemming from increasing immigration and tourism flows, academic exchanges and historical connections. People-to-people exchanges have increased with over 250,000 people travelling between Canada and Korea every year.  As of December 2011, there were more than 20,000 Korean students studying in Canada, making Korea Canada’s third largest source of international students after China and India.

There are currently 119 active agreements between institutions in Canada and in South Korea, facilitating the exchange of students, faculty, staff and curricula, joint research and joint degree program. There are also two elementary/secondary schools in South Korea licensed to teach curriculums from Canada’s provinces:  BIS Canada (British Columbia curriculum) and the Canada Maple International School (Manitoba curriculum). Students in these schools are significantly more likely to choose Canada as their destination for Post-Secondary studies. South Korea is home to a modest-sized but reasonably active Canadian Studies community, including a number of university-based centres and the Korean Association for Canadian Studies.

Trade and Investment

The Canadian government has identified South Korea as one of 13 priority markets under the Global Commerce Strategy. The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has identified the following sectors as holding significant potential for Canadian companies: 1) agriculture, food and beverages; 2) building products and construction; 3) mining and minerals; 4) education; and, 5) information and communication technologies.

South Korea is Canada’s seventh largest merchandise trading partner and its third largest in Asia, after China and Japan. Two-way merchandise trade between Canada and South Korea is robust, reaching nearly $11.7 billion in 2011. Canadian merchandise exports to South Korea were valued at almost $5.1 billion in 2011, consisting mainly of mineral fuels and oils, cereals, wood pulp, mineral ores, and meat. That same year, Canadian merchandise imports from South Korea were valued at $6.6 billion and included vehicles, electrical and electronic equipment, machinery, mineral fuels and oils, and rubber.

Two-way stock of cumulative direct investment totalled $6.4 billion at the end of 2011, with foreign direct investment in Canada from South Korea reaching nearly $6.1 billion and Canadian direct investment in South Korea valued at $365 million. Canadian companies, such as Magna, Camoplast, Norsat, Woodbridge, Scotiabank and TD, are well represented in South Korea. Bombardier Transportation is another major Canadian company active in South Korea, having taken an ownership stake in a light rail line in suburban Seoul.

Sources:

PM welcomes 2013 as the year of Korea in Canada

The Year of Korea in Canada 2013