ROKing Korea is a feature column by ROKing Magazine that explores Korean culture and expat life in South Korea. With the growing number of Korean-American expats in Korea, we’ve teamed up with ROKing, a bi-monthly, bi-lingual, Korea-centric magazine, to give you a glimpse of life in South Korea.

Zien Art Space – Art museum combines with daily life

From the outside, Zien Art Space seems to be quite small in size. But as you walk inside, hidden spaces are revealed. The building was designed by architect Jo Sung-ryong, the designer of Seonyudo Park. But this is not the kind of a building that needs renovation as time goes by. This building is continuously evolving, maturing with the nature, with rust, dust and all. The flowerpots placed here and there are lovely and pleasing to the eyes and nose, and the potter-turned-CEO-turned-building director has planned this space for a long time.

The building boasts a unique concept of bringing together living space and art museum with the theme of “an art space within daily life.” Zien Art Space was planned out to draw people to the artwork with a relaxed attitude. And this is why the director built a restaurant, cafeteria and art shop. Because the director is a potter, the exhibition here is mostly about pottery and ceramics. Also, there is a facility for visitors to experience pottery-making first hand. Zien Art Space has a kiln and offers pottery classes. The pottery class is quite popular, especially among children. During school breaks this space gets busy with children and their parents. The director of Zien Art Space is also a famous pottery collector. The flowerpots that are located here and there are all brought from Italy by the director himself. And in the art shop are the precious rare pottery pieces the director collected in Korea and overseas.

You might also easily get hungry walking around the art space, which is why a restaurant called Hide Park was built within the confines of Zien Art Space. Hide Park is an authentic Italian restaurant which is praised for its fresh ingredients and flavorful dishes. The fresh pasta here is all made at the kitchen and boasts a chewy texture. Also, the taste of the pizza stands out because the aromatic herbs decorating the top of the pizza are directly from the plants in the art space.

Zien Art Space
Location: 150-7, SanGil-dong, Kiheung-gu, Yong-in City, Gyeonggi Province
Phone: 031-286-8512
Hours: 11:30~22:00 (Hyde Park)
http://www.zienart.com

Gallery Royal – A bath-accessories exhibition, restaurant and wine bar all in one place

A bath-accessories exhibition combined with a restaurant sounds like quite a contradictory idea. Gallery Royal is a multifunctional space by Royal&Co., a Korean manufacturer and exporter of bathroom products. They built this gallery to reach out to their customers more effectively. Their first objective was to create a place to rest for customers who came to visit their exhibition. With its unique concept, interior and architecture, this building stands out among other buildings in the area, which is why it has become a landmark of sorts around the Hak-dong Station area.

In the basement is the largest bath-product exhibition space in the building, called “Mokgan (a place for bath).” Here, various products such as faucets,bidets and hand dryers are on display. On the first and the second floor a book cafe, restaurant and wine bar make this no ordinary bath-accessory exhibit, as if such a thing were ordinary in the first place. The furniture in this cafe/restaurant is very special because some come from brands that have yet to be introduced to Korea and are specially ordered from abroad. Other items are vintage and are only one of their kind.

At the book café on the first floor there are a lot of rare architecture and design-related books, which is another reason why a lot of customers are drawn to this place. Gallery Royal is not run for profit, so the food and drinks are not that expensive. The wine list here is selected by the director, who is a wine aficionado, which is good news for wine-lovers. The food here is fusion-style Italian. The salad with stone grilled vegetables and ricotta cheese is a favorite dish among the female visitors. Their scallops with parmesan and tomato sauce, and cream spaghetti with key oyster and lobster are among some other popular dishes. Various exhibitions are held at the art gallery on the second floor, eight to 10 times a year, while most of the artwork can be enjoyed by just about anyone. On the sixth floor of the building is a lecture hall where various art and interior-design classes are held monthly.

Gallery Royal
Location: Royal Building 36-8, Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Phone: 02-3218-6400
Hours: 11:00~1:00 (Restaurant, Book Café, Wine Bar)

Kunsthalle – Picking on mainstream culture

In the middle of the crowded streets of Nonhyeon-dong, southern Seoul, sits a cargo container that is seemingly out of ordinary. It is none other than Kunsthalle. Kunsthalle are multifunctional art spaces built out of old cargo or shipping containers, and such uses for these giant boxes have been on the rise in Europe and in Asia. The one in Nonhyeon-dong opened in April 2009 and is run by Platoon, an art communications group from Germany. Charmed by the energy and liveliness of Seoul, Platoon chose Seoul as their Asia headquarters. Platoon explained that container boxes are perfect spaces for various cultural outlets that normal art spaces couldn’t take in.

In the main hall of Kunsthalle includes a bar, restaurant and event hall. You can purchase cocktails, beer and German dishes such as pork schnitzel. Various performances and independent movies are shown in the event hall, while the showcase area is used primarily for resident artists who hold their exhibits every month. On the second floor, there is studio for artists, and on one side of the studio are rare art books that can’t be easily found in Korea. The exhibitions at Kunsthalle questions problems that are easily passed by in the daily life. For example, an art exhibition entitled “Supremacists’ Salon” has recently graced the facility with black, white and yellow blocks, which represent race and racism.

Platoon also has an interesting program that selects resident artists with similar ideas to the Kunsthalle way and offers them studio space for six months. After six months, they give the artists an opportunity to hold an exhibition on the first floor for one month.

Kunsthalle
Location: 97-22, Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Phone: 02-3447-1198
http://www.kunsthalle.com/

Written by Eun-Ji Kim. Photos by Han-Bit Im. Cross-published from ROKing Magazine with permission.

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ROKing Magazine
http://www.rokingmagazine.com/ (English)
http://www.roking-korea.com/ (Korean)
To follow ROKing on Facebook, click here.

ROKing Korea is a feature column by ROKing Magazine that explores Korean culture and expat life in South Korea. With the growing number of Korean-American expats in Korea, we’ve teamed up with ROKing, a bi-monthly, bi-lingual, Korea-centric magazine, to give you a glimpse of life in South Korea.

Cheongdo Persimmon Wine is made in a “wine tunnel.”

Making wine out of persimmon?

It’s not just grapes that can make good wine. A whole variety of other fruits can be used to make the sweet and fermented alcoholic drink — cherries, mulberries, pineapples and plums are just a few examples. But South Korea is a bit unique when it comes to its own wine, with plums and raspberries the favorite traditional alternatives to grapes. Cheongdo, a county in the province of North Gyeongsang, is famous for its persimmon wine (a.k.a. gam wine). Made with seedless flat persimmon, Cheongdo persimmon wine was successfully developed and put on sale nationwide in 2004, ultimately becoming the official toast wine for the G-20 Summit in Seoul. Though not as familiar to the general public as grape wine, persimmon wine is getting notoriety in Korea because of its unique taste and elegant packaging.

September to November is the perfect time to go persimmon picking.

Why persimmon?

Persimmon has a bevy of nutrients that enrich the body and the soul. The oft-crunchy orange fruit is rich in vitamin A, has six times more vitamin C than an apple and helps the body absorb iron and calcium. It’s also good for long term eye health, anti-aging, and anti-oxidization. The wine also has plenty of nutrients, even though it’s fermented for a long time. Persimmon wine is great for skin health and preventing strokes, in addition to helping with digestion. Cheongdo’s persimmon, in particular, is sweeter in taste and has a softer texture with rich juice.

Various kinds of Wine

Cheongdo Gam Wine Co. Ltd., the company that produces Cheongdo Persimmon Wine, has developed several products that cater to customers’ different tastes: Regular Cheongdo Wine has a golden color but is not overwhelming. It is matured in a wine cellar for two years and pairs well with fish and cheese. The Special Cheongdo Wine is matured at a lower temperature (less than 15 degrees Celsius) and has a dry taste that pairs well with both meat and fish. Finally, Ice Wine is made with the best quality red-ripe persimmon. It has a strong and sweet honey like flavor, and is matured in temperatures less than 10 degrees Celsius. It goes well with fruit.

The entrance to Cheongdo Persimmon Tunnel.

Matured in a ‘tunnel’

One of the interesting things about Cheongdo Persimmon Wine is that it is matured in a “wine tunnel.”  The tunnel in particular is 1,000 meters long and was finished in 1904. Made with three layers of granite and red-clay bricks, the tunnel has kept its original shape and configuration and still stands strong. No matter how hot or cold it gets outside, the temperature within the tunnel is kept at 15 degrees Celsius. And it serves as both the perfect storage device for maturing persimmon wine and a vintage-like experience for tourists to walk through. Various tours are offered at the Cheongdo Persimmon Tunnel: To tour the tunnel and taste wine will cost 3,000 won (about $2.50) —quite economical, even though you have to go with a group of more than 15 people. You can also make your own persimmon wine and put a label with your picture on the bottle. This package costs 30,000 won (roughly 26 dollars) and includes wine tasting.

Cheongdo Persimmon Tunnel is open 365 days a year!

Cheongdo Persimmon Tunnel
Location: 252-2, Songeum-ri, Hwayang-eup, Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m (Open 365 days)
Admission: FREE
Phone: 82-54-371-1100 (Korean, English, Japanese)
Website: http://www.gamwine.com/ (in Korean)
How to get there: From Seoul, East Daegu, Pusan, Masan or Changwon, get on a train bound to Chengdo. Once you arrive at Cheongdo Station, go to the Cheongdo Bus terminal. Take the downtown bus to Songeumri and get off at the Wine Tunnel. Make sure to check the bus schedule because there is only one bus every hour.
ROKing’s Tip: Between September and November you can experience persimmon picking! For  5-6,000KRW ($4-5), you can pick ripe persimmons up to 3kgs from the beautiful persimmon orchards.

Written by Jung-Yoon Choi. Cross-published from ROKing Magazine with permission. Photos courtesy of Gam Wine Co. Ltd

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ROKing Magazine
http://www.rokingmagazine.com/ (English)
http://www.roking-korea.com/ (Korean)
To follow ROKing on Facebook, click here.

ROKing Korea is a feature column by ROKing Magazine that explores Korean culture and expat life in South Korea. With the growing number of Korean-American expats in Korea, we’ve teamed up with ROKing, a bi-monthly, bi-lingual, Korea-centric magazine, to give you a glimpse of life in South Korea.

“What’s good for the body is not so good on your taste buds” may be an old Korean saying, but we found three dessert spots in Seoul that would disagree with that statement. Meet various Korean well-being desserts made with traditional Korean ingredients that prove that dessert is no longer a mere omissible sweet food!

Tea Loft – Reinterpretation of Korean dessert

Homemade ddeok (rice cake) sandwich

When you walk in, you’ll notice that its high glass ceiling is harmonized with grass and trees. The modern and natural interior of Tea Loft is open and inviting. Here you can enjoy sweet ddeok (rice cake) cakes with blended lattes. Tea Loft invokes curiosity with their interesting menu. They have developed charming little desserts and various health drinks which are made with traditional ingredients. Tea Loft has risen as the leading health conscious café with their rice cakes, blended lattes and fresh smoothies that are made on spot. Also, each season they launch new menus which are another reason for their immense popularity. Visit Tea Loft and try their delicious summer menu: Ripe persimmon sherbet, sweet rice drink, and citron ice cream.

Muhwagwa Yaksik (Sweet Rice with Nuts and Korean Dates)

Tea Loft
Location: 1 Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul (Lotte Department Store). The café is located on the 14th floor.

Tea Therapy – Blurring the boundary between health center and café

If you can think of a tea that is good for your health, you’d probably think of bitter, yucky tasting tea served at dabang or the retro-style tea house for elderly. “Trot music” is played on the radio as you sip date-tea or herbal medicine-tea, and you think it’s boring and not so cool. Well, now you can enjoy your cup of tea at a hip and modern hot spot in the city! The place is none other then Tea Therapy in Apgujeong. Here the interior is modern and eco-friendly. You can also browse on the internet while checking out various brunch menus are available. Among the trendsetters of Korea this place has risen as the hottest place! You can figure out just the right tea for yourself by using their “Body color chart.” Also, with an additional 2,000 won the owner Sangjae Lee who’s a Korean medicine doctor will blend a traditional tea just for you.

Tea Therapy
Location: 1st Fl. of Ago building, Shinsa-dong 616-6, Gangnam-gu (parking available)
Hours: 10am-11pm
ROKing’s Tip: When you order a Korean traditional tea, the server will bring out a glass teacup, a glass tea pot, filter and an hourglass. If you are a first timer and don’t know how long to brew, you can simply use the hourglass. It normally takes 3 minutes for one bulb to empty, and that is the perfect brewing time.

W.E. – Where West meets East

Berry Hoddeok (Korean sweet pancake)

At Café W.E. (West and East) you can introduce yourself to new desserts. Hoddeok (Korean sweet pancake) is reborn as a western-style pancake. Grilled sweet potatoes are blended with milk and become “sweet potato latte.” The unique menu breaks the rule of the usual Korean food combination formula. Forget about your routine Korean food, such as grilled sweet potato with kimchi and honey with ddeok (rice cake). Here at W.E., you get to enjoy grilled potato with butter and coleslaw, Häagen-Dazs icecream with rice cake. W.E.’s very popular drinks are not only limited to coffee. You get to choose from a variety of drinks made from Korea’s traditional ingredient. Make sure to pay a visit to W.E.!

Granita (left)

W.E.
Location: Gangnam Building #102,  Shinsa-dong 518-8, Gangnam-gu
Hours:  Mon-Sat (11am-11pm)  Sun (2pm-10pm)

If you can’t visit these lovely (and healthy) dessert spots, learn how to make an easy well-being snack right in your own kitchen!

Recipe: Korean-style Bokboonja (Black Raspberry) Mousse

Ingredients: Bokboonja a.k.a black raspberries (100g), sugar (40g), gelatin (4g),  squeezed lemon (1Ts), whipped cream (150g), castella (sponge cake)

Instructions:

1. Combine Bokboonja and sugar (10g) and then boil the mixture over medium heat until it turns to liquid.
2. Place 1 in blender container and blend until smooth or strain it out through a strainer.

3. Place 2 into a pot and boil them with sugar (30g) and squeezed lemon juice.
4. Squeeze gelatin dry and then combine it with Bokboonja mixture. Allow to cool.

5. Make whipping cream smoother using handy mixer.
6. Fold in whipping cream and mix it well.

7. Cut castella (sponge cake) and put it into a cup.
8. Place 6 in the cup, refrigerate for minimum of 4 hours and enjoy!

Written by Sang-aa Park. Cross-published from ROKing Magazine with permission. BokboonjaMousse recipe and photos provided by “Yaongyang.” ———————————————————————————————————————————————–
ROKing Magazine
http://www.rokingmagazine.com/ (English)
http://www.roking-korea.com/ (Korean)
To follow ROKing on Facebook, click here.

ROKing Korea is a feature column by ROKing Magazine that explores Korean culture and expat life in South Korea. With the growing number of Korean-American expats in Korea, we’ve teamed up with ROKing, a bi-monthly, bi-lingual, Korea-centric magazine, to give you a glimpse of life in South Korea.

You could travel around the world and pay thousands of dollars in the process. Or you can take this guide to global villages in Korea and save time and money by getting a taste of the world, all in the same country. There are many interesting villages set up by people from different countries that retain the charm of the original place, and we have selected a few that might be worth the trip. Start planning a trip around Korea by visiting Chinatown in Incheon, Petit France in Gapyeong and German Town in Namhae.

Chinatown of Incheon

There are Chinatowns all around the world, but the one in Incheon, the western port city, is one-of-a-kind. With interesting buildings and tasty food, this is a favorite stop for foreign visitors. Incheon’s Chinatown has an 11- meter-tall gate located at the entrance to the town and many buildings are decorated in typical Chinese colors. The main draw is probably the food, which combines both the best of China and Korean Chinese, like jajangmyeon. The area also holds festivals throughout the year.

ROKing’s Tip Guide:
Website: http://www.ichinatown.or.kr
Phone: 032-810-2853
Location: Incheon Chinatown, Bukseong-dong and Seonlin-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon
How to get there: Seoul Incheon line no.1 (Get off at Incheon station)
Recommended 1-hour tour plan: Chinatown paeru > gonghwachun> Chinese food street > Euiseondang (Chinese-style Temple) > Jayu Park > Modern Cultural Heritage Buildings > Shinpo Market

Petit France of Gapyeong

Famous for beautiful mountains and clean water, this is a cultural village that looks just like beautiful French villages in old storybooks. Petit France took old French houses apart and brought them to Korea, making this village a sightseeing friend’s best friend. But it’s mainly the atmosphere—pretty alleyways, chatty people at restaurants, a beautiful fountain and a wide-open square—that makes this place special.

ROKing’s Tip Guide:
Website: http://www.pfcamp.com/
Phone: 031-584-8200
Location: 616 Goseong-ri, Cheongpyeong-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province
How to get there: (By Bus) At DongSeoul (East Seoul) Terminal and Sangbong Terminal, get on the bus bound to Cheongpyeong Terminal. After getting off at the terminal, ride on downtown bus bound to Goseong-ri. (By Car) Use the Seoul-Chuncheon Highway. From Seoul Olympic Way, head to Misari > Seoul-chuncheon highway > Hwado I.C. > Towards Chuncheon, Cheongpyeong > After you pass Daeseong-ri > head to Gosoeng-ri, Homyeong-ri direction at the entrance of Cheongpyeong Dam. The Petit France is located 10 km from there. (Total duration from Seoul: 50 min)

German Town of Namhae 

The beautiful southern coast of Korea and exotic red-tiled rooftops make up Namhae German Town. Built in 2001, this little village offers up German culture and amazing scenery. There are plenty of things to see and eat, and traditional Korean houses where German-Koreans live dot the village. You might be able to eat some German food, too.

ROKing’s Tip Guide:
Website: http://www.germanvillage.co.kr
Phone: +82-55-867-1337
Location: Dok-il Ma-eul, Mulgeon-ri, Samdong-myeon, Namhae-gun, South Gyeongsang Province
How to get there: Take bus Nambu Terminal at Seochodong, Seoul > Get off at Namhae Terminal (+82-55-864-7101) (it will take 4 1/2 hours)* > Get on the bus bound to Jijok, Samdong-myeon > Get off at German Town Entrance of Mulgeon-ri, Samdong-myeon (You can see the German Town when you go towards the hills. Takes about 5 minutes).

Written by Jin-Sung Kwak. Cross-published from ROKing Magazine with permission. Photos: Courtesy of Chinatown (www.ichinatown.or.kr) and Park Ji-yeon (http://blog.naver.com/thealicecity) ———————————————————————————————————————————————– ROKing Magazine
http://www.rokingmagazine.com/ (English)
http://www.roking-korea.com/ (Korean)
To follow ROKing on Facebook, click here.

ROKing Korea is a feature column by ROKing Magazine that explores Korean culture and expat life in South Korea. With the growing number of Korean-American expats in Korea, we’ve teamed up with ROKing, a bi-monthly, bi-lingual, Korea-centric magazine, to give you a glimpse of life in South Korea.

Hongdae is the place where Korea’s most energetic crowd gathers. Home of many indie bands and artists, Hongdae also feature the most number of clubs in Seoul. The young and the restless crowd up this area on Friday and Saturday nights, dressed to impress and ready to have fun. The people who frequent Hongdae area knows exactly what they want and where to go. Some want ear-blasting live rock, some want heavy rhythm and bass music to groove  into, and some just need a place where they can dance the night away. Want to find out which club could be a perfect niche for you? Roking handpicked three of the most colorful clubs in the Hongdae area.

Blue – Club Evans

When you get that blues, and nothing will do to cheer you up, you’ve got to hit this jazz club in Hongdae. Club Evans is a jazz club with 15 plus years of history. Located right in the middle of crazy Hongdae, Club Evans is a place where anyone can feel comfortable in. You may or may not be a big jazz fan, but you don’t have to know the history of jazz and art of harmonics to enjoy your time here. Casual yet calm, at Evans the music comes first. People listen and pay attention to the band playing on-stage while sipping on their cocktail or beer. The performers are relatively younger musicians, and their website provides info on who’s playing each night. One thing that would make you feel good about going to Evans is that the philosophy of the place. Club Evans is not just like any other clubs that provides entertainment: It provides a space for young Korean Jazz musicians and nurtures them. So while you’re enjoying your drink with your hard-earned money, you’re supporting the young jazz musicians of Korea. Evans also has its recording studio and runs a jazz academy.

Hours: weekdays: 7:30 p.m. to midnight; weekends 7:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Website: www.clubevans.com
Location: 407-3 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Tip: There are various promotion deals on their website, such as free coupons for side dishes and birthday specials, so make sure to check out their website and join.

Yellow – Myeong Wol Gwan

Literally meaning “Bright Moon House.” Myeongwolgwan was in Hongdae area since more than a decade ago when the area was pretty much empty. Now filled with (some might even say ‘plagued’) with expensive cafes, restaurants, and characterless clubs, Hongdae has become a very different place. Some old Hongdae residents resent it and some new residents in Hongdae like it. But no matter what the old and the new Hongdae people think of the area, Myeongwolguan was and is here as a witness to all the changes Hongdae stepped through. Why yellow? First, because of the name that suggests a picture of bright moon shining above your head as you sway to the cool music of this club. Second, because vintage is the sense you get as soon as you reach its door. The honest and cozy 70s-inspired entrance greets you, and as you walk downstairs you feel as though you’re walking down the memory lane, reminded of old days of Hongdae. The atmosphere is relaxing. There are the ones who have been coming here for years, and then there are the newbies, but these two group blends in the crowd just fine in the inviting, open atmosphere. Here you can listen to real music with the daring DJ putting on all kinds of fresh music.

Hours: 6 p.m to 4 a.m
Location: 362-12 Seokyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Website: club.cyworld.com/myoungwolgwan
Tip: They have many cool parties going on, featuring live reggae, hip-hop, funk, etc. Call them (02-3142-1357) and see what’s going on during the weekend. Also, their sangria and mojito are two recommended drinks.

Pink – V-hall

Neon-pink is the color that best represents this vibrant hall. Everything becomes lively in this spacious live music club. Filled with youthful energy, this place epitomizes the spirit of Hongdae area. Every week they have great live shows going on with comparatively well-recognized Hongdae indie musicians. The music range from hip-hop to rock to world music to..even classical. Once they even hosted the 14-year old Sungha Jung, a prodigy guitar player who’s gained fame through Youtube. This is favorite venue by many musicians and audience alike. Spacious for packed live shows, this is the place to jump around, bang your heads and lose yourself into the music. Here you are guaranteed of the thrill that only live music can provide.

Hours: Depends on the show
Location: Base level, Seokyo Hotel annex, 356-1, Seokyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Website: http://club.cyworld.com/v-hall
Tip: V-hall has live concerts on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and occasionally on Thursdays. They have a set schedule, so make sure to check out their website. You can also buy some of the show’s ticket online. Popular band’s tickets go really fast, so make sure you’re up to date on what’s going on.

Written by Jung-Yoon Choi. Cross-published from ROKing Magazine with permission. ———————————————————————————————————————————————– ROKing Magazine
http://www.rokingmagazine.com/ (English)
http://www.roking-korea.com/ (Korean)
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