Seoul Art Space Yeonhui

Inaugurated late 2009, Seoul's first writers residency has already become the ultimate destination for Korean writers, but Seoul Art Space Yeonhui also welcomes a few foreigners. And in this quiet oasis at the heart of the city, literature almost becomes a performing art.

Of course, writing is a solitary process that doesn't require much more than a pen and some paper... or the more or less modern equivalent (from ye olde Underwood typewriter to your latest digital tablet gizmo). But as every writer knows, it does take a little bit more than that, and your direct environment is of the essence. If some need to feel some animation around (exhibit A: the cliche of a chain smoking coffee guzzling weirdo scrawling over the table of a Parisian cafe), most long for quietness and peace (exhibit B: the cliche of a zen caligrapher in a traditional house on a remote island). Writers being humans, they ideally require a certain mix of privacy and social interactions, and writers residencies focus on this fragile comfort zone, providing as a bonus social interactions with fellow scribblers sharing the same delicate moment.

Seoul Art Space Yeonhui reaches beyond the usual hosting services to writers*, from supporting literary activities to international networking. Furthermore, the site is open to everyone and gives all Seoulites a unique opportunity to attend public lectures, or simply to enjoy a stroll in a charming site. After all, literature doesn't belong to anyone but to everybody, and this is a public initiative. Like other Seoul Art Space / artists residencies**, Yeonhui center is operated by the SFAC : the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture are also in charge of such events as the Hi Seoul Festival, and their aim is to make Seoul a creative cultural city by leading all citizens to participate in arts.

Giving a cultural purpose to abandoned sites lies at the root of the Seoul Art Space concept, and this one used to host the City Story Compilation Committee of Seoul but hadn't been used for half a decade. So when the metropolitan government considered selling the place, SFAC had the good idea to transform it into a "literary nest".

During my visit yesterday in this "literary nest", under a bright sun and between two subzero cold waves, many birds were singing. I mean literally - I did meet a couple of creative residents but here, on the top of a small hill overlooking Yeonhui-dong, you do hear birds sing : no traffic noise, and you quickly forget that you're in the middle of an hyperactive megalopolis.

You're welcomed by a metal gate composed with Korean alphabet (definitely more zen than Elvis' Graceland) and a wall of fame with the handprints of famous contemporary Korean authors, but your eyes are immediately attracted to the peaceful setting : four low rise buildings surrounded by pine trees, a winding path following a gentle slope with mountain tops in every directions, a cute outdoor theater to give or listen to lectures from writers who sometimes turn into actual performers... The ideal nest indeed, complete with a Literary Media Lab and even an Artists' Playground.

At least in Seoul, being an author is not always a curse.

Seoul Art Space Yeonhui
203-1 Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
e-mail: gomgom@sfac.or.kr
Tel: +82.2.324.4622, +82.2.324.4600
website: eng.seoulartspace.or.kr/G04_yeonhui
Business hours : from 10 AM to 5 PM Monday to Friday (closed on New Year's Day, Lunar New Year's Day, Thanksgiving)
SFAC : english.sfac.or.kr
ADDENDUM 20110211 - 2 more SAS Yeonhui links :
. Facebook page : facebook.com/sas.yeonhui
. on Twitter : @yeonhui1105

Seoul Village 2011

* Poets, novelists, playwrights, literary critics, translators of Korean literature, authors of children's books may apply, generally for one to three months (ideal for a book leave). They must use their private writing studio at least 15 days a month. Note that the fees are very low: 5,500 won per 3.3m2 (VAT included) for a writing studio. More about residency applications on the website.
** others centers are more devoted to plastic or performing arts: Seogyo (Hongdae, experimental arts), Geumcheon (multi-art projects), Sindang (creative arcade, studio, crafts), Gwanak (children playground), Seongbuk (art therapy and creativity), Mullae (arts village inaugurated last week, performance), Hongeun (eco friendly) - see all Seoul Art Spaces : eng.seoulartspace.or.kr

Hi Seoul Festival 2009 - and beyond

When ? From May 2nd to May 10th
Where ? Five Royal Palaces, Seoul Plaza, Cheonggyecheon
What ? Concerts, exhibitions, food, performances
Questions ? HiSeoulFest.org

Among the good points for this edition :
- popular success : Seoulites of all Gus and nationalities, international tourists... a festive festival (even if interrupted by candle-light activists)
- organization (communication, information, staff...),
- better balance between major sites (ie Gyeonghuigung at last well exploited)
- international food festival (yum)
- weather...

Yet, there's still room for improvement :

* program : culturally less dense than previous editions. The Imperial exhibition in Deoksugung is almost embarrassing..., and Prada Transformer sums it up : a big void space inflated with hype. The event, already dilluted from once a year to once a season, suffered from the global crisis (only two editions for 2009 : Spring and Winter).

* f&b : visitors are invited to salivate at an exhibition on Korean food (Gyeonghuigung), but cannot taste any ! only refreshments available : permanent soda / coffee machines. you don't want palaces to be littered with used cups and napkins, but you must prepare something special. The international food festival is absolutely perfect, but lasts only one day.

* concept : some ingredients and key assets, but it looks as if the city struggles every season to market an event which needs to get its message clear and focus. "Spring", "May Palace", "Global Seoul"... many keywords splashed over billboards, many stimuli and operations, but the big picture remains blurred.


=> It's time to rebalance the festival, take some of the burden off the city's shoulders, and empower Seoul's citizens. After all, this used to be Seoul's Citizen Day. And beyond the city and its people, third parties must also gain visibility. Not just tourists but partners and special guests. You need a stronger concept because co-branding and partnerships can bloom only under a strong Seoul Festival umbrella.

=> Twice a year, Spring and Winter. One could prefer spring and autumn, the best seasons, when the city displays its marvels and gives its best shot for the World to see, but this is about the reality of a city and Seoul can be very cold. And furthermore, unlike in Paris, Seoul winters are very lively because Seoulites know how to cope with it and have great fun in spite of it.

=> The Soul of Seoul, at its very heart : the ancient city and its palaces host the party, but all gus play their part, and each district has a spot around Seoul Plaza, which then fully deserves its name. This is where Seoul meets, unites, shares. In all its diversity.

=> The city should focus on one question : what makes this Seoul Festival a special event everybody is waiting for months in advance ? It could be that special moment of the year when every citizen feels he or she really owns the heart of the city, when some rules change, when what uses to be closed is opened. The SFAC (Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture) obviously follows the right path, but could give more space to "citizen generated contents", beyond Cheonggyecheon. For instance, Seoulites could hold their own festival on a Sejongno closed to traffic : schools as well as individuals would expose their talents (stages for music, poetry, or dance, screens displaying movies and pictures...), and partners partly sponsor a selection of street as well as fine food...