KIM Soo-chul fast forward

You'd think that would be the perfect day to simply, gently press 'rewind', and then 'play'..., but no, KIM Soo-chul keeps pushing 'fast forward' all the way, because he always needs to project himself toward his next projects.
   
For the final concert of his return to Hakchon, and on his 62nd birthday, the legend did remind us who and what he is: a great singer, an amazing guitar player, a wonderful songwriter, a multifaceted composer, a producer, a broadcaster, an actor. a genuine artist, and a true star, the kind of sun that brightens your day, makes you laugh or cry along with him.

KIM Soo-chul 20190407 (photos Stephane MOT)

If his hits have rocked and moved generations of Koreans since 1978, Soo-chul is even prouder of promoting gugak long before that was cool (one of his university friends told me that he was actually surprised to see him start with occidental music), and of helping its unique sounds reach new audiences at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and 2002 World Cup opening ceremonies, or with original soundtracks (like the one he composed for IM Kwon-taek's 'Sopyonje'). And yes, KIM is also very proud of performing live at the UN in NYC, of composing the delicate KBS jingle, or the cult 'Chikichiki chakachaka' (animation series), which he even played live on Sunday in Daehangno.

His show started unconventionally, with a lecture that was both fun and inspiring, even if he could have reduced the number of illustrations by half and still make all his points - but such is the man and the artist: always willing to communicate, and to share. 

Then came the concert. Did he bring the house down? You betcha. 'Little Big Man''s old band mates cheering from the audience, KIM Soo-chul teamed up with younger talents on stage: just one drummer, one bass, and one heck of a guitar hero, who jammed for a while with young gugak players, before returning to his greatest hits. A musical and emotional overload ending up in tears, before a touching finale: four songs merged into one, simply delivered by a soft voice, discreet strings, and pure melodies.

Happy Birthday, KIM Soo-chul, and thank you again for this very special moment.

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Myeong-dong Narratives

Gwanghwamun, Gangnam... my favorite museum in Korea continues its exploration of Seoul neighborhoods. And if this exhibition on Myeong-dong is not as great as the one on Jongno (see "Jongno Elegy") or of course KIM Gi-chan's alleyways, it's still worth the visit.

Street scenes, testimonies, sounds, images, films, cultural events... as usual, you are sent back in time and surrounded with elements from daily life. "Myeong-dong Narratives" focuses on the 1950s, which helped me fill the gap between the "Japanese Myeongdong" of the Occupation, and the Myeongdong I've known for 20 years.

Even now that the Myeongdong Theater has reopened, it's hard to imagine the place as a buzzing spot full of artists, authors, and intellectuals. Ever the shopping mecca, Myeongdong was at the same time the Saint Germain des Pres, the Montparnasse, and the Champs Elysees of the fifties. Later on, but long before they started spitting two penny K-Pop on every passer-by, its streets resonated with slogans against the dictatorship.

But time loves to fly. Theaters moved out (to Daehangno), intellectuals deserted the area, high schoolers replaced university students, shops replaced cafe theatres, tourists replaced high schoolers, SPAs replaced shops... Only constant: Myeongdong remains one of Seoul's shopping hubs, and premium real estate.

Food for thought for a cultural neighborhood like Hongdae: as I wrote earlier (see "Six lanes of traffic"), you have to chose between speculation and identity, between Zara and thustra, between Esprit and indie spirit. Creative minds tend to vote with their feet.

"Myeong-dong Narratives" (exhibition)
2012/01/19-03/31
Seoul Museum of History
50 Saemunan-gil / 2-1 Shinmunro-2-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea 110-062
Phone : 120 (Dasan hotline)

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Six lanes of traffic

If you want to open a shop in Seoul, the three most expensive places per square meter are Myeongdong, Hongdae, and Daehangno. And if you consider neighborhoods with the highest total value for commercial space, you get the same trio, followed by Gangnam Station (Cheongdam-dong / Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu), Sillim-dong (Gwanak-gu), and Geondae (Konkuk University, Gwangjin-gu).

Perennial leader Myeong-dong became a shopping mecca under the Japanese occupation, leveraging massive foot traffic between old and new commercial or financial centers (Namdaemun, Chungmuro, Uljiro...), at the feet of the cathedral. That's where the first neon signs were displayed in Korea, where the National Theater was inaugurated in the mid thirties (it reopened a couple of years ago as Myeongdong Theater), and where students have met for generations, now joined by tourists from all horizons.

Gangnam Station is of course a much more recent hotspot. But not the 'hot' kind of hotspot, even if it is close to key neighborhoods. To start with, the name is some kind of a drag: many images come to you when you hear Apgujeong-dong, Cheongdam-dong, Nonhyeon-dong, or Sinsa-dong,but when you hear Gangnam Station, you don't even see an old-style train stationon - just a subway entrance by a highway intersection. This busy business hub has yet to develop its own soul, an identity beyond a crossroads that happen to be where the Hannam Bridge axis meets Line 2. Yes, that's also where buildings grew taller before the rest of Teheran-ro (except for the COEX), and where the first major netcos gave birth to Teheran Valley. But the first real landmark (Kukkiwon doesn't count) is very recent... and I don't know if the new Samsung headquarters can give more purpose to the area: architecturally, the place could have used more "roundness" and openness. In a nutshell: Gangnam Yeok? a good place for business.

All other members of this Top 6 are university areas, with Hongdae leading the pack, stronger than ever. The brand has gained international recognition, but commercial space is becoming prohibitive for smaller fishes, and they're sometimes driven away to nearby dongs by big franchises. Those guys tend to make all popular areas look the same, and that's not what you want for a trendsetting hotspot boasting the ultimate indie spirit. But as long as Hongik University stays here, the fabled Hongdae spirit shall survive. And traffic is not bound to slow down: Hongdae Ipgu is now connected to both airports via the AREX, new infrastructures will bring Sinchon even closer, and the whole area will get a boost from the downtown-Yongsan-Yeouido-DMC business ring.

Daehangno survived even after Seoul National University moved to the other side of the Han river. Better: the move triggered a revolution that turned the historic birthplace of Korean university* into a cultural hotspot, aspiring venues from yet another university neighborhood, Sinchon. From Sinchon to Daehangno to Hongdae...

... Next stop: Geondae? Probably not. The place probably went up in the rankings following the construction of the Star City complex, just south of the university (not in Mojin-dong but in Jayang-dong). A major real estate operation... and the perfect occasion to fill a void for shoppers in Eastern Seoul.

I'd like to finish with Sillim-dong. Neither for its prestige (as the gateway to Seoul National University, with a strong major in law studies), nor for its less glamour, night birds side of the coin (Nokdu-geori): I have a special affection for the place because of its natural landscape, or rather what's left of it. Take out all those ugly constructions and just keep Dorimcheon serpenting peacefully between the small hills at the foot of Gwanaksan, and potentially you've got one of the city's most charming sceneries. Of course, it's probably too late to save this gem: the stream is already covered with concrete, and the future Shillim New Town already destroyed Wonsi-gil... OK time for me to get off my high horse.

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* That was long before SNU - a relative newcomer -, Sungkyunkwan a.k.a. Taehak (a charming place to visit).

For Line 1, take the Seoul Museum of History

Over 4,000 representations of the rock musical "Line 1" were given between 1994 and 2008 in Daehangno's Hakchon Theater.

The play was adapted from "Linie 1" (GRIPS-Theater in Berlin) by Kim Min-gi, a liberal icon whose songs became anthems for democracy movements thirty years ago. The collection of artifacts from the musical was donated to the Seoul Museum of History, where they're on display until October 5.

The exhibition is as usual the pretext to recreate a particular atmosphere of Seoul - here, the mid nineties, and a ride between Seoul Station and Cheongnyangni Station (Seoul subway line 1) as the alibi to meet fictional as well as real fellow Seoulites.

This museum is headed by a man who loves his city and mankind, and I like the way the permanent collections for recent history (1970s-1990s) have been rearranged. That's on the second floor, next to the 3D map of Seoul : there's more room for photography, and in one corner, a genuine shanty workshop to remind all visitors that the Miracle on the Han River was not a walk in the park. My heart sank because I saw exactly the same installation two years ago in real life, behind Seoul Station, not far from Kim Gi-chan's favorite neighborhoods, in an area about to be redevelopped, and where illegal migrant workers remained until the end in dire conditions...

Donated Collection of Rock Musical 'Line 1'
2011-09-08 to 2011-10-05
Seoul Museum of History : museum.seoul.kr
50 Saemunan-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea 110-062 (Tel : Dasan 120)

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Yeongeon Samgyetang (Seoul)

At long last, sun is back over Seoul. Why not a good samgyetang to celebrate summer ?

In the Southwestern backstage of Daehangno, Yeongeon Samgyetang usually exhibits a queue stretching over one block but today, we're next in line (beating by a minute a pack of young Seoul University Hospital wolves) and five minutes later, seated in front of a steaming chicken and a egg-size glass of spirit ("seobiseu").

The bird can look small, but the portion is more than enough, and tastier than most rivals. Their rice, glutinous, mixes ideally with the stew. A satisfying victory over what's left of summer.

Yeongeon Samgyetang / 연건삼계탕 (restaurant)
86 Yeongeon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, ROK
Tel : +82.2.762.5084

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Seoul Open Night

The second edition* of Seoul Open Night will rage on August 21, 2010 between noon and midnight :



This "nuit blanche" proposes 200 events in galleries, theaters, streets scattered across Insa-dong, Jeong-dong, Daehangno, Bukchon, and Hongdae, including JUMP and NANTA. A 10,000 pass is available on the SON blog (cafe.naver.com/seoulopennight). Not in English yet...

Seoul Village 2010

* see 2009 edition

Silgyecheon along Daehangno

Is Seoul city center turning into some kind of Venice ? After Baekseokdongcheon (the main source of Cheonggyecheon, soon to be restored), another stream is getting ready for rebirth, this time on the other side of Gyeongbokgung.

Alright... don't expect gondolas anytime soon : only cicadas can drown* in such streamlets basically tap-controlled by city officials. But they sing better and louder than most gondoliers.

The new waterline, Silgyecheon (실계천), entertains visitors almost all along Daehangno (the 1 km long stretch between Hyehwa-dong Rotary and Ihwa-dong Sagori), on the same side as Marronnier Park. Some of the "artworks" on display there were removed, maybe not enough for my taste**.

With its curves, stones, and vegetation, the streamlet adds a natural touch to an area already lifted up a few notches on the "well being scale" following last year's salvation of Hyehwa-dong Rotary.

I know it's completely artificial but it could change the whole experience for pedestrians, especially during scorching summers. Temperatures around Cheonggyecheon dropped by 3 degrees celcius after renovation, but of course you cannot compare that pharaonic project with this cosmetic work.

Seoul Village 2009

* see "Save Korean maemis"
** OK, not all of the sculptures are terrible, and some shall really shine in this new environment, but anybody who's walked that walk knows what I'm talking about. ie now the three multicolor ceramic turds in front of the University seem to have been dropped by some indelicate giant dog on LSD, and waiting for the streamlet to flush them down the drain.

Seoul Open Night

Imagine Paris experiencing at the same time its Nuit Blanche, Paris Plage, and the Fête de la Musique. That would be Seoul this Saturday, August 22nd :

- "Seoul Plage" (1st edition) is a private and rather feeble attempt to copy the Parisian event (itself a copy of a concept created by the city of Saint Quentin) on one segment of Hangang riverside. So let's forget about it.

- The "Fête de la Musique" would be the Seoul Fringe Festival (12th edition, until August 29th). I'll get back to that later.

- And the equivalent to "Nuit Blanche" is "Seoul Open Night". The said "night" doesn't stretch as far as it does in Paris but it starts at 2 pm and, for the second edition, its limits have been pushed from 10 pm to midnight, which makes the label much more relevant... The concept is basically the same : the city opens its museums and galleries during one special night when many cultural events take place, casting a new light on an art capital.

To go from one Seoul Open Night spot to another, I won't be riding a Seoul Velib', but my own Korean bike.

Seoul Open Night will last from 2 pm to 12 pm on Saturday the 22nd, 2009 across 6 locations, but the program may change due to yesterday's tragic news : following Kim Dae-jung's death, the general mood is not set on partying mode...

Here are a few of the many events initially planned * :

- Seoul Plaza : free "opening" ceremony between 7 and 8 pm featuring Major OH Se-hoon and singer LEE Seung-hwan. I guess that would be the place to pay a formal tribute to DJ (I'm not talking about the Disk Jockey).

- Hongdae : Seoul Open Night will spice up the Seoul Fringe Festival, a free market will be held at the usual spot (Hongdae Playground) between 7 and 12 pm, street performances, indie concerts... A KRW 10,000 Unlimited Cultural Pass includes entrance to 12 live clubs and theaters.

- Daehangno : the usual hotspots, and a free concert at Marronnier Park (8 to 9 pm).

- Jeong-dong : various events around the Deoksugung (concert) and along Deoksugung-gil (including meetings with Nanta performers). All key museums and parks will be opened until midnight.

- Bukchon : most galleries open until midnight free of charge (there's a 10,000 Cultural Pass including admission to 12 paid museums and galleries in the area). At Jaedong Elementary School crossroad, a Bukchon Traditional Street Performance and Food Feast will be held between 7 and 11 pm.

- Insa-dong : most galleries open until midnight free of charge, many performances are held, and Ssamziegil visitors can enjoy a free traditional craftwork training.

Not all events are free, and some even require bookings (ie architectural tours highlighting key city landmarks). So check the program of Seoul Open Night on Seoul city website or directly on the SON website (cafe.naver.com/seoulopennight).

Seoul Village 2009

Bongchu Jjimdak (Seoul)

Jongno-gu, Dongsung-dong 1-96, SEOUL, ROK
Bongchu Jjimdak, Dongsung-dong Branch / 봉추 찜닭 (restaurant)
Tel : +82.02.3676.6981‎

We're dealing here with a chain restaurant running many branches nationwide, including several in Jongno-gu and one on each side of Daehangno. This one, on the Western slope, must not be confused with the Daehangno branch (in Myeongnyun-dong 4-ga, 80-1). Not the East side kind of guy, I prefer to enjoy the charms of Ihwa-dong heights before their ineluctable renovation.

I once tried another Bongchu Jjimdak near Hongik University, but that one didn't taste as good. And the place was not as nice to sit and enjoy (zenish rustic chic in Dongsung - totally artificial but relaxing). I'll probably give a shot at the restaurant they have right behind Bosingak because of its exceptional view on the pavilion... and because I need to have a good joint at a walking distance.

I mean, a good Bongchu Jjimdak does taste good. Hot and spicy, granted, but yummily hot and spicy. This variety of Andong JJimdak (안동찜닭, or Andong Steamed Chicken, after the Andong city located in Gyeongsanbuk-do) is the only dish they serve, but if you have a problem with hot pepper, that's OK : you'll find legions of nice eateries in the area.

The rich and contrasted flavors come from a mix of subtle spices in the seasoning, strong dried pepper, and a not too pregnantly sweet soy sauce. Varied veggies and Chinese noodles provide comfort and harmony in a big dish simmering before your eyes. Dosage must be key : my Hongdae experience was dull because I couldn't feel the spices, and the dish tasted almost like a dakdoritang. It looked like one as well - probably a question of soy. In Dongsung-dong, the Jjimdak was drier and darker, and the spices and pepper gave it a very subtle, unique, yet somehow sichuanesque twist.

I'm drooling just thinking about it.


SM 2008

Hyehwa-dong Rotary

Another elevated road has been removed. Less spectacular than Cheonggyecheon's restoration, the denudation of Hyehwa-dong Rotary is already completely redefining a key crossroads up Daehangno (connections with Changgyeonggungno South-Westwards, Uamro North-Westwards, and mainly Dongsomunro and Seongbuk-gu North-Eastwards).

The reconstruction site is still at its early steps, and green patches have yet to be drawn, but what used to be a scary dark space covered by concrete already looks like the sun catching, passers-by friendly grand' place of a village.

Well. It takes some imagination to see that... but it took some vision and courage to get rid of this convenient shortcut between Mia Sagori and downtown Seoul.

This city is definitely starting to consider passers-by higher on the evolution scale than mere parasites.