About the Lunar New Year

From February 2nd to February 4th, Koreans celebrated the Lunar New year.

We celebrated the Lunar New Year from the past(Since the Three Kingdoms Period in Korea). We used the Lunar calendar because of agriculture. Well, not only the Lunar one, we also celebrate the Solar one, which is the real January 1st now. We started to celebrate the Solar one during the Japanese Colonization Period. And February 3rd was January 1st in the Lunar calendar.

In Korea, we call the Lunar New Year as, 'Seol'. 'Seol' means, 'the Beginning of a new year'.

During Seol, we do a lot of things: do ancestor-memorial rites, New Year's bow, well-meant remarks, New Year's best clothes and other kinds of things.

We prepare some New Year's foods and use it during the ancestor-memorial rites.

And also, we do the New Year's bow to the adults and earn money. Last Thursday, I earned \110,000! But I had to give the money to my mother. In the past, we could earn more money(\1,000) than the day before. So, for example, if you earned \10,000 you could earn \11,000 they next day.

We also get New Year's best clothes the night before Seol. So, we get up early at Seol and wear those new clothes. I've also got a new hanbok. It's really beautiful.

The adults say some well-meant remarks to the youngsters. Like, "Please do well in exams this year." etc.

Not only these things, we prepare foods. The most important food is 'Ddeokguk'. People believe that we get older when we eat this food. There are some round rice cakes and the rounded shape symbolizes the sun. Not only that, it also means luck. So, it's good if you eat a lot!

We also play during Seol. The most famous game around Koreans is 'Yootnoli'. There are four Yoots and you throw them and move your man according to what the Yoots are showing.

Now I hope you learned about Seol a lot. And have a good day! []`

A Tour in Gyeongbok Palace

Today, I had a tour in Gyeongbok Palace. I haven't been to Gyeongok Palace since last year. So, I was a little nervous. But I tried my best.

Because it was cold, I thought that the foreigners wouldn't come. Well, I thought wrong! I had a tour with 2 Malay people. I did my best to explain about the things easier and funnier(?).

They really liked my tour. When I told them a joke about the Korean Traditional Chimney, they laughed. And when I told them about Queen Min's death, they had a sad face. I really really liked their reactions. I mean it!

But there were things that I forgot to explain. For example, DEMEU! Our Korean Traditional Fire Extinguisher! There are a lot of funny things that are related to this thing. But I forgot to tell them!

Well, still, I'm proud of my self. I'm really proud about doing these things to tell the world about Korea! Plus, I'm also proud of my self about doing a one and a half and hour tour!(even though it was really cold!)

Anyway, I'm gonna do better next time.

Versailles, Special Exposition

Yesterday, I went to see Versailles, Special Exposition. It was fun.



  I could know about French culture in the Versailles, Special Exposition.
  I was interested in Versailles really much. I think the Versailles Palace is much better that Korean palaces. It is splended and really big. I wanted to live there. I especially liked the portraits. It felt like I was looking at a real live person! I really admire the pictures. Oh, and also the dresses. They were gorgeos and big! If I look at those dresses, I want to wear them, too. I really like France. I would like to visit the real Versailles Palace if I have enough money. I really appreciated it.]`

Disney Character Designer, Kim Sangjin

Have you seen the movie 'Chicken Little' or 'Tarzan' before? It's fun, right? Well, amazingly, the person who drew the characters from 'Tarzan' are made by a Korean! 


  Dear Foreigners...

  HI, again! Today, I went to a park in Korea Street. It was named 'Koreans in the World'. Today, I'm gonna tell you about a charater designer. And he is a special character designer. He is a Korean. Plus, he has achromatopsia, which is also known as color blindness. His name is Kim Sangjin.
  You know, it's hard to be a character designer if you have color blindness. In Korea, you can't go to an art university if you have that color blindness. So, Kim Sangjin couldn't go to an art university. Luckily, a company which saw his talent had him as a worker. And later on, he worked as a character designer in Disney for 15 years! He is really amazing, don't you think so?]
  My dream is a character designer, too.  I will work hard and be like him. Please encourage me.
  I have to go now. See ya!

K-Pop!

These days, K-Pop is popular. I will tell you about it much more.

To Foreigners...

  Hi, guys! Today, I went to K-TREND Street. It's my favorite Street in Korea Street. I learned about K-Pop there. K-Pop refers to Korean songs.
  Everybody has a favorite singer, right?

 I especially like Girls Generation. I read in a newspaper that there are 120,000 fans of Girls Generation in US. What a fantastic news! I was so happy to read that article. Anyway back to what we were talking about, there's my favorite member in Girls Generation. Her name is Jessica! I like Jessica because she's tall, good at singing, and also in my opinion she is the most beautiful member in Girls Generation.

A tour in Sunday.

Yesterday, I went to Seodaemun Prison History Hall for a tour for foreigners. The temperature was -17℃.

To Foreigners...

 Yesterday, I went to Seodaemun Prison History Hall for a tour for foreigners. Seodaemun Prison History Hall is where our patriots were imprisoned during the Japanese Colonization Period.

 I really like to do this job(?) but, it was hard to enjoy this job yesterday. Because it was really cold! My nose and hands became red. The temperature was -17℃. No wonder why. So, I thought that the foreigners wouldn't come, and I would be fruitless. But, some foreigners came to Seodaemun Prison History Hall, and I had a tour. I was so happy. I call this a 'miracle'. Because it was cold, and it was Sunday. I'm sure that most people go to church and Catholic churches etc. I was so happy that they came.

 They listened carefully to my explanation. When I told them about the tortures which our patriotic ancestors have experienced, they made a face(?). And they asked some questions to me. And I answered them well.

 Even though it was a cold day, they listened to my explanation very well. But later on they got tired(?because of the cold weather) so I finished up quickly.

 It was a good tour...(I think)

 Okay, now I have to rest for awhile. Because I need to go to Korea Street tomorrow. Maybe I'll get some more news from there. Well then, bye for now!

Lee Joongseop and Pablo Picasso

Hi, guys!

  I'm writing this letter from a nearby hotel.

  How are you guys!

  Well, I'm really really fine. Because I'm having fun here.

  Today, I went to the 'Art Street' in Korea Street. I really enjoyed today's visit in Korea Street,

because I really like art. Well, it's not my favorite subject, though.

  Well then, I'll talk about what I learned today.

  I especially liked the 'Modern Arts'.

  The famous artist named, 'Lee Joongseop' had painted some pictures during 1950s. He painted some cows, children, chickens, fishes, crabs etc. But he especially painted some cows. People usually say that cows are animals that could symbolize Korea's sentiment. Joongseop started to paint cows since he went to highschool. Joongseop always observed cows to paint them better. So, one day, he was observing some cows which were owned by one neighboor. But he was known as a cow thief and was arrested. Isn't this a funny story?

  Okay, his most famous painting is 'The White Cow'. In the painting the cow looks really powerful. I had a feeling that it might butt me out until I reach Neptune. Oh, it looked so scary. Especially, the white lines look powerful and strict. The first reason is because he was a fauvist in Korea. Do you know what 'Fauvism' is? Fauvism is a kind of group of painters who painted in powerful and strict ways. This is the characteristic of them. So, Joongseop just painted that way. And the second reason is that he lived with difficulty. There was Korean war at that time and Joongseop had to break up with his family. Plus, he was so poor. So, that's why the cow looks scary.

 

  There was a famous artist in Spain during that time. His name is Pablo Picasso. Picasso's paintings are special(?), too. Well, we can't understand what he drew. But it is amazing and we can feel Picasso's originality. For example, if he painted a woman in a green hat, it has all kinds of different meanings. Like, even though she has a beautiful(uh... well... not really) outlook, she has a darkness behind her.

  Now, I'll compare Joongseop and Picasso. They both are charming(?). They both have their painting type(?). But, Joongseop's paintings look powerful while Picasso's paintings look strange but has a lot of meaning. I really like both of their styles.

  I like to paint, too(as I said before). So, maybe I could try to paint some pictures with their style.

  Okay, I'm so sleepy now. It's already 10:00. I gotta have some sleep for tomorrow's visit to Korea Town. Bye for now, and hope to hear from you guys, too!