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the Ulsan Pear
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Vol. III Issue VI
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December 2006
Winter is here!
Happy New Year
Ski Resorts
Philippines Biggest Band
Professional Basketball
The Pear goes to Thailand
and more inside...
Cover photo by Jason Teale
Outside Mugeodong
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2 THE ulsan Pear
Emergency Contact Numbers
Dear Pear Readers,
Winter is often a season of contrasts. There are lots of fun things to
do and many holidays. This is mixed with a general malaise from the
lack of vegetation and sunlight around.
speak very slowly, and clearly.
This issue we’re providing you with some ways to fight the winter
blahs. Hopefully you’ll find it interesting and useful.
Do not panic, ask for English
You’ll also notice some changes with the Pear. We’re growing, and
also trying to bring you a better, juicier Ulsan Pear. We hope you
enjoy it!
119
Ambulance 구급(Gu-Guep)
Fire 화재 (Hwa-Jay)
112
Police 경찰 (Gyeong-Chal)
1366
Women Emergency CAll
00799
International Operator
Happy Holidays
from all of us at the Ulsan Pear.
Kevin Forman
Editor-in-chief
[email protected]
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Editorial Board/
Staff Writers:
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Fin Madden
Jason Teale
Jim Saunders
Contributors:
Anne Tiangco
Chris Linton
Kevin Pope
Kristin Boe
Shawn Hines
Stephen-Peter Jinks
Matthew Murray
Robin Doherty
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Jason Teale
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Jim Saunders
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Happy New Year! Round Two
Kristin Boe
Contributor
Two New Years! How fantastic!
The Western New Years tends
to be an excuse for debauchery,
celebrated with a round of drinks,
a round of kisses come midnight,
and hastily made resolutions that
are soon forgotten upon awaking
the next day.
The Korean Lunar New Year,
or Seolnal, is the second most
important holiday in Korea,
Chuseok being the first. Like
Chuseok, Seolnal is full of
traditions and is a time to spend
with family. This year, the first
day of the New Year on the Lunar
calendar is February 18th.
Typically, the holiday falls
anywhere from late January to late
February. The celebration itself is
a three day affair. Families usually
gather at the eldest male’s house
and travel many hours to do so.
How, you ask, can anywhere in
Korea take long to get to? During
Lunar New Year the roads are
jammed with traffic and it isn’t
unusual for a trip from Busan to
Seoul, normally a five to six hour
drive, to take upwards of twenty
hours. Everybody, and everybody’s
family, takes to the highways.
Travel tickets for the Lunar New
Year are usually bought about three
months in advance. Traditionally,
the Lunar New Years Eve is a night
where nobody sleeps. It is called
the “je yah”. The belief behind
staying up all night is to greet the
New Year with bright and awake
eyes. Lights are kept burning in
every room and bamboo sticks
are burnt in the house. The knots
on the bamboo sticks explode, or
“pop”, and between this and the
lights, all the demons in the home
and from the old year are chased
away. The home is also completely
cleaned to get rid of last year’s dirt
and start the year fresh.
First thing in the morning, people
also bathe and get rid of all the
filth
from
the previous
year.
New
clothes are
worn for the
new year and
often it is the
traditional
Korean dress,
called
han
bok.
Next there
is the rite of
offering to
the ancestors.
A table is
loaded with
specially
prepared
food. There
are specific
Photo by Fin Madden
foods that are
good to serve
for the Lunar New Year, but often
the favorite food of the deceased
is placed on the table. Food is
presented to the ancestors so that
they have enough energy to grant
THE ulsan Pear 3
blessings
to
their
descendants.
Then comes
an elaborate
exercise of
Chare.
It
includes
bowing,
lighting of
incense,
offering of
drinks, and
the offering
of
food.
When the
Chare
is
complete,
the family
partakes in
the
food
prepared for
the ancestors.
Children
also perform a ritual of “saebae”.
Saebae is bowing completed in
front of their grandparents. If the
saebae is done well, it is rewarded
with money.
The ancestral gravesites are well
tended on this day. Food, usually
rice cakes, fruits, and alcohol are
presented to the dead. Then, there
is another round of bowing and
giving respect before enjoying a
picnic in the graveyard.
Games are also enjoyed over the
Lunar New Year holiday. Yut is
a traditional Korean board game
played with four sticks. The sticks
are thrown and how they land
determines the amount of moves
Photo by Jason Teale
a player takes. The first person
around the board wins. In past
times, kites were also a big favorite.
Called yon, the kites were very
easy to move and had small blades
attached to the frame. Besides the
enjoyment of the activity, a person
would attempt to slice and disable
another’s kite.
Although there are numerous
differences between Seolnal
and the Western New Year, the
sentiment is the same. It is a time
to spend with those that you care
for. It is also an opportunity to ask
the New Year to be one of fortune
and peace. Have a happy and
healthy 2007!
[email protected]
Joy and Comfort
Stephen-Peter Jinks
Contributor
My first winter in Korea,
in rural Gyeongsangnamdo, was dreadful. I had
steeled myself for it, but
despite my preparations
it was a bleak and
miserable time. Firstly,
I had no friends; underfloor heating is a poor
substitute for human
warmth. Secondly, I had
come from a soft and lush
New Zealand summer,
and I arrived bang in the
middle of a bleak February
in the mountains of
Gyeongnam. And finally,
I did not know about
thermal underwear.
A Korean Dickensian Christmas?
Now we are hurtling towards my
third winter here in Korea, and
I am a little surprised to find
myself looking forward to the
coming season. According to the
lunar calendar, 2006 enjoyed two
Augusts (no, I can’t get my head
around that one, either) so the
summer was a long one, stretching
well into fall. We have had a great
summer and the autumn foliage
has been spectacular, but now
it is time to move on. Winter
is coming, and this year I am
planning on enjoying a snuggly,
fun time with friends.
Christmas-time is always a good
excuse for a celebration and Kiwis
and Aussies get to enjoy a cutprice northern hemisphere festival
while we are on the peninsula.
Twinkling lights, decorated trees
and tables laden with roasted
food are fun in any climate, but
in a northern winter it is all the
more appropriate. Talk is already
turning to turkeys and ovens
and pretty soon trees and gifts
will join the topics of coffee time
conversation. It is an old joke, but
everyone knows that only turkeys
hate Christmas.
For antipodean folk, a wintry
Christmas is an especially festive
occasion. We do the Christmas
lights and the roast turkey in New
Zealand, but it isn’t the same in
early summer when the days are
getting longer and the kitchens
are warm enough already without
having to roast a whacking great
bird as well.
A Korean Christmas is hardly
the Dickensian model beloved
by Christmas card manufacturers
– think shiny nosed children and
bay windows with mini snow
drifts in each pane – but the
winter weather does help to set
the mood as we string lights in
Photo by Fin Madden
our apartments and scour back
street stationery shops for tinsel
and glitter.
So, as the convenience stores
put away the ice cream and milk
shakes and replace them with take
out hot chocolate and steam buns,
our thoughts turn to the long
dark winter looming ahead of us.
Let’s try and relish the bonuses
that winter brings; forget about
summer, find a friend and snuggle
up under mountains of quilts
in an ondol bang. Try to spread
some mid-winter cheer with
twinkling lights and Christmas
gifts; get into thermal underwear
and wooly scarves and have fun
with the winter season. But most
importantly make the most of
the upcoming holiday, as Tiny
Tim says in A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens: “A Merry
Christmas to us all; God bless us,
every one!”
[email protected]
Winter Blahs
Editorial
4 THE ulsan Pear
Jason Teale
The Ulsan Pear
The winter blahs
can hit you hard and
it is tough to shake
them off. In the
past issue we tried
to show you some
different things to
do in Ulsan.
In this issue, we welcome the
winter season and give you a
few ideas on how to survive. It
is hard to shake the bar hopping
trend of drinking all weekend
and then staying inside nursing
a enormous hangover. Like
hibernating alcoholics, many
foreigners go through this phase
during the winter season.
Many feel the effects of
homesickness and being away
from family on Christmas and
New Year’s. It can be a rough
time that perhaps your coworkers and friends may not
understand. You can overcome
this by simply occupying your
time, getting out there and
enjoying Ulsan.
Being homesick on Christmas
comes with being away from your
family for so long, in a country
that celebrates Christmas in a
completely different way. Going
to the bars helps you associate
with people that may feel the
same way and provides a sense
of familiarity in what can be a
strange time. Plus, if everyone
if going there anyway, why stay
home and be lonely?
Get out and do something. Plan
something with your friends,
study, exercise, travel, but just
do something. Playing into the
idea that there is nothing to do
or the fact that there are only
a few weeks left before your
holidays is no excuse. We suffer
from homesickness sometimes
because life has become routine
and the adventure is gone. You
find yourself wanting to be home
again because you are bored.
Simply shake things up a little
and stimulate the mundane
season of winter into one that
you will remember for a life time.
If it is a real Christmas that you
are missing, why not plan a party
for your friends or the Korean
people that you know or work
with. What better way to give
some sense of familiarity than
to show people how Christmas
is celebrated your way. Get your
family to send you the things
you need and put on your own
Christmas party or Christmas…
day… thing…
To sit at home and complain
because it is too cold to do
anything
is
unproductive.
Homesickness can be overcome
and so can the urge to do the
same thing every weekend.
By using your head, you can
beat the winter blahs and give
yourself a winter to remember.
Now, get out there and DO
SOMETHING!! (and then
write about it and send it to the
Ulsan Pear)
[email protected]
Preparing for the Ulsan Winter
Jason Teale
The Ulsan Pear
While some seasoned veterans of
a good ol’fashioned Canadian or
American winter may laugh at the
thought of this, just wait and hear
me out. You must prepare to enjoy
a winter here in Ulsan. It still gets
pretty bloody cold here.
Your apartment comes with the
wonderful device called “on-dol”
or floor heating. While this is a
great part of being in Korea, be
careful! Leaving the heat on all day
can drive your gas bills through the
roof. A quick tip is to turn it down
to zero or switch the heating to
only water (usually the light blue
button, second from the top) This
keeps the hot water warm instead
of letting it cool and then heating
it up again, when you want to
warm up.
Area heaters and heating blankets
can also help you survive a long
Ulsan winter. The radiant area
heaters can cut the gas bills down
but they also drive your electricity
bills up. I prefer the floor heating
system over these methods, but it
is really up to you.
While it may not look like the
white wonderland that you hoped
it would be, it still gets cold here.
The great thing is that most of the
a little metal disc inside the bag,
they turn hard and white and keep
your hands warm for an hour or
so. The best part is that they are
RE-USABLE! Boil them in water
for 3 minutes like ramyeon and
they are ready to use again.
Pollution masks are also important
to wear this time of year. Yeah I
know, they make you look
like something out of Star
Wars, but they really are
helpful. With all the car
exhaust floating around
coupled with cold air and
germs, it is easy to catch a
cold on your afternoon walk
or your morning commute to
work.
You can buy these masks
everywhere from the corner
store to the pharmacy. Don’t
worry about what you look
like, everyone from the
ajumma that sells vegetables
to the princesses at the
wear them…
Photo by Fin Madden University
it is ok.
Pe r s o n a l l y,
dollar stores and gift shops carry a I would rather
wide range of items that keep you look strange then
deal with a lung
warm this season.
infection.
Thankfully toques (wool hats) are
in style these days and you can Eat and drink
find them everywhere. Remember, well! This doesn’t
80% of your body heat leaves mean the festive
through your head. Gloves and style of turkey and
mitts can also be found at these booze either. This
places for good prices. They are means vitamins.
Korea has a
cheap and keep you warm.
wide variety of
They also carry a wide selection healthy foods to
of hand warmers, these are those keep you upright
plastic watery bags that come in and healthy this
all shapes and sizes you see Korean season. Teas like
kids carrying. With one click of “U-ja cha” which
THE ulsan Pear 5
is an orange
peel
tea,
are packed
w i t h
vitamin C.
Also you
must eat
your winter
kim-chi to
keep you
strong and
healthy.
Mog-yuktangs
or
Korean
bath houses
are great
this time of
year. After a
long day or
just being
outside for
a
while,
they are a
great way to warm up and relax.
Keep in mind that mog-yuk-tangs
are the bath houses (naked) and
jim-jil-bangs (clothing provided)
are the big saunas. Jim-jil-bangs
are another great way to relax and
keep warm. Jim-jil-bangs are a
favorite of Koreans. You can eat,
Photo by Fin Madden
sleep, and watch TV for hours in
the comfort of the steamy heat.
Take care and keep warm this year.
Get out and explore all the unique
ways to keep warm this Christmas
season!
[email protected]
Photo by Fin Madden
6 THE ulsan Pear
Ski Resorts Around Korea
Compiled by Kevin Forman
The Ulsan Pear
Yongpyong Ski Resort
Located in Gangwon-do,
Pyongchang-gun about 200km
East of Seoul
5 hours from Ulsan
Daily Capacity:
25,000 visitors
31 Slopes
14 Lifts (including 1
Cable Car)
1,078 Rooms
Nighttime skiing
available
Costs: Lift passes
from 34,000 won
Ski rentals from
18,000 won
Snowboard rentals
from 25,000 won
Clothing also
available for rent
Website:
www.yongpyong.
co.kr/eng/index.asp
Bears Town
Located in Gyeonggi-do
4.5 hours from Ulsan
11 Slopes
9 Lifts
Nighttime skiing available
Costs: Lift passes from 30,000
Phoenix Park
Located in Gangwon-do,
Pyungchang-gun
5 hours from Ulsan
12 Slopes
9 lifts
Costs: Lift passes from 30,000
won
Ski Equipment Rental
from 27,000 won
Snow Board Rental
from 26,000 won
Approximately 900
Rooms
Website(in English):
www.phoenixpark.
co.kr/english/default.
html
You can also check out
the website
english.tour2korea.
com
Under the sightseeing
heading, you can find a
link to a skiing section.
It can provide you with
a brief description of
these resorts, and others
in Korea.
Muju Ski
Resort
Located in
Jeollabuk-do, Mujugun.
3 hours from Ulsan
You can take a bus from Taehwa
Bridge. Round trip, rentals and
lift ticket around 90 000 won for
the day.
30 Slopes
Onsite accommodations available
3 Different Hotels On Location
Website(in English):
www.mujuresort.com
[email protected]
Photo by Fin Madden
won
Ski Equipment Rental
from 34,000 won
Snow Board Rental from
20,000 won
Clothing also for rent
Approximately 500 Rooms
Website(in English):
www.bearstown.com
Photo by Fin Madden
Bringing Santa Claus to Ulsan
Kevin Pope
Contributor
Christmas in Korea used to be a
bit old fashioned, at least when I
moved to Ulsan in 1998. When
I first came to Korea I cooked
up big dinners for friends and
we gathered for a party and treetrimming. Stores didn’t deck
the halls until two weeks before
Christmas. I loved it, because it
was quiet and simple.
That reminded me of my
childhood. Times have changed
and businesses here have caught
up with the Western idea of a
commercial Christmas. Even
though in the last eight years
Ulsan has seen a lot of changes,
each Christmas just keeps
getting better and better. A little
more noisy and a little more
complicated, but just as joyful
all the same.
Every year I play Santa and dress
up for my hogwan kids and
my own. I think my son is on
to me though. As Santa, I MC
the Christmas program at Open
Classroom, an autistic children’s
school in old downtown. I really
enjoy seeing the smiles on the
children’s faces.
Several years ago I made kimchi
with a volunteer group and
played “Kimchi Santa Harabagi”
for the local orphanage. That was
a blast. Each year I plan a special
event to share what I have been
blessed with. Christmas 2004
was fantasic because my wife
and I, along with the students
at our hogwan, prepared 200
shoebox gift packages that were
hand delivered to a small church
in South Africa by a local pastors
mission group and FEBC 107.3
radio. The foreign community
in Ulsan chipped in on that as
well. The project received several
cash donations.
Last year, I did a gig at
Tombstone bar and gave gifts of
cookies and discount coupons
to English teachers. This year
it’ll be something new, but I
can’t tell you because it’s not
Christmas yet!
I think my Christmases have
gotten better over the years
because of the focus being on
others and not myself. It is not
very comfortable to dress up
in a hot, sweaty costume that
itches, for hours on end, but the
joy that it brings far outweighs
my temporary rash. Currently,
I serve at Taehwa Church and
lead the English worship Sunday
afternoons at 1:30.
Christmas-time does mean more
to me than playing Santa. It is
a time to remember that long
ago in a little town, in a stable,
a child was born. His name was
Jesus. He gave of Himself that
others my have peace and joy
in their lives! I hope the readers
of the Ulsan Pear get what they
want for Christmas. I hope for
you all Peace and Joy!
[email protected]
THE ulsan Pear 7
Rivermaya to Take Korea by Storm
Anne Sevilla-Tiangco
Rivermaya Press Release
PUSAN
Newsgate051-4637950 (c/o Eugie)
Mabuhay Restaurant051-4647567 (c/o Marie)
Kabayan Restaurant along Texas
St.
The Philippines’ no. 1 band, the
Rivermaya, vows to take Korea by
storm when they perform live at
the Jongha Gymnasium in Ulsan
on December 17th.
MASAN/CHANGWON/
JINHE/JINJU
010-84886429 (c/o Fham)
The “Rivermaya Rocks Korea”
benefit concert is a project of the
Ulsan Association of Filipinos
led by Hermelinda Albao. The
concert hopes to raise funds for
a temporary shelter for Filipinos
who lose their jobs and, at the same
time, bring them a semblance of
home through Rivermaya’s music.
DAEGU
010-64307492 or
053-9539448
(Prof. Marlon Diloy)
For all other inquiries and ticket
reservations, please call Hermie
Albao (019-5402474 or 10158446429) or Fham at 01084886429.
Rivermaya, dubbed as the
Philippines’ “banda ng bayan”,
will conquer the stage with their
chart-topping hits which are very
close to Filipino hearts.
This is the first time that Rivermaya
will be performing in Korea and
also the first time that Filipino
artists of international caliber will
be performing in Ulsan.
Rivermaya is MTV Asia’s back-toback winner of the Most Favorite
Artists Award and continues their
winning streak with more awards
from the 1st MYX Music Awards
and the Awit Awards 2006.
Rivermaya Press Release
Rowland, Korn, Hoobastank, and
Daniel Powter. Rivermaya is a
record-breaking five-time winner
of the Favorite Artist award, with
a combined total of two wins at
the MTV Asia Awards and three
for MTV Pilipinas.
Prior to their Ulsan gig, Rivermaya
performed before the jampacked
FAT Festival in Bangkok where
they took the stage alongside
Thailand’s biggest bands as well
“Jongha Gymnasium in Ulsan on
Sunday, December 17th at 6pm”
The band continues to be the only
artists in 2006 to get a unanimous
thumbs-up
from
awardwinning bodies across the board.
Their moving ballad “You’ll Be
Safe Here” that catapulted it to
an international stage at the MTV
Asia Awards 2006 also scooped
up the top prize at the recent 1st
MYX Awards, for MYX Favourite
Music Video 2006 as well as MYX
Favourite Media Soundtrack.
Completing the grand slam of
wins from both international and
Filipino award-winning bodies
was the band’s most recent win
at the 19th Awit Awards, where
“You’ll Be Safe Here” was once
again recognized as Music Video
of the Year and the Best Recording
for a Movie/TV Soundtrack.
Rivermaya also received a special
tribute for its win at the MTV
Asia Awards 2006 alongside other
winners of international festivals.
The band were the first Filipino
artists ever to perform a piece
of original Filipino music in a
highly-coveted solo spot alongside
such international stars as Kelly
as other acts from Japan, South
Korea and Scotland.
They also wowed the crowd at
the (V) Party in Singapore last
November 17 and their next stop
is Indonesia on the first week
of December before coming to
Ulsan.
Tickets are a steal at 25,000 KRW.
Gates open at 4 pm and show
starts at 6.
The event is sponsored by
Philippine Air Lines with the
generous support of the Ulsan
City Government, Sarang Clinic
and Lotte Hotel. Media partners
are Newsgate magazine and The
Ulsan Pear.
For ticket outlets and inquiries,
Tambayang Pinoy- 2456429 (c/o
Grace or Liezl)
Las Vegas Pub- 052-2431274
Kyungju/Mowa/Ipsil- 01072631485 (c/o Julius)
Asianmart- 054-7415554 (c/o
Mr. Min)
“Rivermaya is MTV Asia’s back-to-back
winner of the Most Favorite Artists
Award”
Please come out and support the
Ulsan Association of Filipinos by
watching Rivermaya rock Korea.
[email protected]
Korean Cinema Corner
8 THE ulsan Pear
Welcome to Dongmakgol
Chris Linton
The Ulsan Pear
One should not begin
a film thinking, “I’m
going to enjoy this
movie. I’ll allow this
movie some room for
mistake.s” A movie,
typically, has 90 to
100 minutes to tell
a story. Countless
people and no shortage
of
meticulously
counted money go
into a big production
like
“Welcome
to
Dongmakgol.”
Therefore,
no
forgiveness
should
be required. Yet, we
are forced to forgive
“Welcome...” for its
short comings in an
otherwise promising
movie.
It is Korean war time, again, and
the tide is turning. We encounter
a rag tag bunch of North Korean
soldiers barely held together by the
chain of command. An ambush
thins out the less handsome and
engaging soldiers and we have
what becomes the North Korean
representatives for the movie.
Their leader, Lee Su-hwa, played
by the charming and talented
Jeong Jae-young, is a pretty
decent guy under the murderous
North uniform. He is stuck with a
strong headed, baby faced youth,
Seo Taek-ki, and a soft, pudgy
elder, Jang, played by veteran Lim
Ha-ryong. The old guy is simple
and soft, the younger is simple
and soft, the commander knows
what’s up but he’s soft too.
kill their fellow
countrymen.
The men unite
in a simple task
and find a home
in the village
and friends in
each other. It is
a good premise,
based on a play
by Jin Jang who
helped write the
screen play with
the first time
director, Park
Kwang-hyun.
At the same time as the Northeners
are trying to get back to
Pyongyang, two Southern soldiers
meet in the middle of nowhere.
Shin Ha-kyun (a favourite of this
reviewer) is readying his rifle for
suicide when he is bumbled upon
by a lost medic, Moon Sang-sang.
They join up and begin their lost
march to nowhere, as neither
soldier seems too anxious to get
back into the fray.
The two groups eventually make
it to the folds
of a lost
mountain
village,
Dongmakgol.
The people
here have no
idea there is
a war going
on and live
in unaffected
r u r a l
simplicity.
The
two
groups
are
brought face
to face and
the
movie,
essentially, begins.
In the village, there is also a
wounded American fighter pilot,
played poorly by a nobody, who
crash landed nearby. He is being
The movie goes
to great lengths
roughly but
kindly nursed
to health. He
gets to stay in a
hut or hang out
with kids and,
thus, doesn’t
pollute the screen
with his plastered
acting.
Hilarity ensues as
the two warring
ideologies meet the ideological
void of the Dongmakgol residents.
The soldiers quickly abandon
allegiance to their respective
ideologies which, a few weeks
prior, made them murder and
to create a whimsical, magical
mood and it usually captures it.
Here is the rub. When a director
wants to create a whimsical
magical mood he cannot drop the
ball. If he fails to create a seamless
work, the audience comes out
of suspension and the whole is
lost. In the case of “Welcome
to Dongmakgol” we are not
buoyed along consistently. The
flashbacks to war are unnecessary
and disasterously out of place.
And, one device in particular fails
for a simple lack of discretion.
This is the character of Yeo-il,
played without enough direction
by Kang Hye-jeong (“Old Boy”).
Yeo-il is the village idiot, a
simpleton, the ‘crazy woman’ of
Dongmakgol. Kang Hye-jeong
is one of the most beautiful
accomplishments of biology
and is supposed to make Yeo-il
a fairy of the village, thus giving
Dongmakgol its Everland quality.
Yet, cute as she is here and there,
she indulges too much in the
"cute-but-simple" gag and it
simply fails. Playing a simpleton
or idiot is a great challenge and
must be tackled with care. Sadly,
Kang does not exercise enough
brevity or restraint with this
character. Thus, we
grow irritated with her
and stop participating
in the Dongmakgol
magic.
“Welcome
to
Dongmakgol” was a
very successful movie
domestically
and
has done reasonably
well abroad.
Yet,
despite a lot of charm,
“Welcome” loses its magic by
featuring terrible foreign actors
alongside some of Korea’s best
actors, terrible English dialogue
to distract from the story, and
indulgent, irrelevant war scenes
which diffuse their own tension
with absurd drama. Sadly, this
simple story with so much that
works, collapses under superfluous
garbage.
[email protected]
THE ulsan Pear 9
Curing the Common Cold, Korean Style
Shawn Hines
Contributor
Winter: snow, wind, cold that
bites right through your clothes;
and this is just in America. We
haven’t even started talking about
how cold it can get in Korea. In the
northern areas, the temperature
can go down to 30 below zero at
times.
With the oncoming winter
weather, the “cold season” can
strike at the worst possible time.
You might be planning to venture
to warmer climates and the little
itch of a runny nose begins. That’s
not so bad, but then the other
symptoms set in; headaches,
congestion and possibly a fever
that will make even the strongest
of constitutions withdraw to their
bed for comfort.
However, there are some
precautions that can be taken to
ward off a cold. Many times the
old reliable “chicken soup” is tried
or grandma’s favorite recipe of
Tabasco sauce, tomato juice and
raw eggs will be mixed up, but
in Korea, there are some other
medicinal concoctions that might
be taken to help during this wintry
season.
Ginseng
h a s
been
l o n g
known
for helping
cure
the
common
cold. There
are quite a few
varieties
that
can be crushed,
powdered
or
made into teas to
drink. Its roots are
traditionally
used
for medicinal cures,
but the leaves have
been dried and steeped
into teas. Other times,
alcohol may be used to
create a concentrated form
of the powder to increase its
potency.
the sore throat that accompanies
a cold. Honey is a natural
antibacterial agent and is 35%
protein so it will give your body
a nice surge of energy when you
are feeling weak.
Onion tea; the words just
brings tears to your eyes
(pun intended). This
mixture may sound a bit
bad to the taste buds,
but has been said to
help lessen the cold
symptoms. Take the
white, bottom part
of a green onion
and boil it in
water for 5 to 10
minutes. Let
the mixture
cool a little
ines and drink.
H
awn
The
taste
y Sh
b
o
t
Ph o
may be horrible, but
it should do the trick!
Another mixture that has been
recommended is honey water. A
tablespoon or two of honey mixed
in hot water is said to help with
While there are many potential
remedies for the common cold,
the best is reducing your exposure
to germs. Washing your hands
often and using antibacterial soaps
will help reduce your chances of
contracting the cold virus.
Try to keep from touching your
eyes or mouth, which are some
of the areas that can infect you
with the cold virus. Watch out for
children who are suffering from
a cold; they spread the cold virus
to everything and everybody they
come in contact with. Also beware
of communal drinking cups, lots
of lips have touched them.
Understanding where you can
acquire the cold virus can help you
keep from getting a cold. But if
you do, there are plenty of options
you can try to help get past the
“cold season”.
[email protected]
Photo by Shawn Hines
10 THE ulsan Pear
The Pear’s Events Calendar FOR DECEMBER 2006
THE CUT-OUT & KEEP GUIDE TO FORTHCOMING EVENTS ACROSS ULSAN
PHOTO OF THE MONTH
Garden View by Robin Doherty
[email protected]
Christmas Formal 2006
Martial Arts Training
December 24th
www.imasgroup.us
Ki Muzu Ryo Do
Official certificates and Belts
English Language Only
For more information
[email protected]
[email protected]
Mobis Basketball home games
played at Dongcheon Gymnasium
MONDAY
Free Alcohol!
Photo of the month is a contest sponsored by Benchwarmers.
Each winner recieves a 20,000won tab. Send your photo to: [email protected] Artistic shots or
Konglish signs are welcome as submissions.
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
1
5
Christmas & Winter
Arts Display starts at
Hyundai Arts Center
(finishes 31st)
6
Bingo @ Bench
10:30pm - 11:00pm
start.
12
interested?
[email protected]
Real Group Christmas Mobis Basketball
Concert at Hyundai
Game 7pm
Arts Center 8pm
Bingo @ Bench
10:30pm - 11:00pm
start.
Books and Booze -
Literary Discussion Group.
“Water for Elephants” by
Sarah Gruen. Meetings
to be Tuesdays at 10pm
in Shinae Everybody welcome. Email deidrefm@
yahoo.ca for details.
14
20
26
Boxing Day
Writers Group
McKenzie’s
10:30pm
Mobis Basketball
Game 3pm
Frisbee 3pm
16
English Services @
Simin Church 12pm
Wit and Beat Percussion Performance
Hyundai Arts Center
3pm and 7pm
Mobis Basketball
Game 5pm
22
Mobis Basketball
Game 7pm
17
Tombstone
Christmas Party
23
Frisbee 3pm
24
Christmas Eve
English Services @
Simin Church 12pm
Christmas Party @
Bench
Poker @ Tombstone
27
10
English Services @
Simin Church 12pm
15
21
The
Ulsan
Pear’s
Christmas Formal!
28
Poker @ Tombstone
Running - Hash House Harriers meet every second Sunday at the
Foreigners compound in Bangeojin at 10am. [email protected]
Paintball
Can organize paintball days for
groups of twenty-five to thirty.
Contact Benchwarmers.
9
Mobis Basketball
Game 7pm
Daria Masiero and
Renzo Zulian Duet
Concert at Hyundai
Arts Center.
8pm.
Poker @ Tombstone
19
25
8
Baek Geun-woo Piano
Recital
Thursday at Hyundai
Arts Center.
8pm
Flea Market and
Book Exchange
Christmas Day
HOLIDAY
Writers Group
McKenzie’s
10:30pm
13
Coming IN January
Ulsan Pear presents
18
Frisbee 3pm
7
Poker @ Tombstone
11
Mobis Basketball
Game 3pm
[email protected]
Bowling Tuesdays & Poker on Thursdays @ Tombstone
3
English Services @
Simin Church 12pm
Next Issue
TRANSPORTATION
Have any tips for travelling
around our great city?
500 words and photo
Seoul Int’l Marathon March 18.
Runners and Supporters wanted. Training 4 days a week.
Beginners welcome. [email protected]
4
2
Mountain Bike Club - UMTBC
Jung Sang Young, Samchuly Bicycle
between Gongeobtap and Taewha
Rotaries. 052-260-3000.
29
30
Mobis Basketball
Game 3pm
31
New Years Eve
English Services @
Simin Church 12pm
Newstories,
Year’s Eve
Writers Group @ McKenzie’s Bar: Share Retro
your short
poBash @ Bench
etry and music. Or just come and listen. [email protected]
The Ulsan Ugly Playboy Rugby
Team are back. Interested? Contact Benchwarmers at
[email protected]
Rock Climbing - Most Saturdays
and some mornings.
ulsanrockclimbing@googlegroups.
com
THE ulsan Pear 11
Sports Report
Proball in town: Phoebus Mobis
Jim Saunders
The Ulsan Pear
“ U L S A N
MOBISUH!”
chants the crowd as
the mascot gyrates
his hips a bit and
a guy in a white
suit pulls out some
Michael
Jacksonesq dance moves. In
the background the
cutesy team theme
tune plays again.
On court the Mobis
duke it out to win,
a mixture of Korean
and Foreign players.
The Mobis score: cue
high-pitched shrieks
from the girls.
throughout. Between quarters
,various goodies get thrown out
to into the crowd though don’t
expect any special treatment
because you’re a foreigner. In fact,
expect the opposite.
The team have unfortunately
found silverware a fleeting dream.
Located in the city since the 1997
inaugural season, there have been
a handful of honours throughout
Photo by Jim Saunders
“there were some sweet smooth moves
and some rather bad cock-ups with a
few dunks along the way”
Welcome to professional basketball
in Ulsan.
This razzmatazz aside, 10,000won
will get you centre court seats with
prices decreasing in any other area.
They are worth the investment
considering the expense for the
same location back in North
America. It is possible to pay more
and receive royal seats but couples
and hardcore lady fans cheering
their favourite players populate
these.
Writing this as a non-playing, non
North American, the scene I’m
painting is one of a good afternoon/
evenings entertainment. My only
attendance at a basketball game
prior to the Mobis was an exciting-
Drinks and snacks at the game
won’t break the bank, so enjoy
them and watch out for the end
of game draw using the number
on the back of your ticket. Team
jerseys retail at 15,000won but are
the years until ‘05/’06 which
cumulated with them winning the
regular season and reaching the
play-off finals. With the thrashing
they gave the Seoul Samsung
Thunders at the game I saw, it
could be a repeat show again this
year.
So with
winter
here and
a desire
to stay
indoors
f o r
some, an
“‘05/’06 cumulated with the Phoebus Mobis
winning the regular season and reaching
the play-off finals”
Welcome to professional basketball in Ulsan
Photo by Jim Saunders
Photo by Jim Saunders
to-the-final-seconds college game
with the University of Minnesota
Gophers.
Of course there are cheerleaders,
the aforementioned mascot and
all the usual razzmatazz that
surrounds any professional level
game. The Mobis have it, albeit
on a smaller scale. Before the
game, face the Korean flag for the
national anthem and see the TV
commentators doing their spiel
not very fashionable street-wear
- they’re worthy gifts, however,
to send home to younger family
members or friends.
As for the skills on court, suffice
to say that there were some sweet
smooth moves and some rather
bad cock-ups with a few dunks
along the way too. The two
foreigners playing for the Mobis,
Chris Burgess and Chris Williams
(especially) excelled in their roles.
afternoon or
evening at a
Mobis
game
offers an ideal
retreat. It’s not
an expensive
spectator sport
depending on
seat
choice,
and a good
entertaining,
f a m i l y orientated time
is a given. The
basketball on
show isn’t too
bad either.
Getting there: Home games are
played at Dongcheon Gymnasium,
a short walk across the bridge from
Mega Mart. Stating the name
of the gym to the driver, a taxi
from Shinae should cost around
4,000won.
Check the Pear’s events calendar
for forthcoming games.
[email protected]
12 THE ulsan Pear
The Ride Guide
Korea’s Best: The Hyosung Comet 250
Fin Madden
The Ulsan Pear
The
Korean
motorcycle industry
got it’s start in the
early 1960’s with
Daelim producing
Honda bikes. Next
came
Hyosung
in the late 70’s
producing Suzuki
bikes. The domestic
industry called for
lots of little bikes,
but with a blanketban on motorcycles
on the expressway,
there was little call
for larger bikes.
Today, with decades of experience
and a wealthier domestic market
starved for more powerful bikes,
Hyosung has stepped forward.
The first domestically produced
250cc was the Mirage, an ‘Easy
Rider’ style bike, with little or
no draw to the younger market.
In 2004 Hyosung released the
Comet, a naked bike available
in 125cc and 250cc, and a year
later, the 650cc, Korea’s largest
domestically produced bike.
It’s now also available in a sport
version.
First thoughts
When the first promotional
material for the Comet arrived,
I remember my friends and I all
getting excited, for an affordable
motorbike with enough power to
tackle Korea’s highways. My first
ride on a Comet 250 was exciting.
It had lots of pull off the start,
and the remarkable high speed of
160km/h. It’s a fun ride.
Acceleration
Off the mark
this
bike
can beat any
domestic
car, and can
challenge
a
400cc
bike.
There is a lot
of power, but
it redlines quite
early, at only
11 000 rpms. It
feels like there is
more juice, but
as it’s a Korean
bike, there is
little room to
tinker with the
engine.
Braking
weeks of casual
riding. You can
get about 25
km/L.
move through traffic. It’s height is
a bit of a drawback, as a shorter
rider has troubles getting their legs
down for weaving through traffic.
Cost
Style
New, the Comet
will cost about
3.9
million
won, but if you
butter up your
mechanic you
might be able to
talk him down
a few hundred
thousand.
A
used model in
good condition
usually
costs
around
2
million. Because
it’s a domestic
manufacturer,
the cost of parts
is quite low,
replacing
the
entire
engine
block
will
only cost 700
thousand.
Solid.
There
are
two
models
of the 250;
the standard,
and the type
S. The type
S has a larger
carburetor and “Mine did 170 km/h max and went from 0 to 100 km/h in
Reliability
two front disc a flash. However, the V2 motor Hyosung has decided to use
These
bikes
on
all
their
bikes
is
noisy
and
transmits
too
much
vibration
brakes. Having
have been on
Photo by Jason Teale the market for
ridden
both to be comfortable” Keith Zufelt,Comet 250”.
models, I can
2 years now,
honestly say that I can’t notice a seems to disappear while riding. and have become the standard for
difference in power or braking.
The bike has a high seating young Korean guys and foreigners
position, which is comfortable for alike. They need very regular oil
Comfort
a tall rider, but can lead to all kinds changes, so if you ride regularly,
The seat is uncomfortable, of complications for anybody you will be in the shop every few
especially for long distance rides. under 5’5.
weeks. This bike has proven quite
It can be changed for the more
reliable; not a Honda, but a good
comfortable seat from the 650, Fuel efficiency
enough bike.
but you have to make a special Good. The 250 cc engine isn’t
order. The passenger seat is also burning too much gas, and with Maneuverability
uncomfortable. The gas tank, the 17 L tank, you can fill up and It’s naked bike upright riding style
which from the side seems huge, forget about it for a couple of makes this bike pretty easy to
Good. I’ve always loved a naked
bike. The 125’s engine is too
small, and you can see giant spaces
around the engine block. The 250
fills out this space nicely. My only
negative observation would be the
excessively large gas tank.
Passenger
The Comet is a very tall bike,
and it’s passenger seat is designed
for maximum visibility. The
passenger sits really high, like on
a sport bike. This raises the bikes
center of gravity and makes it
feel tippier. For a larger rider, this
doesn’t make a difference, but for
a small person, this makes carrying
a passenger quite uncomfortable.
This bike is Hyosung’s first real
attempt at a bike worthy of
exporting. The naked style is very
popular in Europe and Asia, but
there is small demand for such a
bike in North America. It is a very
solid motorbike that shows lots
of promise for Hyosung. I can
only wonder how long it will be
before Daelim follows suit and
starts producing decent mid-range
motorbikes. All we need now is
for the government to open up
the expressways. However, I fear
that, Korean bikes will always
play second fiddle to their island
neighbours unless they start some
major race programs to bring their
bikes to a higher level.
[email protected]
THE ulsan Pear 13
Phuket! Let’s Ko Phi Phi: The Pear’s Thailand
GettingvOut Of Ulsan
Deirdre Madden
The Ulsan Pear
For
try
the more adventurous,
exploring
remember to dress appropriately
(covered shoulders and knees) and
if you’re a woman, don’t touch the
Monks or their belongings.
The Thai Royal
Family’s winter
home, Bhuping
WAY
One can’t live in
Korea for a year and
return home without
visiting Thailand. It
seems as though
tickets home
require a visit
to this country
first, especially
if you’re from
North America.
Krabi is a world famous climbing
destination, and offers some great
sea kayaking, too.
The
beaches
are
probably
Thailand’s greatest
draw, and are well
worth the visit.
Famous areas, like
Phuket, Ko Phi
Phi, Ko Sam Mui
and others all offer
similar experiences;
vast stretches of
white sand lined with
coconut palms, along
warm, azure waters.
If you want to lie on
a beach, any of them
will do. The only interruption
to hours of sun worship is the
vendors, some more welcome
than others. Thai ajummas offer
foot washing and massages right
at your towel, small boys come
bearing bags of pineapple slices
or cold beer, and men wander
the beach selling trinkets and
sarongs.
If you’re a more active vacationer,
however, certain areas are better
for different activities. Phuket
and Ko Phi Phi are renowned
diving areas, as they’re part of a
marine reservation. Railay, near
d
by D e i r
Photo
Northern
Thailand. Chiang Mai is the
main city in the north, and is a
great jumping off point for jungle
treks, riverboat trips, climbing
adventures and other fun ways to
enjoy your vacation. Wat Phrathat
Doi Suthep, a Buddhist temple
with beautiful views of the city and
an enormous golden Chedi, is a
day trip away. The style of temples
in Thailand is vastly different
from the ones found in Korea,
being far more ornamental with
gold, bright colours and sparkling
mosaics of coloured glass. Just
re Mad
den
Palace,
is also near Chiang Mai.
Unlike European castles, this
palace is a series of smaller cottage
style dwellings, in a number of
architectural styles, surrounded
by elaborate gardens filled with
orchids and other exotic flowers.
It’s a beautiful environment to
take a stroll through, though of
course, you can only go when the
Royal Family is not using it.
Many interesting small towns
are scattered throughout the area
known as the Golden Triangle,
once renowned for its role in the
opium trade. The Thai government
has implemented a series of
successful crop supplementation
programs, encouraging farmers
to grow garlic, tea or coffee rather
than poppies.
Pai is a relaxed hippie mecca, filled
with backpackers from all over
capital city, Sukhothai is now a vast
park of ancient ruins. Lonely Planet
recommends renting a bicycle for
the day so that you can take in
most of the area, and I concur.
The main park is fascinating to
stroll through, but some wonders
lie outside the immediate area that
should not be missed, including a
colossal
Buddha
in
the
sitting
position,
that
is
easily
2
stories
high.
If you spend
any time in
Bangkok,
you should
take
an
afternoon
Photo by Deirdre
to
visit
Madden
the Grand
Pa l a c e .
Europe and North America, and
Every square
is another place to base yourself centimetre of the place is covered
while taking treks and adventure in detail of some sort, from
tours. Mai Salong is a beautiful mosaics of cut glass to ceramic
village strung along the spine of a flowers to towering guardian
mountain, whose local economy demons. There’s also a scale model
is entirely based on tea and coffee of Angkor Wat, in Cambodia,
plantations. It is breathtakingly which is rather fascinating to see.
picturesque, and the local
beverages are some of the best Thailand offers an incredible
I’ve ever tasted. And if you need experience to those who wish to
to extend your visitors visa, which explore it. The people are friendly,
most do after a months stay, you the vistas are splendid, the food is
can pop across the border at Mai varied and delicious, the beer is
Sai and visit Myanmar for the tasty and cold, and there’s many
afternoon.
many things to do. Or you can lie
on the beach and have someone
Between Chiang Mai and Bangkok rub your back and wash your feet,
lies one of the most interesting sites it’s up to you.
I visited; Sukhothai. The original [email protected]
Beyond Ramyeon
Jung Il Poom Korean Restaurant
Jim Saunders
The Ulsan Pear
Diving off the highway
and down onto a
poorly paved track
among fields, low
wooden buildings lie
against the foothills of
the Yeongman Alps, as
smoke chugs uniformly
from their chimneys.
To some it might be
the idealistic picture of
the Far East you always
had in mind that
somehow got destroyed
after stepping off the
airplane at Incheon.
On
the
western
extremities of the
metropolitan area, a
short distance from
Eonyang, is Jung Il Poom, an
upmarket centre of traditional
Korean culture and food. Open
for one year now, it cost a small
fortune to construct the retreat in
an attempt to capture the culture
of times past.
Here it isn’t just on show. They
teach it. Partake in tea drinking
etiquette classes and learn the art
of rice cake making in their fully
equipped, modern kitchen. Then
purchase a tea set and use it to
practice any newfound skills.
If learning doesn’t spark an interest,
then just enjoy the end product of
tea, cakes and impressive scenery.
The restaurant, down a very short
flight of steps (though at the time
of writing, it’s in the process of
being relocated to the wooden
houses) and next to the lake,
offers splendid traditional food.
Some dishes even have a North
Korean twist. It tastes good and
there is nothing overtly offensive
to the palette on the menu (from
10,000won to 23,000won). After
eating, retire to the tearooms for
drinks included
in the price of the
meal.
Tea, rice cakes and
restaurants aside,
there are events
sporadically held
throughout the
year so checking
the
calendar
for
additional
going’s on is
advised. Recent
events included
a well-organized,
professionally
staged Hanbok
fashion show with
music and dancing
ala “The King and
Clown”.
It may not be
inclusive, affordable, traditional
culture intended for everyone,
due to higher than average prices.
Yet the pricing policy ensures
it doesn’t become an overrun,
kitsch tourist-trap. It is traditional
culture done with a dash of class
and for foreigners, a special treat,
somewhere to take visiting relatives
perhaps.
Given the current motivation
of the owners and their desire to
expand, in a few years it might
well be a destination known right
across the country. For the future
there are designs to enlarge its
operation to include more special
events. There may even be a select
number of accommodation lodges
appearing too.
For now Jung il Poom earns itself
a positive recommendation.
Photo by Jim Saunders
Getting there: Unfortunately not
accessible by bus, you will need
your own transport to get there.
Take Hwy 24 west out of the city
from Samho bridge in Mugeodong
past the Eonyang exit. Get off at
the Dudong exit - directly next to
the on ramp - which will return
you straight back to the highway
- is the entrance driveway.
Contact: Ms. Kim Na Yeong.
Email : [email protected].
Mobile : 010-2899-9039.
[email protected]
Green Print
Angry Young Spaceman
By Jim Munroe
Korean Literature Corner
14 THE ulsan Pear
Matthew Murray
In Absentia
Student loans piling
up? No hope for
employment with
your degree in
Russian literature
(what were you
thinking?!)? Why
not try teaching
English? On another
planet?
Sam
Breen
is
blasting off to teach
English on Octavia
because,
well,
because why not?
Adventure! Money!
Attractive
aliens!
Alcohol! Increasingly
attractive aliens! Plus
maybe his mom will
get off his back about
getting a “real” job.
Sound familiar? Well
it’s not all identical
to your average stay
in Ulsan. Sam’s the
only human on
Octavia and has to
go off planet to meet
up with the few
other, mostly human, English
teachers in his sector.
Then there’s the fact that if he
manages to become fluent in
Octavian the planet will lose
its special intergalactic cultural
protection privileges. That
means that Octavians will
have to stop the barbaric (to
Earthlings) practice of eating
wallens (dog-like animals) if
they want to keep trading with
Earth.
The writer, Jim Munroe, spent
seven months teaching English
in Korea a few years ago and
based Angry Young Spaceman
on his experiences. Though,
in some ways the world that
Sam goes to is more like what I
expected Korea to be, than the
way it actually is; there are more
robots for example. Anyone
who’s taught English in Korea
will be familiar with a lot of
things appearing in this book:
the annoying kids, the language
barriers, the toilets you don’t
really understand, though at
least we don’t have to deal with
eight-limbed octopus creature
toilets.
There are a few hints that the
story is based on Munroe’s time
in Korea: the alcoholic beverage
of choice is ujos and Octavians
really like a spicy, pickled
vegetable called chikim. While
at first this is cute, it kind of gets
old pretty quickly.
Admitedly, the ending bites. It
seems as though Munroe realized
there are only two ways to end a
book based on teaching English
in Korea (sign up for another
year or go home), but he didn’t
want to use either so veers off
into fantasy instead. Despite
this, Angry Young Spaceman is
a pretty good look at working
and living in a culture foreign to
you.
You can read Angry Young
Spaceman on Munroe’s website
www.nomediakings.org/AYS.rtf.
[email protected]
Beginners Guide to
Taking the Bus to Costco
Robin Doherty
Contributor
Admittedly it’s a pain to get to
if you don’t have a car, but the
day-trip to Daegu on the bus is
most definitely worth it for the
sight of your fully-stocked fridge
and cupboards after you have
unpacked at home.
As Costco is a buy-in-bulk store,
you will have a lot of groceries
once you’re finished shopping, so
bringing at least one large suitcase
is necessary.
You also need a membership
to shop there, which costs
50,000won (1 membership card is
ok for 3 separate transactions) and
you can only pay in cash. There is
a Korean cash-machine there, ask
an attendant for help if you need
it.
The Pear’s Classifieds
FOR SALE
Starting this month you can
advertise personal sales for
10 000 won a month.
One of the things
foreigners may be
concerned
about
before coming to
Korea is the food.
The word “dog” is
sometimes thrown
around
when
discussing
the
cuisine here, and for
the few that don’t
enjoy Korean food
too much, there is
precious little else to
eat in Ulsan.
With Christmas fast
approaching, many of us will find
ourselves pining for some more
homely grub. Kimchi isn’t too
high-up on anybody’s festive food
list, so why not try your luck at
Costco in Daegu.
THE ulsan Pear 15
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Photo by Robin Doherty
To get there, first of all you need
to get to the intercity bus station
in Samsandong. It is located just
past the giant ferris-wheel across
from Outback steakhouse. Buses
depart every 20 minutes to Daegu
and cost 5500 won (one-way).
The journey takes around 1 hour
30 minutes through some beautiful
scenery, predictably punctuated by
some shocking architecture.
Once you arrive at the bus station
in DongDaegu, take a cab to
Costco (say “Costco kah-juseyo”). If your Korean is limited
it is a good idea to keep your bus
ticket to show to the return cabbie
to give him an idea of where you
want to go when you’re finished
shopping. The fare is around 4500
won and if you see signs for the
distribution complex, you’re in
the right area. You can also take
ciy bus 636.
For first-time visitors to Costco
it can take approximately two
to two-and-a-half hours to see
and get everything. You can
find almost everything you can
in a Costco in Canada/USA
plus many Korean products (see
their website - www.costco.com/
Warehouse/LocationTemplate.
aspx?Warehouse=851 for details).
Rather pathetically, it feels like a
theme-park if you have been really
missing your western foods and
your trolley will be packed with
foods you not only recognize, but
also have labels that you can easily
read and understand!. It would
be prudent to take a note of how
much you are spending because it
can easily get out of hand!
After handing over a decent chunk
of your pay-check to purchase all
your foreign-fancies, you’ll have
to pack it all into your suitcase(s)
and make your way back to the
bus-station (“busu-tominol kahju-seyo” to the cabbie and show
the ticket). Once on the bus back
to Ulsan, all that is left to do is
dream about which deliciously
familiar food you will eat first.
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SPECIAL EVENTS
Want to party, have a party,
throw a party, be a party
to something? This is your
chance.
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LOOKING FOR
Somewhere to get rid of your
17 fans from your fan-death
experiments? Advertise with
us for only 10 000 won.
SWF seeking
A place to advertise?
This is it. With over 2000
copies in print, the Pear is
THE most effective way.
USED BIKE
You want to buy or sell?
Stuck with a 50 cc scooter
when you dream of an R1?
Trade up with us.
HAGWON JOB
Needed or wanted, it’s a good
place to advertise for private
individuals. Businesses can
contact us at
OFFERING SERVICES
You can repair computers?
Give massages?
Teach Korean?
Let everybody know.
PLAY IN A BAND
Your perfect place to let
everybody know that you can
do an amazing Eddie Van
Halen.
KOREAN LESSONS
Want to let the world know
how to pronounce 를 properly? Put an ad in the Pear.
FURNITURE
Filling up your apartment?
Dump 10 000 won and
make some cash, rather than
dumping it on the street.
[email protected]
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[email protected]
TRAVEL PARTNER
Want to go to China for the
holidays? Vietnam? Find a
travel partner with us.
[email protected]
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[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
WANT TO BE FAMOUS
Spend 10 000 won and just
put your name in the Pear.
At least 2000 people will see
it.
[email protected]
The Pear’s classified section is for personal use only. Business
inquiries please use [email protected]
FREE THE ulsan Pear
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