Baltimore 살풀이춤

Busan posts

We're in Busan--and I'm dragging the kids around.  One trip was to the "bookstore alley" just outside of Busan's 국제 시장.  For all the books they have--and they are literally crammed with books--they never seem to have the book I want!

At some point, though, we are definitely going to 감천문화마을--the Machu Picchu of Korea.

Research talk tomorrow!

Research in the Time of MERS

My research is almost finished here, but this is still a noteworthy development.  And scary!

도시 영화제

My plan is to see "My Father's House":

But "The Saving of Goliath" (or the Structure of Goliath?) also looks interesting.

Branding Seoul, Part 2

From the subway wall at 광화문역.

Yes, a major branding effort on the part of City Hall to escape the mediocrity of "Hi, Seoul."  But the way they're going about this is a little confusing.  How will pasting up our ideas on a wall help the city generate a 2-3 word "motto" for Seoul?  Still, the wall itself is interesting.  My favorite is someone who drew "hell train" for the city motto.

And there was stuff for the kids!

이화동박물관

Finally, the museum is open again (until June).  This, along with a number of other small galleries and stores on the 낙산 공원 side of 이화동.  What was there?  Well, the museum bills itself as belonging "to its residents by holding exhibitions in museum, galleries, and ateliers that are located within the village and through participation of artists and professionals in the field of culture and art."  So--the displays in the museum are donated, and reflect pretty much what the residents wanted to show.  For example, there are some antiques, especially antiques that speak to the humble origins of the neighborhood--e.g., a 붕어빵 maker with holes at the bottom for 연탄, or 도자기 that have been repaired several times.  But there are also tvs, jam boxes, telephones, and even a flat-screened tv . . .There are also collections of "artistic" photos of the neighborhood, family photos, and what are pretty much cognitive maps of the neighborhood drawn by elementary school students.  The other galleries show other antiques along with contemporary pieces of art.  I was fortunate enough to have a guid who showed me the main museum and the blacksmith's shop