Yellow Dust

South Korea is a small nation with a very high population density. There are many people in a relatively small space using energy at what has become an alarming rate. In addition, emissions regulations may be a bit different in Korea than in your home country. Some say that the pollution, especially in the Seoul area, is unbearable. Others don't even make note of it. Moves toward a greener Korea have been taken. Plans for more fuel efficient and environment friendly buses (in the thousands) have been made. The move away from diesel fuel is slow, but growing.
Whether or not pollution in Korea poses a major health issue can vary from person to person. However, there is one factor that most foreigners in Korea (and Koreans alike) despise and this causes many to run for cover or go to more extreme measures to protect themselves--Yellow Dust.

Most Koreans will tell you that Yellow Dust comes from China and China is to blame for this cough inducing storm. While that's partially true, Yellow Dust originates from the deserts of China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan. The winds that blow across these deserts in the springtime carry the dust particles to East Asia (i.e. South Korea and Japan.) Despite attempts at reforestation, the problem has yet to lessen.You may ask yourself "What harm could it possibly do? It's just dust!" Well, the dust itself doesn't impose any real threats besides creating an icky layer of dirt on an open window sill. However, the particles that the dust mingles with while in transport are the problem. Things such as sulfur (from acid rain), heavy metals (no relation to Black Sabbath), and bacteria are picked up in the dust storm and make their way to Korea. These extra particles are what make Yellow Dust a nuisance and fear for many Koreans. During this season, you'll see handfuls of people wearing surgical masks and a not so pleasant yellow haze in the sky that isn't coming from the sun.Yellow Dust isn't new to the Korean peninsula. Reports and records of this yellow haze date back to the Silla dynasty in 174 AD. Yellow Dust (also known as Asian Dust) has been around for quite a while and it doesn't look like it's going anywhere anytime soon. T.T

Valentine's Day 2010

It's about that time of year again. The time for lovers to come together and celebrate their unity and singles to either lament/rejoice in their single-ness. Either way you choose to celebrate it, there are options for all of you no matter what your relationship status may be. Here are a few ideas for both couples and singles to enjoy on Valentine's Day or any time of the year.
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Couples

1. A nice candle-lit dinner for two. There are thousands of restaurants to please your taste buds all across the Korean peninsula. Whether you prefer pricey fine dining or a hearty and economic meal, there's the whole spread in the ROK.

Star Chef














This is a fusion restaurant with a taste for all palates. Star Chef is moderately to expensively priced, but you won't be disappointed. It may lack in the desired Valentine's private and intimate feel department, but the food will most likely put your mind past this and all other things that you may be thinking about.

Mad for Garlic














This might not be a wise idea of you have a lot of kanoodling and smooching planned on Valentine's Day (perhaps it should be filed under the "single's" category?), but I guess you always have the option to do whatever you want! It might be a bit crowded, especially because of the free table wine given to those who have to wait to be seated. Nonetheless, Mad for Garlic has the romantic lighting, wide wine selection, and moderately-priced food that are the makings for a lovely evening with enough garlic to scare off at least a dozen vampires.

2. A romantic comedy or drama might set the Valentine's Day atmosphere. Whether it's cuddling with your honey at home or sharing a bucket of popcorn and Milk Duds, a movie is a good way to spend quality time with your sweetheart. Chick flicks and romantic dramas aren't unique to the West, Korea's go its share of them too!

I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK
















Directed by the infamous Park, ChanWook, I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK is a different genre than what we usually see from Mr. Park. With a surreal/fantasy twist, a romance story is born between two individuals in an unlikely setting : a mental institution. Bits of comedy here and there bring you down to earth from the somewhat serious tone of this film.

Seducing Mr. Perfect
















Eye candy for the ladies embodies itself in the handsome Korean-American, Daniel Henney. He plays a handsome and emotionally detached executive who attempts to reform a sensitive and generally unlucky in love female counterpart, which ultimately ends in the demise of his bachelor state. The two fall in love outside of the workplace in an essentially cheesy and easily predicted plot.

Sleepless in Seattle


















Who can forget the era of Meg Ryan at her height of "ro-co" films? She's memorable in When Harry Met Sally and one of the quintessential representatives of the chick flick film genre. Whether it's this particular film or any of her other attempts to secure her place as America's sweetheart, Meg Ryan's got it going on and deserves a place on our Valentine's "to do" list for couples!
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Singles

1. Muster up the courage and treat yourself to a tasty dinner! Whether it's stuffing your face full of guiltily rich and decadent food or just enjoying a simple Korean favorite, enjoy and celebrate your time alone all without having to worry about what a significant other might want!

Samgyeopsal

Where can you go wrong with same fried, fatty pork and a bottle of soju? The answer? Nothing. Samgyeopsal is an HSK favorite that can satisfy even the most picky of eaters. (Don't forget the extra side of 기름장!) Round up a group of your single friends or go it alone!

Chez Meili














A great way to stuff yourself into oblivion. Herr Meilinger specializes in Austrian traditional dishes such as wiener schnitzel and kaesespaetzle. The homemade sauerkraut will knock your socks off and the gorgonzola cream sauce pork medallions are to die for! Spend that hard earned money on a treat for yourself on this greeting card holiday!

2. Watch a violent, bloody, crime/slasher movie. Sit back with a bottle of your favorite beer or even wine and watch an evil vampire greedily drink the blood of some praying nuns in habits or a deranged psycho-killer go to town on a couple of teenage kids. Whatever your pleasure, go against the grain this Valentine's Day!

Scarface


















Crime and drug lords don't get any badder than Tony Montana. Al Pacino stars in yet again another organized crime movie, but this time he slaps a Cuban accent on that dirty mouth. Quotations like "Who do I trust? Me!" are unforgettable and let's not forget the glorious downfall of Mr. Montana in a Rambo style shootout as he tries to maintain what he's worked so hard (and illegally) for!

No Mercy For the Rude
















Shin, HaKyun plays a dumb/mute killer who goes by the name of "Killa". He earns his wages by being a hired assassin and being a good one at that. He's got an eccentric personality that he can't seem to express in words and his obsession for bullfighting is among one of those eccentric traits. Although there's a romantic twist, there's also enough killing and storyline to keep you interested. The romance doesn't overpower you and it's definitely not enough to make you cynics out there barf!
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These suggestions aren't all there are out there for this Valentine's Day. If you have suggestions, send them our way for our readers to consider!

A Korean Winter Wonderland

This winter has been particularly snowy and cold. While some of us may hail from places where this is not the norm, for others of us, that wintry weather makes us feel like we're right at home. Whether you're from the tropics or the arctic circle, Korea's winter season has come upon us and stayed for longer than some of us would care for.

As this holiday season is approaching us, more and more decorations and Christmas feelings are beginning to peep their heads. Below are random pictures of Korea's holiday season. They include Posco sageori/tower holiday lights, Seoul's first snow of the year, and festive holiday decorations. Enjoy! Here's hoping that your holidays are filled with joy and happiness!

HSK Restaurant Review--Le Saint Ex

As you've probably already noticed from previous blogs, despite Korea's separation from many other cultures by bodies of water, it still has quite a wide variety international cuisine. Often times you may find that the cuisine is catered to Korean taste buds and somewhat lacking in authenticity. However, once in a while, you'll come across an establishment that offers a bona fide cultural cuisine alongside a tranquil ambiance. A few friends and I were able to find this experience in the French restaurant named Le Saint Ex in Itaewon.

Tucked away in the backstreets of Itaewon behind the Hamilton Hotel, Le Saint Ex is a dimly lit small restaurant with a menu to impress. A plat du jour is offered and at medium-ranged prices, they offer hearty dishes and are not at all stingy when it comes to portions! French baguette comes before the meal and the servers are more than happy to refill your bread basket once empty. HSK and friends opted for a cream-based beef and tomato soup and a toasted brie salad as a starter. As as main dish we tried the plat du jour, which was a braised pork cutlet with roasted veggies on the side. Others selected salmon paté salad and a lamb dish.
Our overall dining experience was pleasant and filled with good conversation, always a great accompaniement to a delicious meal!
** Attention : The menus are in French or Korean. If you are not familiar with French cuisine or language and/or unable to read Korean menus, you might want to consider this before paying a visit to our friends at Le Saint Ex. However, the staff is very friendly and eager to explain the menu in English and Korean!

FAQs Part 4

* I went to 2 different universities/have multiple degrees. From which one should I get the original diploma/degree certificate and 2 transcripts?
It is completely up to you from which university you would like to obtain your original diploma/degree certificate and transcripts. If you transferred while obtaining your bachelor's (or higher) degree, send the documents from the university at which you completed your degree. If you have a bachelor's and a higher degree, we would advise that you send the diploma and transcripts of the degree that has the most relevance to teaching EFL. If neither are relevant, then send whichever ones you'd like. You may want to consider which university is cheapest and fastest. Just remember-your diploma and transcripts must be of the same degree and from the same university!
* I'm a (your nationality here) citizen, but I'm currently residing in a foreign country. Do I have to return to my home country to get a visa?
While it'd be ideal and less paperwork for HandS Korea, you are not necessarily required to be in your home country in order to obtain your visa. Some visas can be obtained in Korea (i.e. F2 or F4 visa.) The E2 visa must be obtained outside of Korea unless you're going to renew it. If you are in a country that is not your country of citizenship, then you must sign a waiver to allow the Korean embassy in that country to do a check on your educational background. (HandS Korea will provide you with this form.) Once that check has been done, you will be able to get your visa in the country in which you are currently located. We tend to shy away from this option as it is quite a lengthy proces, but on rare occasions, we have made exceptions.

* Why so many emails, HSK?!?
...because we love you and always want to be with you in your inbox! Believe it or not, those pesky emails are meant to help you. The HSK team has worked hard to compile information that we think would be useful and practical for you to know while preparing to come to Korea. Even for those of you who are seasoned veterans of teaching English in Korea, the first few emails are aimed at helping you get to know who we are and to understand that we're people just like you! They eventually will stop, but if you don't want to receive them, you won't hurt our feelings. Just shoot us an email and let us know that you're not interested in receiving any more HSK emails and we'll take you off of our "list."

* I'm a vegetarian. Can I survive in Korea?
Some Koreans might be taken aback should you mention that you're a vegetarian. Food allergies and food lifestyles haven't quite yet caught on here. Fortunately, there are some options for you vegetarians out there. There are several vegetarian restaurants with Korean and other international menu options. Any Indian restaurant should have veggie options and even within the Korean cuisine, there's several choices for vegetarians. On the same note, vegans might find it a bit more daunting of a task to fulfill their vegan needs. While international supermarkets don't lack in Seoul, the quantity becomes less when you move outside of the Seoul metro area.

* I'm worried that 2.1 million to 2.4 million KRW won't be enough to survive and pay my bills both in Korea and back home.
You're not alone in this category. Many people try to bargain with schools to earn more than the general pay offerings. Their attempts are generally not met with success. While yes, 2.1 million KRW is nowadays approximately $1800 USD, we also ask you to remember that your apartment deposit and rent are paid for by your employer. Your income tax deduction is only 3.3% of your monthly gross salary. AND...Korea's not that expensive! (Especially when your rent is paid by someone other than yourself!) A one-way taxi ride across the city at normal fare period is less than 20,000 KRW. A one way bus/subway ride the same distance is 1,100 KRW (less than $1!!!) A hearty and filling meal at your local gimbap restaurant is 4,000-6,000 KRW maximum. Pair of jeans in a local shopping market is approximately 20,000 KRW. Things are affordable here and most teachers find themselves able to pay credit card bills, student loan bills, etc. and live comfortably!

Teheranro Shut down

For those of you who are familiar with the roads around Gangnam station (green line 2); you may know or have experienced the heavy traffic on the two main roads intersecting this major subway station and popular hangout for many Koreans. The two main roads are : Gangnamdaero and Teheranro. Teheranro leads towards COEX mall and Jamsil stadium and in both directions, is very often jam-packed full of vehicles (especially around 9 AM and 5 PM.)
One day this year, the Seoul metropolitan transportation system offered relief from this usual mayhem. From Yeoksam station to Samsung station, Teheranro was closed off to all vehicles except for buses, taxis and motorcycles. It was definitely a sight to be seen as pedestrians roamed freely on the usually traffic jammed boulevard. Vendors and different organizations set up booths and were selling food and coffees and there were various activies to participate in on this day.
Furtheremore, buses passing by Teheranro offered free fare from 7 AM to 6 PM. I'm not sure if other major roads in Seoul do this, but it was definitely a sight for sore eyes and made the commute to work much quicker and efficient!

HSK Restaurant Review--Macaroni Market

Looking for a place to grab some gourmet mac and cheese? Macaroni and cheese from a box not doing the trick for you? Well, Seoul's got a great dish that can be found at Macaroni Market in Itaewon. Macaroni isn't the only exciting thing on the menu at Macaroni Market. (In fact, there's only one macaroni option on the menu.) The gourmet baguette sandwiches, poultry and meat dishes, and desserts are also worth taking a look at.
Once entering Macaroni Market, you'll feel as if you stepped into a contemporary and branchée lounge. The lighting is dim, the furniture is simplistic, and the music is calming. Although the seating is limited for the amount actual space in the restaurant, there is a lively buzz coming from the crowd. In addition to the restaurant, there is also a separate room that serves as a lounge. It includes plush furniture and dampered fluorescent lighting with more upbeat electronic music. The staff at Macaroni Market are dressed in simplet yet chic black pants and white collared shirts and are very happy and eager to accommodate as much as possible.The menu consists of somewhat of a variety of dishes, which makes it hard to identify exactly what genre of restaurant it is. Judging from the couple of times I visited there, I would classify Macaroni Market as contemporary Italian. The nice thing about Macaroni Market is that it uses authentic ingredients without resorting to Korean ingredients in order to appease the Korean palate. For example, the macaroni and cheese dish comes with 3 or 4 different kinds of imported cheeses and is garnished with french-fried onions. Delicious!
Every time I frequent Macaroni Market, I opt for the hearty and satisfying macaroni and cheese. Other dishes to try are the baguette sandwiches and the eggplant bruschetta. (The bruschetta choices change from day to day and rarely disappoint.)

To get to Macaroni Market, take exit 2 from Itaewon station (brown line 6) and walk straight past the Hard Rock Cafe and Helios bar and restaurant. You'll see Praha restaurant on your left and Macaroni Market is right above it.

HSK Restaurant Review--Via di Napoli

Via di Napoli

Seoul is littered with Italian restaurants that claim they are "authentic" Italian cuisine. However, in my experience, this is not always the case. Many of the dishes offered in these "traditional" Italian eateries are severely disappointing and very catered to Korean tastebuds. While I appreciate complimentary pickles before every Italian meal as much as the next guy, sometimes this appetizer choice isn't always perfectly paired with your favorite risotto or preferred pasta dish!
In my neverending quest for a veritable Italian restaurant that tells the truth when it touts the most authentic Italian cuisine in Seoul, I came across a new place not far from my domicile thanks to KissMyKimchi : Via di Napoli. We went for an early dinner and entered a Sicilian rustic cavern with romanesque arches adorning the interior. We each ordered a different dish and decided to share it, so we could all experience the authenticity of Via di Napoli. I ordered a fresh Tuscan salad and my friends ordered a pizza and a chicken paella dish. For dessert, we shared a pine nut meringue pie.
I found the salad to be fresh and tart with avacados, peaches and mascarpone cheese to top it off. A light vinaigrette gave the dish an extra kick. The pizza was the hit of the evening. I usually find pizza in Korea to be a bit bland and the tomato sauce just doesn't do anything for me. However, the tomato sauce for this particular margherita pizza was a pleasurable mix of sweet and sour, which in my humble opinion, is the way any tomato sauce on a pizza should be! The one disappointment was the chicken paella of which the majority was encrusted to the side of the dish and extremely bland, even after squeezing some fresh lemon juice over it. The pine nut meringue pie had mixed reviews, but it certainly held true to its title. The pine nuttiness was very present and appreciated more by some than others.Overall, the experience was a delectable treat despite the paella disaster. If you're looking for a real Italian pizza in Seoul, hit up Via di Napoli and you won't be disappointed!

To get to Via di Napoli, take the subway to exit 5 of Samseong station (green line 2). Walk straight for about 300 meters and take your first right on the first major intersecting road that you approach. Walk another 300 meters until you see the Oakwood Premier hotel and Seven Luck Casino on your right. Across the street, you will see Via di Napoli. It is located on the B1 level.

Climbing Yongmasan

Yongmasan

South Korea is a very mountainous country. Even within a major city, like Seoul, there are many opportunites for hikers and nature lovers to explore Korea's topography. Koreans young and old also enjoy a good hike to get the blood flowing and to benefit from some fresh air.
Yongmasan (Yongma Mountain) is one of the many places to go hiking. (Achasan is also another place that is frequented by avid hikers.) Yongmasan is just inside the Seoul borders and can be accessed by subway in Seoul.In order to take advantage of a lovely fall day, HandS Korea and a friend took a short subway ride to Yongma Mountain to do some exploring and enjoy a traditional Korean meal afterwards.
To get to Yongmasan, take the subway (olive green line 7) and descend at Yongmasan station.