Vol. III Issue X www.ulsanpear.biz April 2007 Bulguksa The Folk Village Bomun Resort and more inside... Check out our Website! lots of back-issues everything you ever needed to know about living in Ulsan Cover photo by JasonTeale FREE A Guide to Korea’s Historical Capital 무료 2 THE ulsan Pear Welcome Pear Readers, Yes this is still the Ulsan Pear, so don’t be fooled by our name change this month. Keeping with Pear tradition, our April issue explores a different Emergency Contact Numbers Korean city. That being said, this issue is no April Fools joke! The city of Gyeongju is rich in history and culture. With its close speak very slowly, and clearly. proximity to Ulsan, it makes a perfect place to learn more about Korea. Do not panic, ask for English Even though we’ve looked at some of the more famous places in Gyeongju, we’ve barely scratch the surface. There are currently 293 designated cultural assets in the Gyeongju area, so there’s a lot more Ambulance 구급(Gu-Guep) to see and do. 119 Fire 화재 (Hwa-Jay) We hope this issue can be your beginners guide to Gyeongju, and 112 Police 경찰 (Gyeong-Chal) that you spend some time learning more about Korea. Kevin Forman Editor-in-Chief 1366 Women Emergency CAll 00799 International Operator ™ THE ULSAN PEAR ESTABLISHED 2004 1330 Tourist Information CREATOR: Joel Burslem Ulsan Hospital Emergency 052-259-5000 H EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Kevin Forman EDITORIAL BOARD/ Korean Legal Aid 052-257-4676 STAFF WRITERS: Deirdre Madden Law Nicole Shirray Jason Teale Tax Office 052-259-0200 Labour Board 052-272-0009 CONTRIBUTORS: Pete Birmingham Kristin Boe Chris Devauld Shawn Hines The Ulsan Pear Luz Romero Amanda Schimunek needs you!! Justin Zinck COPY EDITOR: Deirdre Madden We are looking PRINCIPLE PHOTOGRAPHER: Jason Teale for LAYOUT/DESIGN: Kevin Forman Writers ADVERTISING: 011.855.9314 [email protected] Layout Staff and VISIT OUR HOMEPAGE FOR BACK ISSUES People web: www.ulsanpear.biz with drive and determination who want to email: [email protected] make a difference in the Ulsan ex-pat community! Get that warm and fuzzy volunteer feeling! e-mail us at [email protected] THE ulsan Pear 3 WHY SHOULD YOU MAKE THE TRIP TO GYEONGJU? Deirdre Madden an interesting site to visit. Mt Part of the reason Gyeongju is The Ulsan Pear Namsan itself is considered a so special is that it managed to cultural property, as it is home to escape destruction during the Some of you may be wondering one hundred and twenty temple Korean War. Unlike Seoul, which why we at the Pear decided sites, one hundred Buddhas and was almost entirely destroyed in to dedicate an entire issue to seventy pagodas. The ancient Silla the fighting, Gyeongju’s location another city. Well the answer to people believed that “the miracle of in the southeastern corner of the that is quite simple. Gyeongju heaven is nestled in this mountain.” peninsula meant it was never on is the cultural capital of Korea, Tongiljeon, or Unification Hall the front line, and therefore not a settlement dating back to the is where the Silla Hwarang elite subjected to bombings and other Neolithic period, and the jewel of youth forces once trained, but destructive elements. the Silla crown. it is now a large, quiet park and monument to the unification of Of course, this does not mean it In a country that has been subjected the three kingdoms. was always safe; either the Japanese to conquering hordes from China, or the Mongols at one point or Mongolia and Japan, as well as Just inside the entrance to the another burned down most of the devastated by it’s own civil war, grounds, (admission is 300 won) buildings. Gyeongju is an essential historic there is a large fish pond with site. While many of the current some of the biggest carp you’ll ever Modern Gyeongju is home to attractions are restorations, ruins see, with a walking path around 293 Designated Cultural Assets, or entirely rebuilt from the ashes, it. Straight ahead, steps lead up ranging from national treasures walking through the area still to large stone monuments to the in the museums, to historic sites, gives you that feeling that you’ve two kings and the general, as well to folk-craft techniques. The stepped into history. as one to the unification. Beyond countryside around the city is this, more steps lead into a temple- littered with UNESCO world There is evidence of Neolithic like setting in which you can view heritage sites, stone pagodas, settlements in the region, which oil paintings and read stories, temples, carvings of Buddha and have provided the National in Korean or English, about the other tangible signs of times past. Museum with many interesting history of the war of unification. artifacts. But the real reason In the centre of this space is a small So, venture up to Gyeongju, and Gyeongju stands apart is that it shrine with portraits of General spend a day or two strolling around was the capital city of the Silla Kim Yu Shin, King Muyeol and through the tranquil atmosphere Dynasty, considered by many as King Munmu. From the top of that seems to emanate from the the Golden Age of Korea. It was the steps, the view down the valley ground around you. Korea tends during Silla that General Kim Yu is phenomenal, especially on a to be a bustling country, but in Shin, under King Taejong Muyeol clear day. Gyeongju time stands still, and and King Munmu, unified the a peaceful calm surrounds you as three kingdoms and repelled the Upon his death King Munmu you explore the tombs of kings, forces of Tang China. was cremated, and his remains Photo by Pete Birmingham the shrines of monks, and the were placed in an underwater Daewangam, on the coast highway King Munmu’s wife also became park-like setting of the museum Tongiljeon Hall, nestled in the tomb in the East Sea. Legend has by Bonggil Beach is basically a pile a sea dragon after her death, and without walls. folds of Mt. Namsan, is often it that he became a sea dragon to of rocks in the sea, but it’s touted as Daewangam in Bangeojin is her overlooked by tourists, but is protect Korea from its enemies. the world’s only underwater tomb. haunt. [email protected] 4 THE ulsan Pear WEIRDNESS ABOUNDS IN AND AROUND THE GYERIM FOREST Chris Devauld forest has all of these aspects— Koreans fondly call it, is as old Contributor except for the getting lost thing as, well, a really old forest. The as the forest is, after all, not much thing is, this forest is the Petrified trees and chickens? This longer than a two hundred meter place where the ever-so- is hardly the description one dash. However, one should never important Kim Alji, would expect to hear when talking underestimate the power of soju. the founder of the about a forest. Kim clan, was born. Yes, the influence of the name “Kim” owes a lot to this guy. And apparently he owed a lot to a c h i c k e n g u a r d i a n . It’s strange, but the Korean fascination with chickens might have started with the Korean fascination with Kim. Historical parallels or parallel universes? Photo by Chris Devauld I have no idea. What I do know is that King Talhae of the Silla this. The surrounding hill-tombs they are trying to become shrubs; dynasty heard a chicken in the don’t have eyes—but they look and some even look happy. forest one day. Upon investigating like Super Mario backgrounds. the source of this rather strange And, well, the trees are gnarled, Maybe it’s because this is where occurrence, Talhae found a gold petrified, and highly reminiscent chickens look after gold boxes box hanging from a tree branch. of human emotions. or else LSD has seeped into the Underneath the box was a white water source. Either way, it’s a refreshing and imaginative walk. Photo by Chris Devauld chicken. Inside was none other I’ve always found it strange how than Kim Alji himself. hundreds of years will turn wood The forest is as old as the end of into stone, but what I find even the Silla dynasty, as is the myth When I ponder the mysteries of the And one should not overlook this Of course this must have been stranger is how trees can grow that accompanies it. The scenery deep foliage, I tend to think about natural wonder. Nestled between a big box, and you also have to like they are pissed off. When is as seductive as fresh dak, and squirrels, leaves, strange smells, Cheomseongdae and Wolseong, wonder why a chicken would you walk through this forest, your the impression it leaves on your the prospect of getting hopelessly the Gyerim Forest is a testament have the nerve to attract too much eyes are drawn to the tortured mind is simple, yet elegant—like lost, and finally a miserable death to both the myth and factual attention to itself in Korea, but look of the trees. Some are almost the name Kim. thanks to panic and poisonous aspects of Korean history. Gyerim, when you walk through this forest, completely stone; some have berries. Of course, the Gyerim or “Chicken Forest,” as so many you tend to believe bizarre stuff like meandered enough to look like [email protected] THE ulsan Pear 5 WEIRDNESS ABOUNDS IN AND AROUND THE GYERIM FOREST SPECTACULAR SEOGURAM GROTTO GYEONG JU WORLD FUN Shawn Hines We got into the park and let Nicole Shirray you start to notice the details; the of the East Sea.