Business cards, flyers, invitations and more! Contact printshop.stripes.com 042-552-2510 (extension77315) 227-7315 VOLUME 7 NO. 19 JANUARY 24 − FEBRUARY 6, 2019 INSIDE INFO SUBMIT STORIES TO: [email protected] STRIPESKOREA.COM FACEBOOK.COM/STRIPESPACIFIC FREE YOUR VOTE COUNTS!STARTS JAN. 28 SPAM, THE LUNAR new year is upon us, and it’s time once again if you do, you may qualify to win a NEW YEAR STAR to turn your attention to the yearly tradition $300, $200 or $100 Exchange gift PAGE 2 A unlike any other – Best of the Pacific card. voting season! We at Stars and For the past 18 years, our annual Stripes want to Best of the Pacific magazine has thank you for been the authority on the best helping places YOU need to go in us make the Pacific. How do we our community products know? Because you told ones that help you enjoy us so! your stay in the Pacific. DONT MISS THESE You’ve made your That’s what we’re MUST-DOS IN KOREA voices heard over the all about. As we are PAGES 8-9 years, and in turn, fond of saying, our informed fellow papers, websites service members and magazines “are like yourselves about you, for you, of the Pacific’s and in some cases, best attractions, by you.” restaurants, festivals, Sunday brunch, The votes keep getaways and more. rolling in year after Have a favorite year and it’s all GET YOUR FOODIE FIX thanks to you! We had IN MYEONG-DONG bowling alley that also just happens to serve the a great turnout in 2018, PAGES 16-17 best wings around? What and we expect nothing about that on-base lodging short of a record number that goes above and beyond of votes in 2019. So, be sure to in the service department? We take a minute or two and vote for want to know what you like and most your favorites so even more service importantly, why you like it so much. members can experience the best the Pacific Voting is quick, easy and you just might get your has to offer! name in the magazine. So, please take a few minutes to vote by going to bestofpacific.stripes.com. And – Stars and Stripes staff PAG E 23 VOTE BY GOING TO: bestofpacific.stripes.com Special pullout inside! Feeling the need for speed? Top tracks in Korea for carPage junkies 12-14 2 STRIPES KOREA A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION JANUARY 24 − FEBRUARY 6, 2019 In Korea, Lunar New Year isn’t Max D. Lederer Jr. Publisher Lt. Col. Richard E. McClintic Commander complete without a can of Spam Joshua M Lashbrook Chief of Staff Michael Davidson STORY AND PHOTOS BY CHIHON KIM, 5th is the start of the lunar year the infamous can of Spam to the could barely afford to eat meat Revenue Director STRIPES KOREA in 2019. Growing up in Dae- prime real estate at the front of during the country’s two major Chris Verigan gu, seollal meant visits to my the store, where it sits side-by- holidays, Spam quickly became Engagement Director or many, the word grandparents’ home and lots of side with the imported wine or a special treat, becoming a sta- Marie Woods “Spam” may conjure up rice cake stew. During the holi- expensive organic mushrooms. tus symbol of wealth. Publishing and Media Design Director images of junk e-mail Chris Carlson F day, which is observed over the Though gifts include tuna, After all these years, Spam or a cheap substitute for fresh Publishing and Media Design Manager course of three days, Koreans cooking oils, and local beef remains an integral part of the meat. But the canned pink meat Enrique “Rick” W. Villanueva Jr. travel back to their hometowns (Hanwoo), the best-selling gift Korean food culture and is an in- Korea Area Manager has a different position in some to pay respects to their ances- is Spam. So much so, it’s even an dispensable ingredient in budae Jinsun Song parts of the world, especially in tors, wear traditional hanbok incentive for company workers jigae, Korean for Army Stew, Operations Manager Korea. and exchange gifts with their during the holiday and Chuseok, which is popular with the both Kentaro Shimura Seollal, celebrated starting Production Manager loved ones. Korea’s harvest festival in Sep- the older and younger genera- February 4, is one of Korea’s Rie Miyoshi You’ll know it’s time for the tember. The country is now the tions of Koreans. Engagement Manager biggest holidays, and February Lunar New Year again when second biggest consumer of The taste of Spam produced Ian Waddick Denisse Rauda the local grocery stores push Spam after the U.S., according in Korea, which a Korean pro- Publishing and Media Design Editors to Hormel Foods, despite having ducer said is different to the Publishing and Media Design Writers a population less than a sixth flavor of Spam produced in the ChiHon Kim Shoji Kudaka of the size of the U.S. states, and its ability to pair with Takahiro Takiguchi kimchi and rice is what keeps Layout Designers Koreans hooked. Ayako Kamio Why is Spam Yukiyo Oda Spam is also known for its Yuko Okazaki so popular extremely popular TV commer- Kayoko Shimoda cials in Korea. Since 1980, when Multimedia Consultants in Korea? Max Genao Doug Johnson The popularity of Spam was officially imported Jason Lee Hans Simpson Spam in Korea is a left- into Korea – not smuggled out Chae Pang Yi Gianni Youn Robert Zuckerman over from the Korean – the company began advertis- Graphic Designers War, when it came over ing the pink meat block as the Kenichi Ogasawara Yosuke Tsuji with U.S. soldiers in example of luxury. Although in Sales Support the 1950s. By the end recent years Spam’s popularity Kazumi Hasegawa Hiromi Isa Ichiro Katayanagi Yoko Noro of the war, South Ko- has declined, in Korea, bowls Yoichi Okazaki Yusuke Sato rea had plunged into of warm rice topped with Spam Chae Yon Son Saori Tamanaha crushing poverty. Meat and kimchi still conjure great For feedback and inquiries, was scarce, and for memories for generations of contact [email protected] many, Spam smuggled Koreans. And Lunar Year just To place an ad, call DSN 721-7145 from U.S. Army bases was wouldn’t be the same without it. stripeskorea.com/contact the only source. Since Koreans [email protected] JANUARY 24 − FEBRUARY 6, 2019 A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION STRIPES KOREA 3 4 STRIPES KOREA A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION JANUARY 24 − FEBRUARY 6, 2019 At the society headquarters, located in Pyeonggung-ri, volunteers attempted to play “Janggu,” locals from forgetting its impact on the a Korean traditional hourglass-shaped drum. Photo by Hee Won (Joy) Bang, U.S. Army community and to preserve history. At the society headquarters, located in Pyeonggung-ri, volunteers attempted to play “Janggu,” a Korean tradition- al hourglass-shaped drum. They also played “Beo-na,” a Korean folk game involving spinning and balancing a plate in the air with a stick. Participants were then able to enjoy a front row seat to a musical performance. The Wootdali Culture Village, once an elementary school, offers many pro- grams such as natural dyeing, metal craft and pottery making. Participants had an opportunity to design their own mug. “The tour was great,” said Zachariah Siemers, a civilian contractor. “Making mugs with my kids was my favorite, and it was absolutely great. This is my second tour. If another tour opens, I will try to attend with my family.” The Korea Soriter Arts Center, near Pyeongtaek Lake, was established to fos- ter cultural arts for the local community Cultural tours connect troops and provide Haegeum performances (a Korean traditional string instrument). Participants learned about Ji Young-hee, with Pyeongtaek attractions a Pyeongtaek native. He was nicknamed the “Father of Korean Folk Music” for his talent and the creation of Korean classi- BY BANG HEE-WON, Korea - U.S. Cooperation Business Group KACAC wants to organize more tours cal music. U.S. ARMY retirees. The organization has been sup- which show the variety of Korea.” “In spite of the chilly weather, it was porting various community relations cul- During the tour, the group visited the a very good experience,” said Command PYEONGTAEK-SI – Despite cold weath- tural trips, through the Good Neighbor Pyeongtaek Nong-ak (Korean traditional Sgt. Maj. Thomas Johnson, of Headquar- er in Pyeongtaek, 25 Camp Humphreys’ program, for Camp Humphreys. folk music) Preservation Society, Wootda- ters and Headquarters Battalion, Eighth service members, civilians and their fam- “We organized this tour to share Kore- li Cultural Village, and Korea Soriter Arts Army. “The food, making pottery, instru- ily members enjoyed the Pyeongtaek City an tradition, culture and to communicate Center, to experience something unique ment demonstration, and sightseeing at Tour, hosted by Korea-America Coopera- with Americans,” said Kim Dong-sook, and not commonly known to tourists. Pyeongtaek Lake, everything was good. tion Advisory Council on Dec. 8. KACAC president. “So, the most impor- Pyeongtaek Nong-ak Preservation So- If another tour opens in the future, I will KACAC, based in Pyeongtaek, was es- tant thing in planning a tour was mutual ciety was founded in 1980, for the purpose definitely attend and recommend this to tablished in July 2017 by the Republic of cooperation and communication. Also, of preserving Nong-ak and preventing other people.” Home Business Directory JANUARY 24 − FEBRUARY 6, 2019 A STARS AND STRIPES COMMUNITY PUBLICATION STRIPES KOREA 5 A magpie flies near the flight line at Kunsan Air Base on Dec.