Korean Job Discussion Forums

[schwa]

A friend called me this morning & asked if I'd like to check out the First Annual Toenjang Festival being held by a tiny village near here. My friend knew the organizer, a woman poet/eco-activist, but we really had no idea what to expect. Fine-looking day out the window so I said sure.

We drove up a one-lane mountain road following occasional hand-drawn signs & eventually found the site -- a small open field in a pristine valley. I mean pristine -- the only permanent man-made structure to be seen was a buddhist stone monument dating from 8th-century. There was a stage surrounded by totems, beautiful painted banners fluttering in the breeze like prayer flags, & maybe a hundred chairs set up.

We were welcomed warmly & handed a program & a book of poetry. The event, it turns out, was the production of a Korea-wide artists collective that calls itself the "cowherd" (�Ҷ�, maybe). Well. I've never met such a diverse & interesting crowd of Koreans in all my time here. Gentle & creative people.

They were from all over Korea. Poets, painters, musicians, dancers, sculptors. The men favored ponytails & beards, men & women wore earthy baggy clothes or hanbok (one guy in a suit seemed hilariously out of place). A noted film director from Seoul was busy documenting everything.

5 hours of entertainment were staged & paced with great skill. State-of-the-art sound equipment. Opened with a samulnori troupe that led a parade through the village, then a modern folk singer, then a performance artist dressed all in white who danced on a huge white sheet in front of a large white paper lotus & proceeded to fling jars of paint on the flower, the ground, & herself in an act so beautifully controlled it brought tears to eyes of the spectators. In honor of the victims of our recent forest fire.

Then there was a generous free lunch featuring barbecue, rice, organic toenjang, homemade kimchi, etc. All the makkoli you could drink. ("Here, drink more.")

The afternoon featured more song (modern & pansori), dance, & short poetry readings. Even with my feeble command of Korean I could follow some & the enthusiasm was evident. Sculptors accompanied the readers with the chip-chip of their tools then brought their works through the audience to touch & make a wish. People circulated through the audience offering more bowls of one-shot makkoli & a bite of kimchi as chaser.

The finale was a big hand-holding sing on the stage, I joined too (swaying, not singing!) & then the samulnori group came back & it was a big happy dance party. Grannies & kids & everyone, lots of hugs. Exhilarating.

I'm an honorary ox now. Walking back through the village on our way to the car I was waylaid for more drinks & chat. The poet who pulled this together seems a remarkable soul & I'd like to meet her again.

Sunny, warm, magical day. Just thought I'd share.

[teachingld2004]

Thanks for sharing.

It was nice to read something nice for a change. Even tho you were not able to understand most of what was said, you felt good.

That day I am sure will give you many years of memories. Good for u.

[Ya-ta Boy]

[dogbert]

Excellent post! Whereabouts was that held?

[schwa]

[eamo]

Sounds fascinating.

I guess a lot more people would like to experience that every year but then it would be like a circus and not as charming.