From the Editor: November 2022

Welcome to November; the penultimate month of the year is here already. The solar term, Ipdong (입동, Onset of Winter) on November 7 reminds us of the coming colder season, and Soseol (소설, Small Snow) of the coming white precipitation. Also here already is the penultimate issue of the Gwangju News for 2022, hopefully bringing you much-desired warmth through its contents to counter the chilling effect of the outside elements.

Our November cover feature brings you the lowdown on all those tunes you heard in the October air from the world’s largest music event of its kind – the Buskers World Cup, right here in downtown Gwangju. For more musical moments, we bring you the buzz surrounding the Seoul Forest Jazz Festival.

For our second feature of the month, People in the Arts is back! The featured artist is Haru K, discussing his delicious art style, which is food for thought. For art of a different kind, Restoring the Past smartens us up with details of the doors, windows, and gates of Gwangju’s hanok houses.

We take you on trips near and far. First to the islandy county of Shinan, where the hidden treasures of Jaeun-do are revealed [Lost in Honam]. Next, Around Korea introduces us to five select sites in Gwangju and nearby Jeollanam-do where one can go to best enjoy the flamboyant foliage that November and its cooler weather bring. And finally, From Abroad takes us on a solo trip to Central Asia’s almighty Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan.

Prof. Park Nahm-Sheik ponders how love can open doors to the heart, our managing editor ponders why traffic lights are not more strictly observed, and an expat exchange student considers how reality differs from their earlier expectations.

Ever wonder what happened to those language teachers who were once active in Gwangju, but left Korea and are no longer heard from? Language Teaching brings you five of them and their stories. Everyday Korean teaches us what makes it possible to keep a secret in Korean.

Our book review is of An African in Greenland, our photo essay is of GIC Week 2022, and we also have for you the Photo of the Month, Comic Corner, and our monthly crossword puzzle.

Keep warm, stay Covid smart, remember your flu shot, and enjoy the Gwangju News!

David E. Shaffer

Editor-in-Chief

Gwangju News