Insadong: Tea & Dinner

Been here for a couple of times before. But, never been to any olden-day-dabang where Korean traditional tea is served in its original form. (well, sort of). OK, I wouldn't have been here as well, had I not been one of the liaison officer or 'a sort of volunteer' in Korea-ASEAN culture forum held last month in February, 2012. I got to take the delegates from Malaysia and Indonesia and accompany them to have or chip into the Korean dishes. 

That's why: dinner and tea at Insadong seemed an appropriate  option at that time: considering the distance from where the delegates were staying. 

Ok. first stop: dinner at a Korean restaurant where all Korean dishes imaginable or at least edible by the Muslim delegates of both countries were on display for them to enjoy. 

*****

Then off we went to a nearby tea-shop, a very rustically designed one. The nuance of old time Korea was somewhat splendidly preserved as perched on the ornaments and interior of the the tea-shop(?).

We did have a great time there.

Oh, did I mention the snack or gwaja, too? They were (too) also of traditional in style. 

2012 Korea-ASEAN Culture and Arts Forum (part 2)

It was the 2nd day of the Forum or the main event of the program.
The Forum was held at Korea National Museum at Yongsan.
The place--I think--was a perfect venue for the occasion since it had what this Forum needed. all of the gadgets available...even the interpreting booth and its devices for all of the participants were available. Not to mention, the stage. It was relatively small, but big enough for a forum like this.
That day I managed to see the Thailand, Brunei, and Indonesian delegates' presentations.
Too bad..I came after noon so I did not have a chance to see the Korea's parts--which I heard was a marvelous one.











So, Thailand delegates portrayed the intricate movement, gestures, mimics of dancers in portraying the dynamics, the feeling, the attitudes of people of different classes, the monkey, and even the demons!!!

Indeed, judging from the fact or the sheer seriousness of the delegates, I could learn that Thailand's version of Ramayana stories performed by those dancers t have been the best ones ever.
They have evolved and developed such an intricate details in capturing human's as well as non-human's expression through arts and dances.










As for Brunei's delegates, I learned some things about Pencak Silat, an Indonesian by origin, a Malay martial art form. Well,,,,not much to say about this...apart from the fact that...one participant's remark did strike me most since he asked or wondered as to whether Pencak Silat would be able to kick opponent's butt as he saw or thought of it as being too subtle and tender and soft and looked to him as having no....power whatsoever....as opposed to Taekwondo^^
Well,....what I could say was.....well...you should see what the real Pencak Silat is, then.^^

then, Mr. Eddy's turn came.
I was helping him preparing the show...well..not much...or sort of accompanying him in preparation.
Pak Eddy was performing the modern traditional shadow puppet called "wayang kancil"

It was like being zapped into the whole world of Javanese culture when I listened to pak Eddy's voice imbued within the echoing surround gamelan orchestra....that was being played on a CD^^
at least...I thought it was a remarkable show....and forum...highlighting the best that ASEAN and Korea have to offer to each other.

The mere fact that culture and arts do exist...simply show that people do evolve in conveying their humanity...and that was something in common that we should cherish as a human.
--
at the end of the Forum, we took pictures with Dr. Lono Simatupang, Mr. Eddy, Prof. Yang Seung Yoon and my friend Seon hee.
A nice afteroon well spent!!!

2012 Korea-ASEAN Culture & Arts Forum (part 1)

It was a nice holiday as well as rewarding one; especially since I also took part in one of the important events ever held right here in Korea. It was 2012 Korea-ASEAN Culture & Arts Forum.
I was not a participant, I was just merely a kind of Liaison officer or a guide for the speakers and guests from other countries. Since I am an Indonesian, I was glad to be a guide for two speakers from Indonesia who turned out to be my previous lecturers at home-university: Mr Eddy and Dr. Lono. Along with me, Min Seon hee, one of the HUFS graduate students and also an alumni of Gadjah Mada University,became the LO for the Indonesian as well as Malaysian delegates.










 It was a great time to meet time, for sure. Also, I had a responsibility to accompany delegates from Malaysia as well. The reason was simple enough: both Malaysia and Indonesia speak almost the same language: Malay and Indonesian language.










The Forum was a success in itself. I could see the vigorous endeavor that the committee did to succeed the Forum.
So what I want to highlight here was only what I did during the first day of my tasks of being an LO.
First, we had to be ready at Lexington Hotel at Youido where all of the delegates stayed during the 4-day Forum in Seoul.
Then, I got to be in the first meeting to outline the whole programs to the delegates.
 I was sitting in a round-table set for all delegates.
It was great to meet other prominent and distinguished guests and people from other countries and Korea...who are mostly involved in culture and arts preservation. Musician, traditional dancers, researchers and the likes were there.
Good to know them.










Oh...the first day was sooo funnily yet awkwardly set up. the whole ice-breaking games for the delegates was a successful event in the evening. Through a series of programs, we came to realize that most of the delegates coming from ASEAN and Korea did have something in common. A lot!

----
Then....I took the delegates to Insadong to have dinner and had a stroll along the way.
Mr. Eddy and Mr. Lono and other delegates from Malaysia had to make sure that they could survive the night since it was a bit cold for them.
So, instead of going along the Insadong street, after having a sumptuous Korean traditional dinner, we went to a Korean tea house.
worth it? yes, of course.
That's been my tasks for the first day/night of the Forum.