Come to Korean Cultural Day in Cedar City!

Cedar City, Festival City USA, is hosting its first Korean Cultural Day on Monday, September 28. The event will feature Korean traditional dance, a Korean traditional dress (Hanbok) fashion show, music, and Korean food.

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Korean Traditional Dance The essence of traditional Korean dance will be presented through some of the most representative dance styles of Korea: Ipchum (the rudimentary dance of all Korean folk dance), Taepyeongmu(an elegant and sophisticated dance in brilliant court costumes; click to watch), and Sogochum (a vibrant folk dance with small drums).

Hanbok Fashion Show Hanbok refers to the Korean traditional style of dress, which is often characterized by the use of vibrant colors, elegant curves and simple lines. The fashion show will feature a number of different examples of this beautiful traditional style.

Mixed Chorus Examples of traditional and contemporary Korean and western music will be performed. This will include a performance of the widely loved and well known Korean folk song, Arirang.

Korean Food Korean food is known for being spicy, flavorful and healthy. Samples of Korean food will be available for tasting. This includes Kimchi (spicy fermented cabbage), Japchae (stir fried noodles and vegetables) and Bulgogi(grilled marinated beef).
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The event is FREE, so bring your friends and family for a night of food and fun!

Korean Cultural Day Program

7:00 Korean Food Tasting

7:30 Opening
- Welcome Address by Gerald R. Sherratt, Mayor of Cedar City
- Welcome Address by Jaewon Kim, Director of Korean Cultural Center

- Seoul Chorus
Ulsan Lady (Korean Folk Song), Love Me Tender, Love is a Many-Splendored Thing

- Ae-jin Kim, Heather Chang
Now & Forever (Modern Dance)

- Jang Yoon Jung Dance Group
Ipchum (Korean Traditional Dance)

- Korean Traditional Costume Hanbok Fashion Show
(Supported by Canyon View High School)

- Jang Yoon Jung
Taepyoungmu (Korean Traditional Dance)

- Flavor Steps
Break Dance

- Jang Yoon-Jung
Sogochum (Korean Traditional Dance)

- Ji, Yoon Ja Group
Korean Folk Song, Let it be

- Ji, Yoon Ja
Gayageum Sanjo

- Korean Traditional and Modern Performance
Featuring: Kim, Ae-jin/Flavor Steps/Jang Yoon Jung

-Concerted Singing
Arirang (Seoul Chorus & Jiyoonja), God Bless America

-Closing
Sunny Lee

Why a Korean Cultural Day in Cedar City?
The Korean Cultural Day in Cedar City is an example of the continuing development of the long relationship between Cedar City and Gapyeong, South Korea. In fact, Cedar City has an important place in the history between the United States and South Korea. During the Korean War, the 213th Field Artillery Battalion, headquartered in Cedar City, sent 600 soldiers to Korea. A documentary called “Miracle at Kap Yong: The Story of the 213th” was produced to tell the story of how the soldiers successfully defended Gapyeong from the attack of a much larger communist force. On September 27th of 2008, the Korean War veterans were remembered and celebrated with the dedication of the Korean War Memorial in Cedar City.

And in June of 2009, veterans from the 213th visited South Korea to return to the site of the famous battle at Gapyeong. A documentary called “Hello Gapyeong, Goodbye Sammy: The story of old soldiers” was also produced about the veterans’ trip to South Korea and their memories of their service.

The Korean Cultural Day in Cedar City is the most recent expression of this long relationship. It will provide the people of Cedar City the opportunity to learn more about and celebrate the unique culture of the country that their veterans helped to liberate. After the event, this relationship will be strengthened even further through the formal establishment of a sister city relationship between Cedar City and Gapyeong.
※Related articles: Deseret News (Southern Utah memorial salutes veterans of the Korean War), KCSG (Korean War Memorial Dedicated), SUU News (Memorial honors Cedar City, Richfield soldiers' efforts in South Korea)

Where is the Korean Cultural Day event?
Heritage Center (105 North 100 East, Cedar City, UT)

Click to see the location on Google Map
Click to get driving directions (Heritage Center)

Any Questions about the Korean Cultural Day?
Please call 432-865-2882 or email at mstarcom1@gmail.com

Cedar City Lodging & Hotel Information - click.
Cedar City Restaurant Information - click.

About Cedar City
Cedar City is a beautiful town near Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. These two parks were both selected this year by Forbes.com to be in the list of the 10 best national parks in America. Also, Forbes Traveler selected Bryce Canyon as one of the most astonishing landscapes in the world. Zion National Park is one hour away and Bryce Canyon National Park is two hours away, while the sights and sounds of Las Vegas are only two and a half hours from Cedar City. Salt Lake City, the capital city of Utah, is three and a half hours away.

As Festival City USA, Cedar City offers festivals and events to enjoy throughout the year, including the Tony Award winning Utah Shakespearean Festival. And new to Cedar City this year is the Korean Cultural Day! Don't miss it!

Korean Barbecue: Samgyupsal with Kimchi

One of the unique experiences you can get in Korea is to grill your own meat in a restaurant. Many restaurants in Korea have grills at the tables, and customers cook their meat exactly the way they like. Samgyupsal is probably the most popular type of meat for Korean barbecue. It is made from pork belly strips, the same part Americans use for bacon. Samgyupsal is inexpensive and delicious. Samgyupsal has always been one of J.J’s favorite Korean foods.

When you go to a Samgyupsal restaurant, you don’t need to wait to be seated. Just go sit at any table available. Servers will bring you a menu and water. To order Samgyupsal, you should get at least two or three servings. It will cost less than 30,000 won (around 30 US dollar). Samgyupsal will be served with a dipping sauce called Ssamjang (paste). It also usually comes with a side of sliced garlic and peppers, onions, mushrooms and lettuce. Then it’s barbecue time!


You can cook anything on the grill with the Samgyupsal. When we barbecue, we also grill garlic, mushrooms, onions and Kimchi along with the Samgyupsal. Even if you don’t really like the taste or smell of raw Kimchi, try grilled Kimchi with Samgyupsal. Kimchi tastes strong, but when it’s grilled until it turns yellow it becomes much milder. The subtle spice of grilled Kimchi goes very well with the flavor of Samgyupsal. That’s how J.J. started enjoying Kimchi and our American family and friends also like it. Also, Kimchi is healthy because it’s a fermented vegetable made with a lot of garlic.

As you probably know, pork should always be thoroughly cooked. When the Samgyupsal gets close to being cooked, cut it into bite size pieces using the scissors provided at the table. Wait until the Samgyupsal is well done and the Kimchi becomes caramelized. Then, grab a piece of lettuce and put it in your palm. Yes, you have to use your hand. So, clean your hands with the hot towel that you’ll be given at the restaurant. Put a couple pieces of Samgyupsal into the lettuce, and then get some of the sauce using your chopsticks and put it on your Samgyupsal. You can also add Kimchi, garlic, pepper and/or onions if you like. Wrap it just like you would do with soft-shell tacos and enjoy!



If you want more side dishes such as lettuce and Kimchi, ask for more. No extra charge will be added. There’s another thing that you need to know before you go to a Korean restaurant. Servers usually won’t check on your table after the food is served. Instead, you call them whenever you need something. Many restaurants in Korea have a bell on each table. When you need a server, just push the button. A server will come to your table shortly. If there’s no bell, raise your hand and say “Yoe-Gi-Yo” at a volume that you think a server can hear. The phrase means “here”, implying that something is needed.

About the time you are done eating, a server will bring you Doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) and a bowl of rice. Or, you might be given the choice between Doenjang jjigae and Naengmyun (cold buckwheat noodles). We usually get Doenjang jjigae, which is a popular traditional dish. It’s good to try it if you are visiting Korea. But if you’re too full, Naengmyun may be better. When you are finished you pay the bill at the counter. No tip is expected, but they will appreciate it if you say “Ma-shi-so-yo”(delicious) and “Gam-sa-ham-ni-da”(Thank you).

Take a look at our Samgyupsal video!

Your Own Personal Korea Preview Video

Newcomer to this blog? Watch this video!

※ Youtube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsWq5VuWi-s

Survival Guide for Traveling in Korea

Taking a trip to a foreign country is exciting and challenging at the same time. We would like to give you some ideas or tips about Korea so that you feel less nervous. Above all, most Koreans are nice and speak at least some English. If you ask for help, they will speak to you in English. Koreans don’t expect foreigners to speak Korean, but if you try to use some Korean they will really appreciate your effort. So, it is a good idea to learn some very basic phrases before going to Korea.
▶ Hello = An-Nyung-Ha-Se-Yo
▶ Thank you = Gam-Sa-Ham-Ni-Da

Of course, eating is one of the first things you need to deal with. Many restaurants in Korea are open until late at night. Especially if you stay in big cities, you can find many restaurants open after midnight. Some Kimbop restaurants are open 24/7. They serve Kimbap and other kinds of Korean food. Many Chinese restaurants are open and deliver 24/7. We used to get Japchae (noodles with stir-fried veggies) and Tang-Soo-Yook (sweet and sour pork) delivered from a Chinese restaurant after 11 p.m. The delivery usually takes less than 20 minutes. No delivery charge or tip is expected.

Food will be delivered in actual dishes, not in disposable ones. The delivery person will come back within a few hours to take the dishes back. If you don’t finish your meal, it is okay to ask them to come back later. You don’t need to wash the dishes. Just put them outside your door. Of course, it will be nice of you to wash the dishes for them. Using actual dishes for delivery is to protect the environment. To throw away garbage, Koreans need to buy certain garbage bags from a store. It is a way to reduce the amount of garbage by making people pay for what they waste and encouraging them to recycle more.

A problem you may encounter is finding a public restroom. There aren’t many public restrooms in Korea. Of course, all restaurants and subway stations have restrooms. Also, if you are in emergency, find a bank or a hospital because they have their restrooms open. Some restrooms don’t have toilet paper. So it’s safe to carry a packet of tissue. Some restrooms have toilet paper, but not in the individual stalls.

Most bathrooms in Korea have drains on the floor of the bathroom – whether at home or in hotels. So it is no problem using water outside the bathtub. You don’t need to look for a shower curtain. Feel free to use the entire bathroom as if it is your shower.

For lodging, some hotels provide free shampoo and rinse, but some don’t. If they don’t, they usually have them in your room for purchase. To save money, carry a portable set of your own. J.J. often feels hot in Korean hotels. If you do, then ask for a fan. Most likely they’ll bring it to your room right away with no charge.

Tourist Attraction in Korea ⑦: Jeju Island

The highlight of our trip to Korea was going to Jejudo. Jejudo is the Korean version of Hawaii. It is a beautiful tourist island. It used to be a popular honeymoon destination among Koreans before oversea travel became more commonplace. Jejudo is well known for three things that are very abundant: women, wind and rocks. There are black rocks everywhere in Jejudo because it is a volcanic island. We saw some very interesting structures made of those volcanic rocks.

The first place we went was Hallim Park. Hallim Park is an ecological park that has subtropical plants and palm trees that you can’t find anywhere else in Korea. One of the trees was 300 years old. J.J. said, “That tree is older than my country!” There are different kinds of birds, including a peacock and an ostrich. There are also two caves and a folk village in the park. We had fun in the folk village looking at the old style Jeju houses and traditional household goods.




On the second day, we climbed up the old volcano called Mt. Halla. There were two hiking trails to choose from to climb the mountain, Eorimok and Yeongsil. We took the Yeongsil trail because we heard it was a bit easier. We drove to 1280m above sea level and started walking up to the destination of Witse Oreum at 1700m above sea level. It wasn’t very steep, but there were a lot of steps. J.J. has flat feet and wasn’t ready for such extensive hiking. He was completely soaked in sweat as if somebody had thrown a bucket of water on him. He said he felt like he was going to pass out, but he made it eventually. Although it was a little hard, we enjoyed seeing the unique flowers, trees and very scenic cliffs. It took us about four hours to climb up and down.


After the climbing, we went back to our hotel and enjoyed the hotel sauna. Nothing feels better than soaking in hot water after extensive walking. Water in Jejudo is very clean.

On the third day, we took a ferry to Udo Island, a small island nearby. Udo is a good place for swimming and tanning. We went to the Geommeolle Beach and the Seobin White Sand Beach. Geommeolle means black sand in the Jeju dialect. As the name implies, the sand is black. The Seobin White Sand Beach is unique because the sand is made of coral. We didn’t swim but just waded in the water for a while. It was raining and it was tough to enjoy Udo on rainy days.





On the last day, we stopped by the Kimnyong Maze Park before heading toward the airport. An American named Dr. Dustin founded this park. The goal is to find the way out of the large maze and ring the bell on a bridge. Most people make it within 30 minutes. We competed with each other. Gina’s dad got out first, mom second, J.J. third and Gina last. Walking through the maze itself was a lot of fun. Also, it was really fun to talk about the experience with each other later on.

Jejudo is a great place to visit. There are a lot of things to experience. Like any other tourist place, everything’s more expensive. Sometimes tips are desired. It’s probably the influence of foreign tourists. If you get a guide, pay a tip of about 15~20% of the total fee. Renting a taxi for the day may be a good idea because local taxi drivers know how to get around. We paid 100,000 won for each day with a 25% of tip to our driver. He was very knowledgeable about Jeju and was a very good tour guide.

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Tourist Attraction in Korea ⑥: Whale Museum

We both really like ocean views. For a nice trip, we often go to places with ocean views. We miss the ocean a lot more because we live in a dessert now in Utah. On our first wedding anniversary, we went to the Iron Springs Resort in Copalis Beach in Washington, USA. Last December we went on a trip to Sequim, a beautiful port town in Washington. Sequim is across the ocean from Victoria, Canada. In Sequim, wild deer were walking around neighborhood. We found a place in Ulsan that reminded us of Sequim. The area is called Jangsaengpo. It is a small port town. There are no deer but the area is famous for whales. We went there to see the Jangsaengpo Whale Museum because Ulsan is well known for its whale watching tours.

The museum itself looked like a whale. The admission fee is 2,000 won (about two US dollars) for adults. There were foreign language brochures in Chinese, Japanese and English. The first thing we saw was a replica of the Bangudae Petroglyph, which was carved in the prehistoric age. The Petroglyph includes many drawings of whales. It was designated as National Treasure no. 285 in 1995. The actual petroglyph remains in its original location, but it is under water for half of the year. There are also many other whale related exhibits, such as a whale skeleton and maps of migration routes.

The museum was small so it didn’t take us long to look around. Another interesting exhibit was the whaling boat located outside of the museum. We walked on the boat and looked inside through its windows.

Later on, we went to a whale meat restaurant near the museum. Most restaurants serve only whale meat and/or raw fish around this area. We have never had whale meat before so we tried it. Some parts tasted a bit like beef or bacon, but we didn’t really enjoy the whale meat. We went to a pizza restaurant afterwards because we were still hungry.

To watch live whales, you can take a whale watching cruise. Of course, there is no guarantee that you will see the whales. Whales swim around to seek their sources of food, rather than staying in certain locations.

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Tourist Attraction in Korea ⑤: Gangeolgot

This summer was very special for us, especially for Gina. We stayed with Gina’s parents in Korea for over two months. It really made us feel connected as a family. Also, Gina’s brother finished his two years of mandatory military service and had just gotten back from a tour of Europe. He also stayed with us for a while. We wanted to make special memories together, and decided to take a day trip to Ganjeolgot, Ulsan. Ganjeolgot is a cape where the sun rises first on the Korean peninsula. Many Koreans go there to see the first sunrise of the New Year and make a wish. No admission fee is required.

We drove there with our family, and the first thing we saw when we arrived was a big sign that said “A morning doesn’t come to the Korean peninsula until the sun rises in Ganjeolgot, Ulsan”. There were many snack stalls in the parking lot. But we weren’t hungry and so we walked directly to a 5m tall mailbox. Inside the mailbox free postcards are provided. You can write a postcard and put it into a slot on the front of the mailbox.

The scenery around the mailbox is beautiful. The colorful scenery is created by a large red mailbox, a white lighthouse, a blue ocean, green trees and gray stone sculptures. The sculpture that caught our attention was a sculpture of the wife and daughters of Park Jesang, who was a royal servant during the Silla Dynasty. They were waiting for Park’s safe return from Japan, but he never made it. We had a long distance relationship across the Pacific for the two years we were apart after our wedding. So, their story reminded us of our past.

If you go to Gangeolgot, you can also visit Ulsan Grand Park. It is an ecological park. When we visited the park, we felt like all our stress and tiredness went away, while we were surrounded by green trees in the middle of a big city. Also, take a ride on the Ferris wheel of the Lotte department store, which is located next to the Ulsan Express Bus Terminal. Right across the street is the Ulsan Intercity Bus Terminal. You can look out over the city of Ulsan from the Ferris wheel. It is very high but it moves slowly. There is no need to be scared.

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Tourist Attraction in Korea ④: Shilla Millennium Park

Many international couples have two wedding anniversaries, one for the wedding in the bride’s country and the other for the wedding in the groom’s country. On our third year wedding anniversary, we went to Gyeongju. Gyeongju is a beautiful traditional city. It was the capital of Silla, the ancient kingdom that ruled most parts of the Korean peninsula for 992 years from 57 BCE ~ 935 CE. The entire city is like a museum of the kingdom. We went to the city with J.J.’s family after our wedding because we wanted to show them the uniqueness of Korea. Gyeongju was the first stage of our honeymoon before we flew to Thailand. We wanted to go back there on our anniversary. We took a bus to Gyeongju, but we recommend you take a train. We both like to take a train because we can see rural parts of the country with unique scenery.

You can book seats for a train online at http://info.korail.com/2007/eng/eng_index.jsp (English version). You can print your tickets at home or get them at a station by using an automated ticket machine. You need to take a Saemaul train for Gyeongju. Saemaul trains have a train café where there are computers with Internet connections, Karaoke rooms, a massage chair room, video games and chairs to sit and eat some snacks. The chairs are also comfortable with generous leg room. It takes about 5 hours from Seoul to Gyeongju.


Since it was our wedding anniversary, we didn’t want to push ourselves too hard by taking a long tour, and we had been to most of the tourist attractions in Gyeongju. So we decided to go to just one place: the Shilla Millennium Park. It was built in 2007 and we hadn’t been there before. The Shilla Millennium Park is a historical theme park. It showcases a village with houses that reproduce the style of houses during the Silla Dynasty.

As soon as we got our tickets, we walked quickly toward the Hwarang Arena to watch an outdoor performance. It was a martial arts performance that included shooting arrows on horseback and sword practice. The park holds several outdoor performances every day and a night performance on the weekend.


After the performance, we walked around the park and visited the set for the popular drama, Queen Seondeok. This drama is about Queen Seondeok, the first queen in Korean history. The popularity of the drama helps attract more tourists to the park.

We also found a pottery studio. Gina has wanted to experience making pottery for a long time, but this time she was afraid to get mud on her dress. So we made a necklace instead at a pressed flower studio.
Making the necklace was easy and quick. It took 15 minutes and cost 10,000 won (about 10 US dollars). Gina cherishes the handmade anniversary necklace. There are also many other studios where you can make different kinds of handicrafts. We really enjoyed our time in this park. The park opens from 10 am to 8 pm every day, and its admission fee is 18,000 won for adults. You may be able to get 20% discount coupons from the hotel where you stay. We used a discount coupon for our entry and paid 28,800 won (tax included). It was a bit expensive but worth it.


If you want to take a city tour, take a tour bus from your hotel. It takes you to tourist attractions in Gyeongju. Most bus tours usually start in the morning and end in the evening. Using a taxi is expensive in this city. The taxi fare goes up a lot quicker than in other places in Korea. So take advantage of a bus tour.

※ Gyeongju Tourism website: http://eguide.gj.go.kr/

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Tourist Attraction in Korea ③: Jongmyo

In the second week after we got to Korea, we went to Jongmyo. Jongmyo is a Confucian royal shrine that houses the ancestral tablets of the kings and queens of the Joseon Dynasty, the last Korean dynasty that ended in 1910. One of our business contacts wanted to show this place to us because Jongmyo was a very meaningful place in the more than 500 year long history of Joseon. This shrine was also designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995. It is one of the nine UNESCO World Heritage sites in Korea as of 2009. The admission fee is only 1000 won (about one US dollar). It is closed on Tuesdays.

We watched a video about Jongmyo. The video is useful for understanding Jongmyo and has versions in different languages with Chinese, Japanese or English subtitles. Unfortunately, you can’t choose the language at a time you want. It automatically plays each version in sequence. When we entered the video room, it was playing the Japanese subtitled version and then continued to the Chinese subtitled version. We didn’t wait until the English version started.

The main hall called Jeongjeon is amazing architecture. It is very wide but still well balanced. Especially if you visit Korea in May, Jongmyo is definitely a place to go. This shrine holds an annual ancestral ceremony called Jongmyo Jerye on the first Sunday of May. Jongmyo Jerye was also designated as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2001. We’ve never seen this event, but we want to see it some time. We appreciate traditional events and places because they present unique parts of a country. Metropolitan areas almost look the same in many countries: tall buildings, shopping malls, crowds and pollution. The only difference is often just the language you hear.

If you visit Jongmyo, we would recommend that you go to Samcheongdong and Insadong nearby. They are both ‘commercialized’ traditional districts, but still have interesting elements you can enjoy. You can see traditional Korean houses, buy traditional Korean souvenirs and eat traditional Korean food. If you don’t have much time, Insadong will be a better choice. You will have fun looking around, though everything is more expensive there than non-traditional places.

※ Official Seoul City Tourism website by Seoul Metropolitan Government:

http://www.visitseoul.net/visit2007en/

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