Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Almost Empty Sangmo Class

October 12th, 2010
Karjam spent all day intently studying for his Korean midterm. I went to E-mart and picked up some things I cannot easily find elsewhere and took a nap. I still am not fully back to my high energy self. How irritating!

I went to 상모 sangmo class in the evening. It was decidedly empty, as midterm exams are starting any day now for most students, and almost all the sangmo learners are students. The only other people there were the first year high school student, 이현석 Yi Hyeon-seok, and this guy who is really really good and has been learning for four years, 박찬곤 Bak Chan’gon, who is an economics junior at 동국대 Dongguk University. Even the instructor 이종휘 Yi Jonghui was absent, we had class with 변재원 Byeon Jaewon teaching on his own. He found several problems with what I’m doing but I feel woefully unable to correct them and make real progress. I am attaching some photos of the way that Hyeon-seok’s sangmo is assembled differently than mine- it starts as a very long piece of white fabric which is looped and looped and shoved together until it makes an authentic white flower in front, more magnificent than my pre-made tie on white flower. For the earlier photo he actually knelt down. He's 15 American-age yet 188cms tall. In the background of the first photo you can see asst. instructor Jaewon and in the second you can see Chan'gon.

2 comments:

Georgeanna said...

Do you think they'll show you how to tie it like that? (or, do you already know?)

I have to admit, I like the look of it in the first photo better than in the second. But, what do I know...

In other thoughts, perhaps it's better that class is a bit empty; until you feel better, at least. I hate it when I'm feeling really sick and sluggish but I'm missing out on a thriving class.

CedarBough said...

I'd have to buy that long piece of fabric, but I'm sure someone would teach me if I was ready with fabric in hand. The cell phone photos aren't very good, it really does look better than my all pre-tied one.