Final Performance at the Goseong Ogwangdae Intensive

January 29th, 2010

I woke at 7 and made a huge batch of 뒨장찌게 bean paste stew and salad (green cabbage base with strawberries in it). After breakfast everyone changed into 민복 minbok and headed to the main hall. I hung back a bit to clean up, then to meet Heike, a friend of mine who was teaching at ANU when I went there for a conference in 2005. She is now teaching at Gyeongsang University (in Jinju) running their international studies section (and teaching politics). Just like last week the performance started with a 고사 gosa ceremony, with 이재훈 Yi Jaehun talking the students through the process. The mixed team performed first, and the 말뚝이 Malddugi needed to be cued repeatedly and screwed up the dance a bit, the monk's dance performer also got lost several times in the choreography. The KNUA students did a great job, but it wasn't as much fun as the first performance because they didn't make a lot of funny mistakes. However there were a ton of wardrobe malfunctions. Masks coming off, pants that fell down, ties that came untied. 정우 Jeong-u needed to be cued on his part (원양반 Won Yangban), too.






After the performance we had lunch, Heike joined us before checking out the mask dance museum and going back to Jinju. That was followed by a large amount of cleaning to get the space back into good shape before we left. I took several loads to the main building, and used the opportunity to talk to the teachers and others there. Gave 이윤석 Yi Yunseok a solid good-bye, gave my card to 영욱 Yeong'uk from "The Gwangdae" and Daecheon. Hugged Changyeol, relieved that I only have to wait until Saturday to see him. I love him, he's totally awesome. As soon as Karjam comes back I'm inviting him and his girlfriend, 세정 Sejeong, over for dinner. It was sad to leave. As soon as we got on the bus most of the students fell asleep. Before we were halfway to Seoul, it was snowy and freezing. At the rest stops I could hardly manage to get to the building and back on the bus, and remarked that we should turn around and head back to Goseong.



We reached KNUA campus around 8, and I took the long subway ride home, stopping at the bakery and the market on the way up the hill as I couldn't stomach the idea of leaving home again that evening.

January 30th, 2011

I stayed home and transferred audio and photo files, labeling and editing. Please look back over the last two weeks worth of entries to see photos inserted in the next day or two.