The Gwangdae Performance and Buddha's Birthday

May 8^th, 2011

Had a meeting of our dissertation support group with Jenny, Bonnie and Shannon – we brainstormed and gave feedback on writing we had shared—beyond awesome.

In the early evening we watched a performance by 더 광대 The Gwangdae at 광화문 Gwanghwamun. That's Changyeol, Daecheon, Yeongho etc.'s group. It was quite unexpected. I mean, I thought I knew the direction they were heading with this performance, more towards mask dance drama, but clearly I was mistaken. In the performance everyone is under the thrall of the business world until 이매 Imae (from 하회별신굿탈놀이 Hahoi Byeolshin'gut Talnoli) comes along to wake them up to fun. They turn into squid, then get hooked on religion (literally, but a fisherman with a giant lure and hooks with each religion's symbols on them). Uh? I need to talk to Changyeol some more about it.

After the show Karjam and I went to dinner with Sejeong.

May 9^th, 2011

I stayed home and worked on the computer

May 10^th, 2011

It was Buddha's Birthday in Korea so I dragged Karjam (who wanted to stay home and keep preparing to record his CD) out of the house. We went to 봉원사 Bongwon Temple, one of my favorites, the head temple of the Taego Order (태고종) and it was a very sweet scene there. Busy and bustling, but we went into each of the halls, did our bows (I did my long series of bows in the 대웅전), offered donations, lit incense, etc. It felt really awesome. Then I went to 조계사 Jogye Temple, the head temple of the 조계종 and I should have known better. It was a mad house. And muddy. And full of people shaking donation boxes and there was a guy on a loud speaker who was –not- chanting. Everyone had cameras out, tons of tourists and there was a LONG line to even get into the hall to do bows. We got out of there pretty fast. I hate seeing Buddhism demeaned in that sort of way. I guess it's a bit like the Catholics who don't want the Christmas and Easter people crowding them out. But at least people aren't standing on stools to take photos of you when you want do what Catholics do in the cathedral (is there communion on those big holiday days?)

Fulbright Forum and More

February 25th, 2011
I took the 무궁화 Mugunghwa train back to Seoul. It was nice to be able to be at the station in 5 minutes from Georgy and 진홍 Jinhong's house, but honestly I don't like the trains unless they're the fast KTX trains (which are so expensive).

In Seoul I attended a Fulbright Forum because Professor Pai, Hyung-il was speaking about her research. I had heard much of her presentation in the past, but she is an amusing speaker (partially because she says some things that most academics, especially junior scholars, would never say—I guess that's the advantage of being a more senior scholar). Afterwards I probably should have hung out and socialized for longer, but I did at least manage thirty minutes of hang shaking and card exchanging. I met some interesting academics, and Jenny from my dissertation support group was there.

I left the gathering and rushed to 대학로 Daehangno, one of the big college kid hang-out zones and met up with 6 out of the 10 (besides myself) students of 상모 sangmo in week 6 of the 임실필봉농악 Imshil Pilbong Nongak winter session. They had already been together for a couple hours, I had one cup of 막걸리 makgeolli and then we headed to a 노래방 noraebang (singing room for karaoke). It turned out no one could sing worth beans (although I was still probably the worst) so we just laughed a lot. It was really awesome to see everyone, my favorite people 진영 Jinyeong, 범준 Beomjun and 지원 Jiwon were there. Beomjun leaves for the military in two weeks, so it was sort of our last chance to hang out as a group. Although I didn't have a chance to have any in depth conversations, it was good to sort of secure the connection by meeting back up in Seoul.

Despite the fact that all 7 of us are non-smokers, by the time we left the hof they had been drinking in we all stunk to high heaven of cigarettes. Ventilation appears to be completely unnecessary. Ugh. I had forgotten that really bad aspect of going out in Korea. I came home and stripped on the verandah then took a shower so I could tolerate being around myself.

Back in Seoul (again)

February 1st, 2011

I had a meeting with my local dissertation support writing group:
Hyun (UCLA), Jenny (Columbia), Shannon (UPenn) and Bonnie (UW) were in attendance. Only Shannon and I had full length papers ready, we were pairs, while the other three worked together (and got to know each other).

Went to Severance Hospital where the ear doctor says I appear to be fine!

January 31st, 2011

I found out that 봉산탈춤 Bongsan Talchum class would be run as normal, so after a hectic day which involved an emergency tooth extraction (yes, my body is falling apart), I ended up (minus the tooth) at the Intangible Cultural Asset Training Center in southern Seoul, dancing yet again to Bongsan Talchum's familiar rhythm.

We had a normal class, with 원중 Wonjung, 병호 Byeongho, 정현 Jeonghyeon and 하연 Hayeon notably in attendance, as well as three new people (one of which came just before I left). We practiced the 8 dark faced monks, then 소무 Somu and the 사자춤 Lion's dance came last. All in all, it was quite good, but Wonjung may not be able to come anymore. I gave him my report on Goseong and he expressed his frustrations with his group.

Preparing for the Final Presentation

December 23rd, 2010
For Thursday my most important activity was 봉천놀이마당 Bongcheong Noli Madang class. But it was a full day because in the morning I met my dissertation support group ladies Jenny and Alice for coffee and research talk and then I had lunch with 회정Hoijung, my wonderful and usually much too busy friend.

Cell phone photo at "Lazy Sue's Cafe"


At Bongcheon Noli Madang we were busy rehearsing for the final presentation which will be on Tuesday next week (I'll skip 상모 sangmo class, I want to do sangmo more, but for research it's better to see the Bongcheon class to the end of the class and see how everything pans out). Oddly it took me more than half the class to collect my brain and concentrate on what was going on, I was so obviously spaced out that everyone commented on it. Everyone, however, was only a class of five people including 장미이 Jang Mi'i and 김선우 Kim Seonu. Apparently the gradual and nearly complete reduction of the student population over the course of the class is normal. The course that starts from next month and runs until the end of February will be intermediate and only meet on Tuesday. The beginning class will begin again and run in March and April. This means I have only one opportunity (May and June) to practice an intermediate class with the Bongcheon people. On Friday (but for the members not for just random students) there are other classes, and of course there are 풍물 pungmul classes offered as well. After class ended, as usual, we sat down and exchanged our views on how class was going while enjoying some snacks and tea. The pants I thought were too warm two weeks ago felt like wearing a refrigerator as I waited for the bus (and the second bus after the transfer) on my way home. The temperature has plummeted.

Learning Arts from Clubs

December 16th, 2010
On Thursday Karjam went with me to 봉천놀이마당 Bongcheon Noli Madang. We had a good turnout for practice, though 장미이 Jang Mi’i was a bit late and 선우 Seonu reviewed with us for the first twenty minutes of class. After class, as usual, we exchanged our views on how class was going—although some people feel it’s hard and one seems about to give up (he even sat out the second half of class whether because it was physically exhausting or because it was frustrating, I’m not sure), most people express that it’s fun, interesting or enjoyable (the three most common vocabulary words they use). We spent more than half the class dancing in a circle, which is how the beginning exercises are done at 고성오광대 Goseong Ogwangdae’s training as well. Dancing in a circle is much harder, especially since we change directions and even if the teacher is in front of you while going one direction, she’ll be behind for part of it as well. I am actually really enjoying the class and feel very comfortable with the Goseong motions, also, if I just practiced a little more I know I’d be able to do the entire thing from memory. This is fortunate as we have a sort of graduation presentation where we show what we’ve learned on the 28th. I am not sure if I will participate or not, since it’s usually a day for 상모 sangmo.

With my dissertation support group I’ve started to write daily to start fleshing out parts of my dissertation-to-be. I wrote this paragraph which is somewhat related to Bongcheon Noli Madang. There is a lot more after this paragraph, but I’ll share this for now as it’s more related and because part of what’s next is notes on who to interview and what to ask
–Comments welcome-

Perhaps the most promising method of arts teaching/learning for widespread dissemination of traditional performing arts knowledge is the club setting. Clubs bring a group of people together to socialize in this case through the learning and performing of traditional performing arts. The clubs generally welcome any interested party and group activities extend beyond practice and performance to, in particular, group drinking parties. Clubs for school and university students are generally called dongari, and at best they will have their own room for storage and meetings with the ability to request rehearsal space at the school. If the club is for adults, outside of a school, then the club generally has a rented room or rooms. In the club setting the members of the club generally contribute funds which are managed by a club financial officer. If the club has a rented room, such as Bongcheon Noli Madang or the group Beodulrim I drummed with from 1999 to 2003, these fees are rather assigned to rent, electricity, an honorarium for the teacher and other expenses. Many such adult clubs have two types of fees, one for the members of the club who join together for business meetings and make decisions related to the activities of the club, and one for short-term students, who pay a higher monthly fee. Members may pay fees even if they have quit active participation for a number of years, but may drop in on any class or meeting anytime they want.

Sangmo Class at 2pm

December 14th, 2010
Ran around all day. I went to Severance Hospital –again- because my ear infection has flared into pain again. I got a new ear doctor because my regular guy wasn’t in and this guy thinks I need to stop with the ear drops and let the inside of my ear dry out. Got a cable at the electronics market.

Starting at 2 I had an early 상모 sangmo class. These days it’s only 현석 Hyeonseok and I in the class, and we were both able to come at 2, but 이종휘 Yi Jonghui was not going to be able to teach us at the normal time so we rescheduled. Since Hyeonseok is having his final exams now, school ends around noon (after exams in the morning). Karjam came to class and videotaped the entire thing. For some reason I felt camera shy. Weird! I continued to work on movement and 소고 sogo movement/drumming while spinning the sangmo, but I felt a little uncoordinated.

Mom, brother Zack, sister-in-law Irene and niece Juniper’s holiday package arrived. We got awesome hand-made cards from Juniper and a new drawing for our refrigerator. Some great clothes from Ibex, Karjam got a book for a computer program and I got this amazing handmade quilted vest from my mom! There are even some stuffed socks left over for next week!

Since I had the evening free we went to the movies and saw the new Narnia film in 4D (3D plus moving chairs which even poke your butt and back! Mist and wind that spray on you and even scented air, Karjam commented that we’d better go home and wash our faces). It was heavy-handed with the Christianity compared to what I remember from the books. Not a very good movie, actually, if it wasn’t for the 4D aspect I would have been bored. Karjam fell asleep.

In other news it seems I have scheduled three weeks of January (2nd, 3rd and 4th) to be out of town practicing first 임실필봉농악 Imshil Pilbong Nongak for a week and then 고성오광대 Goseong Ogwangdae for two weeks.

December 15th, 2010
I met up with Jenny and Shannon in the morning as I’m trying to organize a dissertation writing support group. We had coffee and talked for a LONG time. Shannon drove me home.