The Korea File

Fancy folk trio FANCY MAN on playing in Jeju's music scene, using the school music room as a practice space and the joys of sharing a teaching gig with your bandmates.

You can find more music and videos including Christmas Card From Korea (part 2) at http://www.timothycushing.com/

This interview and live performance was recorded at Jeju City's Magpie Brewing Co. on 2/20/2015.

Brother Anthony (???) is President of the Royal Asiatic Society of Korea, an academic organization which has participated in Korean intellectual and cultural life since 1900 . He`s also a scholar of Korean studies, a translator of Korean poetry and an expert on The Korean Way of Tea.

In the 2nd of a two-part conversation he speaks about his work translating poet Ko Un (??), the changes he's witnessed firsthand in Korean society in the last 35 years and the unreality created by the division between the two Koreas.

For more on Brother Anthony, visit his website at http://hompi.sogang.ac.kr/anthony/

For more on The Royal Asiatic Society of Korea visit http://www.raskb.com/

This interview was recorded in Brother Anthony`s Sogang University neighbourhood office in December, 2014.

Music on this episode: "Chuitaepyoung", Daegeum Solo, 1928

Brother Anthony, or ???, is President of the Royal Asiatic Society of Korea (http://www.raskb.com/), an academic organization which has participated in Korean intellectual and cultural life since 1900 . He`s also a scholar of Korean studies, a translator of Korean poetry and an expert on The Korean Way of Tea.

In the first of a two-part conversation he speaks about the Society's history and it's relationship with the country, discusses his 37 years as a member of Seoul`s academic community and reflects on his life as a member of the Taizé monastic order.

For more on Brother Anthony, visit his website at http://hompi.sogang.ac.kr/anthony/

This interview was recorded in Brother Anthony`s Sogang University neighbourhood office in December, 2014.

Music on this episode: "Gayageum Sanjo Variation", Hwang Byeonggi (1966)

Math-rock trio MOUNTAINS on Daegu's thriving music scene, the joys of playing Seoul and the fight to promote live music in the south of the peninsula.

Live music recording from their performance at Itaewon's Thunderhorse Tavern, 1/30/2015

On this episode: musician and journalist Chance Dorland on the ups and downs of being a working journalist in Seoul and how the Peacecorps nearly (literally) killed him.

Check out Chance's work online at http://www.seoulitup.com/, and at groovekorea.com, download his podcast 'Chance and Dan Do Korea' on iTunes and listen to him live on the airwaves with his segment 'Chance Encounters' Monday Through Friday from 18:10-20:00 on TBS 101.3 FM's 'Primetime' in Seoul.

A recording of music from this episode, 'Korea, Here We Come' by Harry Choates, can be found at authentichistory.com.

Michael Breen has been working in Korea for more than 30 years as a journalist with The Guardian, The Korea Times and others. He's the author of 'The Koreans: Who They Are, What They Want and Where Their Future Lies' and the CEO of Insight Communications Consultants.

In the second of a two-part interview he discusses life under South Korea's 1980's dictatorship, the perils and possibilties of Korean unification and what the future holds for the country and its people.

Michael Breen has been working in Korea for more than 30 years as a journalist with The Guardian, The Korea Times and others. He's the author of 'The Koreans: Who They Are, What They Want and Where Their Future Lies' and the CEO of Insight Communications Consultants.

In the first of a two-part interview he discusses what brought him to South Korea, the Origins of the Korean War and the work of Korean Historian Bruce Cummings.

On April 16th, 2014 the MV Sewol sunk off the coast of Mokpo in the south-west of the country killing 304 passengers.

The victims were primarily high school students bound for a field trip to Jeju-do.

Nine months later, South Korean society continues to struggle with the issues of public safety and government accountability.

Rebekah Jaung of sewoltruth.com spoke with me at the group's petition tent in Gwangwhamun Square last December about continuing calls for an impartial and comprehensive investigation into the tragedy, and the state of the Sewol Truth movement.

Ruth Minnikin is a Canadian singer-songwriter formerly of The Heavy Blinkers, Booming Airplanes and The Guthries and Reels. She now performs as Ruth Minnikin and her Bandwagon on Jeju Island and around Korea.

She received nominations for Best Female Album and Best Folk Album at the 2007 Nova Scotia Music Awards and has performed at the East Coast Music Awards, South by Southwest, and North by Northeast and has contributed to 45 recordings in collaboration with other artists.

She had this to say about her latest record 'The Minnikins' Photo Album', released before leaving Nova Scotia 2 years ago:

"Undeniably my heart was swollen as I wrote, but I daydream that my next bout of inspiration comes from love, salt water and the children I will teach on Jeju Island over the next year. Or, the waves on The East China Sea may swell into sounds of longing and heartache for Canada, the Atlantic Ocean and it’s folks-"

This interview and live performance were recorded the weekend of 01.10.15 at Blue Hill in Jeju City.

The Barberettes are Seoul's premiere doo wop trio and self-described retro time travellers.

Guitarist and vocalist Shinae An Wheeler spoke with The Korea File in late December, reflecting on the group's highly successful year and what 2015 holds for one of Seoul's hottest groups.

With music from the Kim Sisters, Kang Soong-won and The Barberettes.

This live acoustic performance from the Barberettes is from a special year-end set with Korean folk legend Kang Soong-won at Strange Fruit in Hongdae.