Korean Mushrooms Occupies the Tables of the Swiss (WSK newsletter)

The superior species and high production quality of Korean mushroom is proved through its great texture and taste, already having been renown overseas. Today Korean mushrooms have attracted the Swiss people being one of their favorite dishes.

Korean mushrooms spotlighted as high-quality food

Jelomli, a grand department store of Zurich, the largest city in Swiss has Korean mushrooms on their sales list, sold at the lower ground grocery section, along with a variety of other raw mushrooms. Here Korean king oyster mushrooms are sold by 30-40 franc per kilogram, quite expensive which is equivalent to 35,000 ~ 47,000 won in Korean dollars.

Swiss people, on sunny days, often enjoy barbeque parties with their family and friends sharing grilled meat and sausages, and the Korean king oyster mushrooms as the only vegetable to be added on the main grill list. Taken as a high-quality food item, the king oyster mushrooms are enjoyed for its bigger size and thick texture that is much suitable for a grill party compared to button mushrooms.

In Swiss, now it is not that difficult to meet these mushrooms from Korea in Swiss as they are not only supplied to department stores but also to Migros, the largest supermarket franchise in Swiss.

<King oyster mushroom and filet mignon, a menu of Alt Swiss Chalet,

a Swiss restaurant in Itaewon, Korea> (Photo: Naver blog)

In Swiss, mushrooms are widely enjoyed by the people being one of the most popular food often used as an ingredient for sauces or even as main dishes. Regarding the sales of button mushrooms the amount of its consumption are 13,000 tons annually; 8,000 tons of raw mushrooms and 5,000 tons of cooked mushrooms. Here 7,000 tons of raw mushrooms are produced in Swiss and the import! rate of the total market consists of 15 percent. The Swiss people do seem to favor mushrooms a lot!

Cannot imagine a life without mushrooms!

  The Swiss people in love with mushrooms

Even the economic crisis did not stop the Swiss fondness for mushrooms. In the second half of 2008 when the economic situation was not favorable, consumers did not cease to spend money on mushrooms. In 2009, rather the total consumption increased adding 300 tons compared to the former year. In fact, the fastidious Swiss customers looking for the best qualities seem to continuously increase the needs for fresh mushrooms.

Button mushroom is the most largely produced and consumed one in Swiss, which is a very traditional kind. However, Asian kinds started to receive attention along with the rising popularity of foreign mushroom species. These days foreign mushrooms that have been introduced during the 1980~1990s including shiitake, king oyster mushroom, grifola frondosa are now receiving some spotlight. Especially shiitake is enjoying popularity being ranked second in the consumer preference.

It may be no surprise that Korean mushrooms with high quality and taste has successfully created its market in Swiss. It had past 3~4 years since Korean king oyster mushrooms joined the dishes of the Swiss dining table.

Now the annual amount of mushroom import!s are over two hundred million Korean won. This was possible by both continuous efforts put to improving species and through quality control.

In 2009 renowned chefs from all over the world have visited Korea to participate in the ‘Amazing Korean Table,’ and Korean mushroom was used by all chefs. A variety of mushrooms were grilled or slightly boiled to be used as ingredients or become the main dish itself.

The taste and flavor of Korea mushrooms seems to prove its real worth no matter where it is. As the Swiss fondness for mushroom continues the future of the Korean mushroom overseas market is expected to be positive; we hope to create a broader international market, in addition to Swiss, for all consumers who want high quality mushrooms.

Secret Garden, the TV Drama is not to end

Secret Garden, a Korean TV drama that won favorable attention from the audience for the actors’ excellent performance and its famous lines, has just come to end. As the TV drama of the moment generating a lot of talks, not only its storyline but also the fashion, props and even NG takes became a great interest among the fans.

In particular, the location sites of the TV drama where the main characters’ scenes have been taken were what aroused the audiences’ curiosity the most. Let us have a closer look to the places Secret Garden invited their fans; the workshop location where Joo Won (Male leading charater) and Lime (female leading character) looked through the eyes of love of each other, Jeju hotel site where the two souls were switched and Petite France where the couple has first met.

Petite France, Joo Won first meets Lime

Do you remember the place where Joo Won first meets Lime, mistaking her as Park Chae Rin who Oscar asked to find for him? The romantic and fairytale village that often appears on TV or movie screen is from Petite France, a French village located in Gapyeong-gun Cheongpyeong-myeon, Korea.

The place combined with Goseong Youth Training Center, has sixteen French-style architectures and provides various activities to experience French culture during the stay. The site has a gift shop themed on Little Prince, a representative novel of a renowned French writer Antoine Marie Roger de Saint-Exupéry and a gallery where an exhibition on the theme cock - the symbol of France is on show. Every month they have various events offered, so it would be worth to check out the website at www.pfcamp.com for more information before your visit.

<Petite France where tourists can experience French culture>

 The Seaes hotel in Jeju, the two souls switch their bodies

At the beautiful blue seashore, Joo Won and Lime confronts their destiny that inevitably ties their relationship; their souls switch bodies of each other. This happened right at the Seaes hotel in Jeju, a place of traditional and sophisticated aesthetic where Joo Won frequently visited for his stay. Later the switched souls returned back to their bodies with a kiss, and the bench on which they sat on at that moment as well can be found at this hotel site. The hotel located by Jungmun seashore, Seogwipo-si is a special resort hotel which embraces the beautiful scenery and taste of traditions of Jeju.

The Seaes hotel is unique for keeping the regional features of the traditional housing culture of Jeju i.e. Doldam (traditional gates built with stones) and traditional straw-roofed houses. The guest rooms have private terraces where sunrises and sunsets can be seen and facilities such as open gardens and outdoor pools are offered for the guests. Even Traditional Han Room, a private villa house is offered as a guest house for those who want more privacy during the stay while two types, Ko-dang and Cho-dang is available.

In addition, eight Jeju Olle courses that pass by the hotel is another benefit. This well shows how much the hotel harmonizes with the natural environment. For the excellent scenery, besides Secret Garden, it has a number of TV dramas that took location at the site; Boys Before Flowers, The Snow Queen, and Sorry I Love You. It surely is one of top attractions of Jeju.

 Visit the Shelter of nature

Lime and her action training academy, for a workshop, visit the villa the top 1% rich man, Kim Joo Won owns. During the stay, Joo Won stares at Lime with love while she is sleeping; this moment was appreciated as one of the best scenes that excited many fans of the couple.

The scene where the two had a walk with beautiful fallen leaves the following day and the starry nights they spend together was shot at the newly opened Resom Forest at Jecheon city, Chung-buk. As Joo Won has explained to the investors inside the TV drama, the resort aims a resort of nature itself. The site shall cure the exhausted minds and bodies of the tired city people being full of dozens of trees and wild flowers, including a 150 year-old pine tree.

<Resom Forest>

Resom Forest has a number of beautifully named paths; Sosori Baram-gil, Poreureu Solrae-gil, Gajaegineun Goljjack-gil, and Sanbaragi Neungseon-gil and so on. Especially the path the two main characters had a walk together is now entitled as ‘Secret Road,’ sending best wishes to all loving couples who walk the path together. There are also health programs through a walk in the forest such as ‘walking meditation’ and ‘walking the Resom Dule-gil path’ inviting everyone, men and women of all ages to the forest. 

Secret Garden made the romantic comedy TV genre, after a six-year period, to win back the top TV audience rating, but would not the real location sites be even more romantic than the TV drama? The healthy, beautiful places with interesting narratives located in every corners of Korea are in fact the secret locations for us. Secret Garden, the TV drama is over but why not visit one of the celebrated sites and enjoy or own secret gardens instead?

K-Pop growth into the States, the heart of pop music

In the 70s and 80s young Koreans listened to American pop music admiring the American pop stars, however in 2010 the picture seems to have changed. Hanlyu (the Korean wave) in Japan and Thailand is now moving on to the Northern America; Korea is now receiving fair attention from their American fans enjoying Korean pop music. The fandom of Korean pop music (K-pop) is growing beyond its region reaching to America and Europe, the heart of pop music. 

Hip hop, R&B, electronic dance and etc. has originated from the Western cultures, yet these genres have been interpreted by Asian sentiments in Korea and developed a unique style of pop music. It then has been introduced back to the global market; it is pop music but from Korea. A recent research on K-pop video views statistics on YouTube, a global video-sharing website, well illustrates this phenomenon.

Hanlyu in America

The Korea Daily (Korea Joongang Daily USA) totaled the views of K-pop video clips on YouTube of year 2010, which counts those of netizens from 229 nations. 923 video clips of Korean pop-stars who belong to Korea’s top three major entertainment management agencies were analyzed and 793,570,000 was its total hits; by continents, views from Asia was 566,270,000, Northern America 123,470,000 and Europe 55,370,000. While Asia showed the largest number of views yet an increase of those in the US is shown: the number, 94,870,000 views in total, ranked third following Japan (113,540,000 views) and Thailand (99,510,000 views).

<K-pop video views on Youtube and Hanlyu> (reference: Joongang Daily)

In fact, this is not that surprising if we take a look to rising K-pop starts receiving attention overseas. Recently Wonder Girls, a representative K-pop girl group success example in the overseas market, performed on the legendary funk band - Earth Wind & Fire’s 40th debut anniversary opening stage receiving favorable response from the audience.

Wonder Girls earlier performed the opening stage of a mega concert of which top musicians of America including Stevie Wonder had participated; there they received enthusiastic response for their songs Nobody and Tell Me while some fans following their song and dances. With their hit song Nobody, Wonder Girls became the first K-pop start to have their song ranked on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2009 and as well had been introduced by Chicago Tribune, one of the 10 major newspapers in the US, on their daily paper and online site.

<Wonder Girls> (photo: Naver Blog)

After the success of Wonder Girls other K-pop singers has been active to enter the overseas music market. JYJ a boy group of three members separated from the previous Dong Bang Shin Ki is planning to release their first regular album in the US. In fact they are the first Korean singer to make a contract with Warner Music, one of the top three major recording labels in the world; Warner will produce and distribute JYJ’s first US album and Kanye West, a renowned musician and producer will be participating. For such reasons even before its release this album received great attention introduced on the main page of Billboard magazine online.

In addition, BoA, who already has a bigger fandom in overseas as a singer will this time  play the main role in Duane Adler’s – a renowned screenwriter of ‘Step up’ and ‘Save the Last Dance’ - new film as an actress.

Why K-pop?

Actually America has much more variety of popular culture; then what makes it possible for K-pop seem to do quite well while American pop world has been dominant? We hear from one American fan, Savannah Daniel who visited Korea to meet her favorite K-pop star G-dragon (a member of Big Bang, a K-pop boy group). She explains her fondness for K-pop is the powerful rhythm and the passion of dances compared to American pop. Last December 26, she finally met her favorite K-pop star happily leaving back to America.

<K-pop fan Savannah Daniel (middle) with G-dragon (right)

and Top, members of Big Bang>

Song Gi-chul, a pop music critic explains the rising popularity of K-pop overseas due to its matching musicality to American pop while discovering more talented singers. According to Song, for such reasons K-pop was able to attain positive attentions from overseas.

K-pop video hits on YouTube is increasing not only in America but also other countries, which it fact indicates possibilities of K-pop to be successfully introduced to other parts of the globe, besides Korea and besides the States this time. For example, people from Middle East countries e.g. Egypt (630,000 views), Kuwait (414,000 views) and other relatively exotic countries e.g. Montenegro (220,000 views), New Caledonia (140,000 views) and Guadeloupe (10,000 views) were even watching some K-pop videos on YouTube.

With a more organized and helpful support we hope to see more K-pop and K-pop singers to be enjoyed by many fans overseas this year.

Bukchon Asian Art Museum

Photos from a field trip of our korean class to Bukchon Asian Art Museum (북촌동양문화박물관). I didn't expected much from this small museum, but I was really amazed by abundance of beautiful, rare and very uncommon exhibits. Very comfortable atmosphere makes you feel like a guest at a home of your friend.
Recommend strongly for visiting, especially in the spring. 적극  추천!^^
Web-site - http://www.dymuseum.com

wall in the yard

view from he roof

ironing utencils

forgot what they were used for, but connected with feng-shui probably

My japanese friend, Mizuho

making fans with my classmates

photo spot number 6 (of 8)

took from photo spot - emphasize contrast of traditional and modern architecture