18 COMMUNITY TUESDAY DECEMBER 29, 2009

Expat Living is a section dedicated to the daily

living of expatriates.
It is printed on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
To share stories about your life abroad, send stories
or story ideas to Matthew Lamers at
mattlamers@heraldm.com
Submissions may be edited for length or clarity.

Daegu’s
top expat
news of the
past year
By Craig White

DAEGU — Daegu seems to be in that perfect little

zone that carefully bridges metropolitan city and tra-
ditional roots.
It’s evolving every year and we expats are witness
to it. Anyone who has been around and has had their
eyes open, will attest to having witnessed big changes
in the past several years.
The internationalizing of Daegu is underway.
Careful, or you might just miss it.

1. Daegu Pockets brings together Daegu

My shamelessly biased plug has relevance for the

top spot. No single event or story in Daegu’s 2009 has
broadly impacted the local expat community in the
same way that our monthly, bilingual magazine has
done.

2. Daegu goes nuts for Facebook groups

There is an insane glut of Facebook groups focusing

on Daegu. And not just foreigners in Daegu. Koreans
in Daegu are embracing the social networking wave
and helping foster a legit international community.

3. Stephannie White loses lawsuit against

Daegu

Stephannie White lost the legal battle, where she

sued the City of Daegu and North Gyeongsang
Province, early in 2009 over the controversial death
of her son in 2008 at a jjimjilbang in nearby
Gyeongsan.
Her son, Mike, drowned in a hot pool and
Stephannie’s lawsuit claimed that the city was liable
due to inadequate laws governing emergency re-
sponse and treatment. Korea’s hundreds of temples, palaces and fortresses are without a doubt some of the most beautiful places to shoot. Here, the sun sets over Gyeongju. Simon Bond

4. Major push continues for medical city status

Daegu continues to pour oodles of money into their

medical tourism initiative. Foreigners arrive in the
city and partake in medical tours, meanwhile medical
complexes get fast-track development throughout the
city.
Top 10 photographic locations
The Photo Challenge is sponsored by Hyosung prepared to go a little out of your way to seek a choice 7. Fishing village
5. Bolt takes a pass on Daegu Camera (English: 010-7203-9599) and Babo Shirts vantage point. Mount Halla and the oreum colonies
(www.baboshirts.com). Winners of the weekly competi- are truly unique in Korea. Use the sunrise and sunset Any journey along the south and east coasts of
In advance of Daegu’s 2011 World Championships tion receive a 50,000 won store credit at Hyosung to enhance these incredible vistas. Korea will take you not only along some fantastic
in Athletics, pre-championship games are being held Camera and a Babo Shirt. To take part in the compe- coastal scenes but also through any number of small
every fall. Daegu citizens eagerly awaited the arrival tition, simply upload your photo at www.flickr.com 3. Buddhist temples fishing villages where you can capture countless squid
of Usain Bolt, only to learn that he opted to take a /groups/seoulphotoclub — Ed. drying in the sun alongside socks and t-shirts where
time out for this event and rest up, instead. Bulguksa near the pace and style of life remain almost unchanged
By Aaron Raisey Gyeongju is the big one from pre-industrial Korea.
6. Daegu’s international events flourish of course, but no mat-
What are they? It’s a tough question and when it ter where you are, 8. Metropolitan back-alleys
Dongseongno Festival, Daegu International Music was asked of me, several obvious spots sprang to there is a Buddhist
Festival, Summer Screen Festival, World Body mind. Insadong in Seoul, Palaces in Seoul, the view temple nearby. Special Getting off the beaten track in urban areas will
Painting Festival. from Seoul’s Namsan Tower, the DMZ. mention must be made yield some surprising photographic opportunities.
It seems like with every passing year, a new inter- These locations are certainly must-haves and al- of Gwaneumsa on Jeju Buildings in various stages of demolition and decay
national festival sprouts up in Daegu and continues most all expats in Korea, no matter where they live, Island with it’s hun- make great images, while modern structures often
to make its mark. get to Seoul at least once before returning home. But dreds of stone statues, provide a backdrop of contrast for traditional tiles and
let’s set these locations Buseoksa in North eaves. Just don’t wear that good white shirt.
7. Love it or hate it, Dongseongno renovation aside for a moment Gyeongsang Province
concludes and think about other sports the patina of age 9. Night views of Seoul
locales around the and Bongeunsa nestles
Daegu’s main downtown pedestrian street re- country. Places that quietly amid the shin- The view from the
ceived a major facelift. Along with it, was the boot- might provide some- ing glass and steel of Namsan Tower is the ob-
ing out of the street vendors. Protests ensued. thing unique or special Gangnam in Seoul. Of vious candidate here,
Bulldozers came in to rid the vendor tents. Problem photographically course look out for the but try a hike up one of
solved. Still can’t find decent street vendor food while retaining that small hidden temples the several mountains
downtown, though. ‘Korean-ness’ we’re tucked away on a Lovers are captured under surrounding Seoul for a
looking for. mountainside or in an the soft light of a street- different night-time per-
8. Rewards for NARCing on illegal teachers I put the question to inner-city back-alley lamp in Suncheon, South spective. Wander up
the Seoul Photo Club near you. Jeolla Province. Simon Bond Inwangsan for a fantas-
Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education decided and a distillation of the tic view of Gyeongbok
to give its first hak-parazzi reward. This is a collective wisdom and 4. Traditional markets Palace and greater
Korean/English fusion word combining “hak” diverse photographic Jongno while the sum-
meaning education, and the English word experiences revealed Again, these are ubiquitous but of special appeal is mit of Gwanaksan over-
“Paparazzi.” In short, DMOE is now paying re- 10 places that, while the opportunity to capture the characters you will see looks impressive night
wards to those who tip them off on illegal tutoring admittedly are a bit and meet, especially in the smaller towns and villages. lights in areas further
and illegal hagwon. general, have the bene- Not to mention all manner of culinary delights to im- south.
fit of being accessible to A man rests after summit- press the family back home.
9. Development of Daegu Subway Line 3 anyone almost any- ing Mount Jiri, considered 10. Anywhere you are
where in Korea. one of Korea’s three most 5. Rice fields in South Jeolla Province
The long-awaited development of Line 3 has begun. Here they are: beautiful. Simon Bond Finally, probably the
Drafting, planning, designing, and soon to follow, ac- Spectacular carpets of vivid green in the summer most important photo-
tual grunt work. 1. Boseong tea plantation in South Jeolla Province and seas golden yellow in early fall. Bump up the sat- graphic location in
Expected to finish in 2014, the Line 3 will be a uration levels for some stunning acreages of solid col- Korea is anywhere you Two women admire some
monorail, breaking tradition with Korea’s penchant You won’t see a greener place in Korea. In season, or. Best in the late afternoon for maximum effect. are. One of the great lanterns at the end of last
for underground subway tubes. the curving rows terraced upon the hillsides catch the positives Korea has as year’s festival. Simon Bond
golden sun in the afternoon and make for amazing im- 6. Festivals a photographic location
10. Agent scandal rocks Daegu FC ages. Try to strike a time when there’s few people is the seasonal cycle. Blossoming in spring, verdant in
though. Like anywhere in Korea, this isn’t easy. Korea, as we all know, is the land of festivals. Two summer, colorful in autumn and white in winter, the
Sport agents were caught embezzling money from events worth mention outside of Seoul are the dy- seasonal changes to the character of the country are
Daegu FC players. Over $600,000 was swindled. 2. Jeju Island namism and colors of the Maskdance Festival in dramatic and often provide something new to see all
Andong and the Jinju Lantern Festival with the year round no matter where you are. All you need to
There is so much to be impressed by in the breath- brilliant and creative lanterns afloat on the Nam do is be out there with that camera.
Craig White is the managing editor of the Daegu taking landscapes that Jeju Island offers if you are River. (raisey@hanmail.net)
Pockets. The opinions expressed here do not necessari-
ly represent those of The Korea Herald. — Ed.