When "The Expatriate" started publication last year, it was one of my hopes that it would provide a listing column of forthcoming cultural happenings. Unfortunately, this has proved difficult; information about such events tends to appear rather late in the month, and this, coupled with the one-week lag between the submission deadline and the publication of the mag, means that it is often out of date by the time readers will see it. For example, we rushed in a last-minute preview of the Film Festival last month, but many of the showings were sold out in the first few days of the sales.
There is a mini-fest of British movies scheduled for December at the Citizens’ Hall (see below). For more details, call the British Council (807-4612), or get in touch with me. The schedules for the first-run theatres in Nampodong can be found for 300 won in the Pusan Ilbo on Saturdays. There are two other movie venues in town: one is the Pusan Catholic Center, which runs thematic seasons of films from time to time, the other is the Alliance Francaise (see Daeyondong map), which has recent French films twice a day, Monday to Saturday. Another refuge for serious cineastes is your own front room on Sunday afternoons, where you can see international films in their original language on EBS. The films start about 2:00pm, but the exact time varies. The EBS program schedule appears in the Korea Herald, but not the Korea Times.
Pusan has a very lively classical music scene, with performances of one kind or another every night at one or more of the Culture Center’s three halls. The Pusan Philharmonic Orchestra has maintained a very high standard in its monthly concerts under its present conductor, Sung Kwak, and leader, Shin Sang-jun, also an excellent soloist. I recommend you check out the Dong-A Orchestra and Chorus doing Beethoven’s Ninth at the Culture Center on November 7-8 (that’s Friday evening and Saturday afternoon). Apart from orchestral concerts, there are three or four opera productions a year from local companies. They usually play to full houses. There are lots of dance performances, both classical and modern, chamber groups and solo recitals. Korean choirs seem to be invariably excellent and any performance from the great choral repertoire is worth catching. Visiting virtuosi have been somewhat rarer lately than in past years, probably a reflection on the economy .
Look to the universities, particularly Kyungsung, the Small Hall, the Citizen's Hall in Pomil-dong and Namchondong's KBS Hall for various performances.
me regularly to a venue only 35 minutes from Pusan. The bad news is that it’s Fukuoka, Japan. In recent weeks Blur and Eric Clapton have played Seoul. In my nine years in Pusan, however, the biggest international star to appear here (about four years ago) was Jose Feliciano. Jazz has dried up since the closure of the American Culture Center.
Korean pop offers a brighter, although, somewhat puzzling, picture. If you check out any record shop you can see shelves full of CD’s and tapes by untold numbers of artists some of which I wouldn't attempt to categorize. But when and where do they all sing their songs in public? The frequency of live performances isn't too far above zero.
Sokdang Hall on Dong-A University Taeshin Campus offers concerts from the cerebral end of the pop spectrum. The teeny-bop scene is at KBS Hall and is worth a visit just as a cultural experience.
The Municipal Museum, near the Culture Center and the UN Cemetery has had two spectacular shows this year. First, was the British/Korean Navy Exhibition, and then the Splendors of Ancient Egypt. The museum’s permanent display is of local archaeological artifacts.
The "Pompeii: Living Beneath Vesuvius" show will be housed at the Kyoyuk Insurance Building, which also houses the British Council. It is about 200 yards north of Pomnaekol Subway station. It remains on exhibit until November 30.
The three usual places to get tickets are the Foreign Language Bookstore, near PNU Main Gate, Yongkwang Bookstore in Somyon, and Moonoodang Bookstore in Nampodong. Of course, outlets vary according to the promotion company.
The best way to find out what’s coming up is to look at the posters on display at the ticket venues and the banners hung from pedestrian bridges. The easiest magazine listing to get is from the Culture Center, which is available at the Tourist Office next to City Hall, unfortunately it’s in Korean. I try to keep at least one ear to the ground, and I’d be happy to pass on anything I know if you call me at 012) 789-4080.