Good for the Seoul
Article Transcript
Editor’s Note: ISCA member Yonie Woo, owner of Gallery Woo Caricature Cafe and Fun Caricature company, has invited many caricature artists from all over the world to come and work for a few months. Some like it so much, they decide to stay — indefinitely. One such person is current ISCA Vice President, Lorin Bernsen. Turn the page for more photos and a glimpse into his new life in Seoul, Korea.
I first came to Korea two years ago. My initial idea was simply to attend the Korean Mini-Con in June of 2010 (which was a GREAT deal of fun), and then spend the rest of the summer drawing caricatures with Yonie Woo’s Fun Caricature company in Seoul. What I didn’t expect was how much I would fall in love with this place, and the close friendships I would gain from being here only a short five months. So after traveling to Las Vegas for that year’s ISCA Convention, I became determined to come back here and stay here as long as I could. It took another year for me to make preparations, but with the help of Yonie and Won Young, the company’s manager, I obtained a new work visa and moved to Korea in December, 2011.
Please be aware that I’m certainly no expert on the history and culture of this country, nor am I fluent in speaking its language (yet). I am still very new to Korea, and these are simply the observations of one foreigner, based on my first 11 months living here.
There are many challenges that come with living in another country. Simple, everyday tasks like shopping for groceries or going to the post office present their own little obstacles which must be overcome. Being an outsider here means that I’m going to make LOTS of mistakes on a regular basis. It’s inevitable, but it’s how I learn. Sometimes I bounce right back and try it again, and other times I get so embarrassed that I feel like burying my head in the sand. CONFIDENCE is a key factor. Some days I have a lot of confidence; other days ... not so much. But most of the time, I’m willing to try new things. I will often walk into a restaurant by myself and order a meal ... even if I don’t always know what it is I’m ordering!
There’s actually a large dose of the English language here in Seoul, both in written form and in the multi-lingual abilities of many people here ... something I DID NOT expect to find. This is especially evident in all of the subway stations, where the signs are written in at least three languages, and where complete strangers will routinely ask, “May I help you?” if I look a bit lost. The friendly demeanor of people here, coupled with a lot of imported stores, restaurants, and other products, easily make Seoul a very foreigner-friendly city.
It IS possible to simply “get by” here, as a lot of foreigners do, without really learning ANY Korean, but that just doesn’t sit right with me. I’m attempting to learn to speak, read, and write in the native language of my host country. Still, I’ve found that people here are almost always EXTREMELY generous and patient with me if I stumble over a certain pronunciation, or if I simply don’t understand something. When they see that I’m making a genuine effort to communicate, they will often help me “fill in the gaps.
Of course, communicating with customers is the key to being successful when drawing live caricatures, no matter WHERE you are. You still have to let them know how much it costs, how long it takes, and so on. Knowing and memorizing a few simple phrases will usually get the point across. I’ve been practicing saying numbers and amounts of money, but when that fails, I can always just point to the sign. Many times I find myself speaking “Konglish,” which is basically English with a few Korean words sprinkled into the mix. But, since Seoul is a very international city, not everyone I encounter speaks Korean. So when I get a bit tongue-tied, I can rely on good ol’ body language to express whatever it is I’m trying to say. That may sound silly, but it actually works pretty well!
Fortunately for me, I am able to DRAW CARICATURES here in Seoul (THANKS, Yonie!!). Retail caricature brings with it a whole slew of on-the-job scenarios, but most of them are VERY familiar to me, because of the 18 years I’ve spent doing the exact same job at different places in the United States. People will ask certain questions (“Can you write my name on the drawing?” “Do you take credit cards?” “Can we pick our drawings up later?”), and even if I don’t completely 100% understand the WORDS they are using, I’m usually able to recognize the situation and respond correctly. Fidgety little kids, unsatisfied customers, giving directions to the bathroom ... these are all things which I suspect are universal in nature, and are relatively easy for me to overcome, despite any language or cultural barrier.
It’s difficult for me to pinpoint exactly what it is about Korea that appeals to me so much, or why I feel so comfortable here. Maybe it’s the healthy lifestyles of its people (they do a lot of hiking, and they eat healthy foods ... although, oddly, there ARE a lot of smokers here as well, which is disheartening to me). Maybe it’s the culture, which seems to have a strong emphasis on peace, love, and friendship (there’s a lot of holding hands, whether it’s between romantic couples, or between same-sex friends). Maybe it’s the insight I gain from being able to dispel myths that a lot of people in the U.S. and other countries may have about this place (only a handful of Koreans are short in stature; many are as tall as I am, or close to my height). But mostly, it’s the lack of familiarity with my surroundings. For me, this is a chance to learn and grow, both personally and artistically. This is my 40th year of life, and in many ways, coming here is a chance to begin anew. Like I’m fresh out of college, and I am once again experiencing “the real world” for the first time ... but with the benefit of hindsight and experience!
Lorin Bernsen has been drawing live caricatures since 1994. A native Texan, he got his start at Six Flags in Dallas. Although he’sworked many gigs over the years as well, the bulk of his experience has been in retail caricature, drawing mostly in the United States. at such venues as Universal Studios, Sea World, and the State Fair of Texas. He credits ISCA and its conventions with not only keeping him interested in the art of caricature, but with introducing him to other artists from around the world, and providing career opportunities such as drawing in Seoul.
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