Early in the morning, there were a lot of text messages coming to my phone. "Hey? Donghak, I am watching you on the TV. I am surprised and It is very nice seeing you..." Even my elementary school teacher called me. Tanks to my job which is an English speaking tour guide in Jeju island, I had a chance to be on TV. 

A few weeks ago I got a call from a TV writer Miss Ahn. She said that MBC broadcast staion wanted to make a 30 minutes documentary film about me and my profession. Because English speaking tour guiding for foreigners is not common thing in Jeju island, where is dominated by domestic and Chinese tourists. And beside of their suggestion, I was thinking to make a film on my tour guiding on my own. So being on public TV show would be a good idea for that. However, consent of me wan't enough to make a film because they needed a consent from my clients as well. And duet to no contact number there was no way to inform them in advance. 'Will they agree with being on TV? and, Even will they join my tour in positive way?" Suddenly I felt my brain heavy with so many questions and nervous for a project. 

The more problem was that they wanted to take my family on the film as well. I had to give a second thought for that. I didn't want to reveal my privacy. It's bit reluctant to ask my family. Anyway I told my wife about this and she said snickerly that "well...It's a good chance to say truth that you are such a idle guy". Well, It was joke with a serious meaning, However, my kid was so gleeful to think of being on TV. Anyway, we had decided to be on TV. How many chances can we get our whole family on TV? and It can be a life memory. 

The filming was divided into two parts. first part lasted 3 days, and second parts lasted 2 days. On the first day of starting to take a film, I and film director were waiting for the clients at the airport. As I mentioned I hadn't informed them about our filming in advance. 'Will they agree with that?' It was a first step for the filming to get an agreement from them. There are 6 people in the group. One was 4 people in Korean-American family and the other one was an Indian couple. Finally, we met them and introduced each other. Carefully asked for a consent for filming. They seemed bit embarrassed at first, but soon all of them said "Why not? It will be a good experiences for our Jeju tour" Yes! They were cool people.  

As a camera kept following us, obviously it seemed my clients were nervous and uncomfortable. Even I was nervous that I couldn't do my guiding properly. Anyway on the first day I brought them to the stone cultural park and explained general knowledge of geology, culture, and history on Jeju island. Actually I love to explain about Jeju island to my clients when they show sincere interest. With doing a job I am good at, I felt confident and my clients seemed feel more comfortable on the camera. However, I felt like I was the one who got nervous mostly among us. 

The next day, filming went on all day long. The tension being on the camera had gone and they started joking and playing in front of the camera. When they seemed comfortable, I felt comfortable as well. My guiding became more natural too. And thankfully the Indian couple dressed in Indian traditional costumes for the film. It added more diverse effect and interests for the show. The director was excited with the Indian couple. 

It was a full and long day. I showed everything I could do in my tour program. I spared no efforts and it was fully rewarded. In the interview my clients gave a heartfelt compliment for my tour. Well, It was too much for me but I was delightful with what they said about me. The filming lasted two more days after we bided a farewell and more episodes came out. If you go to this site you can see a whole show.

https://db.tt/yVInLT93AA

(Jeju travel Mr.Dee) MBC human documentary-Story of us

Early in the morning, there were a lot of text messages coming to my phone. "Hey? Donghak, I am watching you on the TV. I am surprised and It is very nice seeing you..." Even my elementary school teacher called me. Tanks to my job which is an English speaking tour guide in Jeju island, I had a chance to be on TV. 

A few weeks ago I got a call from a TV writer Miss Ahn. She said that MBC broadcast staion wanted to make a 30 minutes documentary film about me and my profession. Because English speaking tour guiding for foreigners is not common thing in Jeju island, where is dominated by domestic and Chinese tourists. And beside of their suggestion, I was thinking to make a film on my tour guiding on my own. So being on public TV show would be a good idea for that. However, consent of me wan't enough to make a film because they needed a consent from my clients as well. And duet to no contact number there was no way to inform them in advance. 'Will they agree with being on TV? and, Even will they join my tour in positive way?" Suddenly I felt my brain heavy with so many questions and nervous for a project. 

The more problem was that they wanted to take my family on the film as well. I had to give a second thought for that. I didn't want to reveal my privacy. It's bit reluctant to ask my family. Anyway I told my wife about this and she said snickerly that "well...It's a good chance to say truth that you are such a idle guy". Well, It was joke with a serious meaning, However, my kid was so gleeful to think of being on TV. Anyway, we had decided to be on TV. How many chances can we get our whole family on TV? and It can be a life memory. 

The filming was divided into two parts. first part lasted 3 days, and second parts lasted 2 days. On the first day of starting to take a film, I and film director were waiting for the clients at the airport. As I mentioned I hadn't informed them about our filming in advance. 'Will they agree with that?' It was a first step for the filming to get an agreement from them. There are 6 people in the group. One was 4 people in Korean-American family and the other one was an Indian couple. Finally, we met them and introduced each other. Carefully asked for a consent for filming. They seemed bit embarrassed at first, but soon all of them said "Why not? It will be a good experiences for our Jeju tour" Yes! They were cool people.  

As a camera kept following us, obviously it seemed my clients were nervous and uncomfortable. Even I was nervous that I couldn't do my guiding properly. Anyway on the first day I brought them to the stone cultural park and explained general knowledge of geology, culture, and history on Jeju island. Actually I love to explain about Jeju island to my clients when they show sincere interest. With doing a job I am good at, I felt confident and my clients seemed feel more comfortable on the camera. However, I felt like I was the one who got nervous mostly among us. 

The next day, filming went on all day long. The tension being on the camera had gone and they started joking and playing in front of the camera. When they seemed comfortable, I felt comfortable as well. My guiding became more natural too. And thankfully the Indian couple dressed in Indian traditional costumes for the film. It added more diverse effect and interests for the show. The director was excited with the Indian couple. 

​

It was a full and long day. I showed everything I could do in my tour program. I spared no efforts and it was fully rewarded. In the interview my clients gave a heartfelt compliment for my tour. Well, It was too much for me but I was delightful with what they said about me. The filming lasted two more days after we bided a farewell and more episodes came out. If you go to this site you can see a whole show.

https://db.tt/yVInLT93AA

My d

 

Mr d

 

(Jeju travel Mr.Dee) Tour with Balloon artist

I had traveled with very interesting tourists. 

They can make anything with balloons, who are so called balloon artist. Wherever we stoped by he made a ballon art for local people. People were so amused by his performance. 

Another funny thing is that his name is Dee. 

Same as mine. Normally Dee is a abbreviation for Debora, which is woman's name but some other names are used as Dee too. And I use this name for my initial. 

Main issue of our conversation during a tour was politics. We had talked about Trump and current situation in Korea. It took a lot of efforts to explain about the situation from bottom to top such as Tamra kingdom, Mongolian occupation, April. 3rd, and how terrible our president is. 

It's shame for both of us because I had to talk bad thing about president Park and he talked same bad thing about Trump. Endless talking was going on and time went flies.

I said " you should join a protest in Seoul for practicing because you probably will do it in four years in your country to get Trump down" he was laughing and agreed with that. I hope he would learn how to protest in peace.

       

(Jeju travel Mr.Dee) It's a hangover soup?Well, we haven't had any alcohol.

They were supposed to arrive at 7:30am but actually they arrived after 8am. Most of clients who arrive at this time normally couldn't afford to have time for breakfast before take a flight. So did they.
So, I took them to the breakfast place whose name is 'Hangover soup restaurant'. In the restaurant they were giggling seeing a menu. "Look at this! It says a name of food is 'Hangover soup'. What a name of food is it?" It's really funny name. However, after meals came out they immediately emptied the bowl even though they didn't have alcohol at all last night.
"Do Korean people really drink a lot?" they asked me curiously with emptying a bowl. I just smiled. Muslims from Malaysia and having a hangover soup? It sounds quite funny.
But they haven't had any alcohol.

* Hangover soup is a beef soup normally Koreans have for breakfast that doesn't contain any alcohol.

I like cascading of Jeongbang waterfall which is so fresh. It is a waterfall cascading directly into the ocean and the water falling down is not from a mountain. Actually it is a spring water. So, you can imagine how fresh it is. I love facing such cool water on my face especially in the morning. and there are wonderful smells of plants emanating on the path we were through.
Out of sudden, a bunch of school girls were busting into the waterfall. It must be a school filed trip. Suddenly It had become chaos like crowded market. Well, What a touristic spot it is! Even though I detest being disturbed reveling peaceful atmosphere by school girls, I still like their energetic youth.

I even more like little Jeonbang waterfall. There are two waterfalls next each other. One is Jeongbang waterfall which is famous for tourists and the other one is little Jeongbang waterfall. As you see the name 'Little' it is a small waterfall. This little one is not much known, so it's always peaceful. luckily there is no one but us. They seemed to prefer this waterfall to the other one.

Travelers are always looking for new places. New places are always mysterious. Jeju island is unknown place for them. So they become suspicious of strangers. As they are strangers to us and we are strangers to them as well. So trust is essential to each other. First one hour after meeting clients is critical because I have to give them my trust in short time. And first impression is important too. There are so many things irritating them such as the language they don't understand, only few people who speak English, clamoring with frown faces everywhere in the airport early morning. Well, my clients must be tired through long journey. I tried to give them impression of reliability. It's so hard but I must do it.   

"Hey Mr.Dee, do you know shiney?" "Do you know Block B?" Umm...Shiney? Block B? I never heard of them. The popularity of K-pop and Korean soap drama in South Asia seems so big to go beyond my imagination. They always ask me about K-pop and drama which I don't know at all due to not much watching watch TV. Today I realize that watching TV is another necessary work to being tour guide.

I am told that lots of people feel comfortable at home when having a tour in a folk village. Well, I don't think a village in Indonesia looks like here either, but I think atmosphere is quite similar. May be it's because relaxing local people or peaceful atmosphere. Anyway there are some common things we can share in country side. I might feel same when I travel on country side in Indonesia as well.

(Jeju travel Mr.Dee) How can I handle these people? Anybody help me!

Well...I had 43 clients from India...

In my assume 4 days was bit long to take all of them around Jeju island. And even there were 6 handicapped people. So It was a big challenge for me. As you know clients from Middle East, India, and Russia are well known for their picky characters. 

There was no way to know what story would come out. It would be a good episode or terrible story. 

It was a first day of tour with Indian clients.

It showed on the screen that the plane CX from Hong-Kong arrived at the airport. After while People were coming out with their lots of luggage and there were some people coming out on a wheelchair taken by airline clocks. " I am sorry, we have to go back with wheelchairs. We can take them only here " the clocks told me that they can't take handicapped people out of a building of airport.  

Well, it a long distance to the parking lot for them. I asked the driver to come here instead of our going there. But the driver denied that because of the ticket camera.   

Anyway we could manage to go to the bus with a lot of luggage. And the bus became full with 43 people. 

After counting, there were 3 people short. So, I ran down to the building to find that they were coming. "I am sorry, we were smoking" Lame excuse they gave me.

It took only 20 minutes to come to a hotel. While checking in the hotel, they just sat on chairs in private coffee shop and opened Indian cookies they brought and started eating. According to the rule of hotel they shouldn't do that. 

Hotel workers tried to stop them but it is already impossible because of a language barrier. Hotel workers came to me to stop them. But It already went chaos. 

" How can I get WiFi?", "Can I get some water?" "I want some coffee for cookies" "Where can I wash my hands?" They just came to me ask bombarded. Come on... I was at lost. I couldn't find how can handle these people for 4 days. 

On the way to dinner, my head was getting really heavy.
On next day, The actual tour began. Continued...

(Jeju travel Mr.Dee) a film making about horse of Jeju: Equida documentary

Today is third day for shooting.

We had started shooting on Haenye in the morning and The ma park in the afternoon.

And we had a good conversation with them. They are very cheerful women.

We try to talk to the women and there is a conversation.

"How long have you been Haenye?" I asked.

"Well...not that long, around 10 years"

Right then, another haenye broke into our interview

"She is lying to you, she's been married for 60 years"

Then the haenye gave a grumble reply.

"Well, it's real irony that I've lived with the stiff-necked old man for 60 years.

With the words every one bursted laughing.

Most of haenyes in there are 70's and early 80's.

We thanks that they allowed us to go dive with them. It was really lucky day.

The shooting in The ma park in the afternoon was great as well. Even though I've seen this show so many times I think today's was the best of all.

I anticipate that the result will come out great.

4th day for shooting.

On hearing about one ancient picture we started pursuing horses and today 

we visited at Seong-up village for that.

In there we are finding out new knowledge about horses.

It was a good chance to have another perspective to Seong-up village.

Well, it's been already 7th day.

We've already come half way on all of the shooting a documentary.

If you drive for only 10 minutes to get out of the crowded city, you will face a vast green prairie which has the back ground of NoKome Orum. And 'Jeju horse riding park' is located on right over there.

We learned the differences between Jeju horse and Halla horse, the problems and prospect of the business.

Most of all, the most interesting thing is that we learned a know-how of breeding horses.

Well, we were so interested in  (Micheal Seo)서 명운's life story and his perspective of horses.(he is an owner of the horse riding park) And then we didn't notice the day already gone.

He said "I have two sons but actually I have more than 120 sons because the horses on the field are my children". we could see how much he loves the horses.

8th day for shooting.

Everybody starts getting tired.

The work is becoming harder and still 6 days more to go.

I think shooting for today is the hardest one so far.

Normally it takes about 5 hours for Yongsil course but it took almost 8 hours with shooting.

No lunch today, we had just cup noodles, one piece of chocolate bar and a cup of coffee at the top of Halla Mt.

Sam and Eric apparently have lost weight for a week. Sam even got allergy to sunlight. Well, I know  It's difficult and stressful to work in foreign country. However, I can see their passion.

We should eat more food to cheer up from tomorrow.

10th day for shooting.

Now, it's turning to the end almost finishing.

Even though it's hard work we got cheered up by the article 

which we are doing.

11th day for shooting

It had been rained all morning and barely shot in the afternoon.

So beautiful scenic came out after raining.

I have learned a lot about Jeju horses for 10 days. 

Now, we have only two days to finish.

   

12th day for shooting.

I think I ruined my final interview because of physical fatigue from long time shooting and sudden tooth ache.

Actually I've never been on local TV as even a small role of extra but unbelievably I was picked up a host of French documentary.

"Well, You been doing well so far and you don't have even a description. Do you?" I am complimenting myself now.

Before they arrived here, I thought I would be on some scenes on the documentary. I never expected I would lead whole documentary.

However, We have only one day to wrap up and we will bid farewell tomorrow.

This documentary is due to air on Equdia channel on 8th September

   

Last day for shooting.

We have learned a lot about Jeju horses with filming for 14 days.

Susan and Grsori area are the places we've spent time a lot because these places are the mecca of Jeu horses.

According to history, Mongolians brought 160 finest horses from Mogolia which were selected for breeding with Jeju original horses and the place 'Susan' was the first place they arrived.

And in Joseon dynasty the central government established a big horse ranch  in Gasiri area in the vicinity of Susan to provide the main land with horses.

However, the Jeju provincial government planed to built a new airport here. It will destroys not only the villages but also hundreds years of culture and natural environment of horse

"Where can we raise horses"? Upon filming a horse farmer's deep sigh hurt my heart.

 

(Jeju travel Mr.Dee) The movie 'Ji-seul'

Hi! today I wan to introduce a good movie 'Ji-Seul'

'Ji-Seul' means potato in Jeju dialect. As you know when there are just little food around

people fill up the stomach with potato.

This movie is about the Massacre April 3rd occurred in Jeju island from 1947 to 1950.

The background of this movie is that......

In 1945, The world war 2 was finished won by US and allies.

Thanks to that, Korea became independent from colonisation of Japan.

However, all of the problems started on that point. We were independent but not completely.

 

 

 

We were independent and splited into two countries, South and North Korea.

Right after got out of colonisation from Japan, Korea couldn't afford to set up an independent government by ourselves.

So, South was under the U.S military authority and North was under the Soviet Union.

U.S represented 'Lee Seung-man' while Soviet Union made 'Kim il-sung' stand before people.

Then Korea was splited by two ideology named 'capitalism and communism'

Lee Seung-man wanted to won his government without North Korea but he soon faced

huge resistance by people. People wanted an independent and unified government.

There were many commotions in everywhere in South Korea and people were put down by soldiers.

 

 

Jeju island was one of those places.

Soldiers from main land infiltrated into Jeju island and started putting down the uprising.

Jeju people were too innocent and ignorant to know about ideology, capitalism or communism.

However, anybody who was related to 'riot'( US and government called the uprising 'riot') were killed.

Who jumped to conclusion Jeju people rose a riot?

The word 'riot' is beyond of Jeju people's world. They were just killed by the name of rioters.

More than 30,000 innocent people were killed by soldiers who didn't know the reason why people have to be killed. In that time total population in Jeju was 120,000.

By the way....... this movie is not a documentary on the massacre.

This movie doesn't show any political color.

It doesn't show why people were killed.

It shows how innocent people were killed.

 

At first I thought this movie is just low budget B movie but 10 min after movie started

it changed my expectation. I am just being absorbed into the movie.

It was amazing to make this movie with that much low budget.

The story is compelling, Sound and music was beating the heart, and unforgettable scenes.

Above all I like the dialogue which is superb in the movie.

Most of them speak only Jeju dialect in the movie and it is so humorous contrasted with a such tragic situation.

 

I can feel the directors passion and effort in the movie.

If my comments still doesn't appeal to you...... How about this?

The movie 'Ji-Seul' awarded a grandprix prize in the Sundance Movie festival.
donghak1008@gmail.com