South Korea, The Growing Giant...
By Edie, The Salsa FREAK
Before actually visiting Korea, my visions of this country were only those I vaguely heard over the airwaves years ago.... “Making headlines tonight, troops in North Korea are pointing deadly war missiles to South Korea, with a direct hit on Seoul…”
War and the threat of war… troops fighting, guns, missiles, rockets…
...then there were the ‘88 Olympics…
…now all you hear are echoes of Oscar De Leon and Celia Cruz
singing their hearts out in the alleys and barrios of South Korea…
These people are NUTS over Salsa! The Korean Salsa scene is growing at a rate of over 100 people per month. New students sign up every day at classes throughout the city. Instructors have literally quit their full-time jobs to do nothing but teach Salsa. The dancers are GOOD, and getting better by the day. I found I could follow every one of them very well, because the moves were so familiar… their hand holds were correct, timing was great… but the moves… oh so familiar, like I was back home in LA… ?
The beginners drank up every move up like water. I’ve never taught a more eager, and talented beginner class. It’s such a pleasure working with people who truly want to learn.
The City…
Korea is a fascinating city. On the tops of some of the skyscrapers are huge large-screen television sets, so when you’re stuck in traffic (which there IS - and a LOT OF IT), you can literally watch TV! You can’t hear anything, but the images are the same. (hhhmmmm… I wonder which channel the ROAD is actually on…!)
Restaurants and Homes…
Our first night, Eliot Minor and his beautiful wife Hyesun took us out to a typical Korean Bar-B-Que restaurant called Kalbe near their home. The first thing we did when we walked in was TAKE OFF OUR SHOES. This is traditionally the “Korean” thing to do, not only before eating, but before you walk into someone’s home. In most traditional Korean homes, they sleep on floor mats. Taking your shoes off keeps Korean homes almost spotless.
The next thing I noticed was how incredibly warm the floors were! Coming from a chilling 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit outside, and then stepping on warmed floors was one of the most pleasurable experiences I’ve ever had. Most home and restaurant floors in South Korea are heated with pipes of hot running water just inches beneath. It’s quite extraordinary. We found out later on, after visiting one of their oldest Temple Palaces called the Hyunju, that this “floor-warming” technology was developed over 600 years ago.
In the restaurant, we noticed that the tables all had VERY SHORT LEGS. There were no chairs there. We were invited to sit on the floor on flat pillows, legs crossed, or underneath us. My thoughts went back to when I was a little kid, at my parent’s house, sitting on the floor, and eating at the coffee table in front of our TV…
The food in Korea is intense. If you don’t have an open mind, it will be very difficult to get used to. (there were also local McDonald’s and Burger Kings nearby) They don’t mix in spices with their food. Garlic and other herbs are served in separate bowls to balance the otherwise bland main course. You eat the main course, which would be a mixture of meat and vegetables, and with metal chopsticks, grab garlic, onions, and spices and eat them separately to balance the meal. Personally, I thought the food was great. I just loved it. Of course, I’m used to eating super-healthy stuff all the time, and had no problem with anything there.
I had never eaten so much “plain” garlic in my life. I had never had garlic stems until I went to Korea. I also got my first taste of world-famous Korean Kim Chi, which is fermented cabbage. It wasn’t that bad! Eliot told us about one of their specialties, which is LIVE octopus legs. Here, they serve you the live octopus, and chop the legs off seconds before you eat them. The best part, apparently, is feeling the octopus legs squirm around in your mouth. Eliot says he still has a problem with it… but is working on it.
MMMMmmmm... YUMMY! L
Of course, knowing me, I’d probably try them… ONCE. Just for the experience… but we never really got around to it this trip…
This is the first time I actually LOST WEIGHT on a trip. The Korean diet is phenomenally healthy. Fish, chicken, beef, cabbage, vegetables and rice… the people look fabulous here. I didn’t see a single over-weight person the entire trip.
Driving…
People drive like maniacs here. Especially Eliot J. I felt like I was in New York…
…no, … it was worse. There are very few traffic signals, much less people signaling, period. Some of the streets are so narrow, that only one car can pass at a time. You just kind of have to force your way into anywhere, hoping the next guy doesn’t ding your car. Almost every car we saw had dings and dents on them. Eliot told us that you just give up hope after a while and accept the fact that your car will not remain “dentless” in this city. Dent repair services would have a hay-day out here!
Shopping…
Korea is “the” place for custom, designer, tailored business / nightclub business suits and shirts. PURSES, jackets and jewelry are other hot buys in Korea. People come from all over the world to purchase wholesale clothing at their Night Market in their central business district. The place reminded us so much of the Garment District in Los Angeles – but with much better prices!
The Dancing…
I noticed, that if I didn’t have garlic and other spices during the day, I smelled garlic and other spices on literally everyone I was dancing with and talking to, men and women, young and old… everywhere. So, I went back to my age-old adage of “when in Rome, do as the Romans”, and stocked up on garlic and spices every chance I got, the rest of the week, so I wouldn’t notice it on others.
Guess what? It worked!
We had a small “Dancers Dress and Etiquette” seminar to kick off our week-long workshops, and I made sure to let the students know that if they’re here in Korea, garlic and onions, Kim Chi and all that is fine before you go out dancing – because EVERYONE else is doing it. HOWEVER, if you’re in the United States and you continue to eat that stuff, don’t go partner dancing that night.
I think I’m just about the only person on earth who could have gotten away saying that to a large group of Korean Salseros. They realized that I love them, and am only looking out for their best interests. Only a true friend would warn them about this.
The Instructional Workshops…
Chung-soo Ha was our interpreter for the week. It was truly an experience listening as Chung-soo interpreted the explanations of the step in Korean to the best of his ability. The language is completely different from any I’ve been exposed to. We also didn’t realize that a lot of the moves like “Cross-body lead, underarm turn, and back break” are spoken, and sound the same in the Korean language.
It was hilarious when the words, “OK class, now cross-body lead, underarm turn, into a backbreak…” were spoken, and Chung-so’s interpretation was, “OK, uh, Coss body leed, ‘unda ahm taun.. ‘back e breka.” All of us cracked up when we heard this! We didn’t realize it was the same!
“OK! Change partners!” we yelled. The interpretation of that was… “OK, pahtena ‘chenja”. We were dying laughing.
They picked up this English-Korean language of dance because of the videos they’ve seen, and instructors like Eliot, and his wife.
Salsa Nightlife…
There are quite a few small Salsa hotspots in Korea. Eliot and Hyesun made it a point to take us out to some of them. One in particular was a place called Moonnight. It is near the US Air Force base, and where many of the Puerto Rican GI’s hang out. When we were there, some of them commented to me, “These Koreans dance Salsa better than we do back home!” I couldn’t agree with them more. Why? It’s all “LA Style”.
… What? LA Style in South Korea?
HOW CAN THIS BE??? Dips, Luis Vazquez’ chin move, tricks, Cool Moves… EVERYTHING I was accustomed to in Los Angeles, was right here, nine different time zones away.
In a country where English is rarely spoken,
”LA STYLE” splashed all over the place!
“THIS IS SO COOL!” I thought to myself. After having taught “LA Style” Salsa in over seventeen different countries, and fighting up the uphill battle of “Cuban style vs LA Style”, I was not AT ALL expecting LA Style moves in a country that’s just starting to catch the Salsa bug.
To tell you the truth,
I was in shock.
Not only could the Korean Salseros execute LA Style moves, but they could execute them very, very well. There was one point when I forgot I was 16,000 miles away from home! I thought I was at Rudolpho’s or something!
The scene is growing, it’s intense, and it’s all “LA Style”,
thanks to Eliot Minor and his beautiful wife, Hyesun.
Among most instructors currently teaching in Seoul, Eliot has been the Salsero responsible for bringing Salsa to Korea. He collected CDs, played them at clubs, taught for free, and found a dance partner that eventually became his wife. Although the road was fun, it wasn’t all that easy.
Since a child, Eliot had always been fascinated with other cultures. Eliot was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He has a certain look about him, that if he were visiting in any country in the world, he would fit in perfectly with the natives.
He moved to the Far East to work for an international consulting firm. With an MBA from the Haas School of business at UC Berkley, he used his fluency in German, Japanese, and Korean to seek out his career and dreams of living and working abroad. After traveling to Europe, and living in Germany, he was now ready to tackle the Far East.
Eliot moved to Korea in 1993, when there wasn’t even a trace of Salsa in Korea. He had just learned how to dance in San Francisco from instructor Alex de Silva. Alex was creating the Salsa wave in San Francisco at the time, and it hit Eliot pretty hard. He loved the music, and more importantly, loved the dance. He was mesmerized at just how beautiful the dance could be. Like so many instructors in San Francisco and LA, Alex de Silva’s dancing had such an impact on him, that it and literally changed his life forever.
Like so many of us, Eliot managed to fit in his “Salsa” craving alongside his “day job” career. After just having learned from Alex, he was on fire, and climbing up the Salsa-Holics Anonymous graph with a vengeance.
When people saw him dance, they asked him to teach. He responded, “I’m not a teacher! I just learned all this stuff last month!” They didn’t care. They heard the music, saw his style, and wanted to learn, no matter what.
Eliot decided to accept the challenge, and learned how to teach by teaching free classes in the evenings, starting with just a few students. Rumor spread like wildfire about this new “Salsa instructor” and “Free Lessons”. His classes started filling up very fast. The Koreans were getting addicted pretty quickly. Every chance he got, Eliot would fly back to the United States to pick up more moves and patterns from anyone he could. He would go to clubs, and sometimes spend the entire evening just watching the dancers, practicing and memorizing patterns to teach his students back home.
Time went by and he met his soon-to-be bride Hyesun. Hyesun owned her own hot-pepper and spices company and just so happened to love Salsa as well. It was love at first site for Eliot, but Hyesun’s company had demands that took her abroad for several weeks before they met once again. Having traveled to places like Europe, and the United States, Hyesun was very well educated in International trade and business commerce. When the two got together again, it was love forever because of the passions they shared.
Hyesun has since quit her job to teach Salsa and Ladies Styling literally full-time. She is a fabulous lead. I danced with her (she was leading me), and she’s very, very good. She picks up new moves and tricks with lightning speed and grace. I highly recommend both Hyesun and Eliot for excellent instructional training.
Since then, Salsa has literally exploded all over the world… and Korea is not far behind. Teachers have sprung up from out of nowhere, and there is even one instructor from New York who now teaches Mambo “On-2”. Eliot and Hyesun will be leaving Korea shortly to start their new careers in San Francisco. Both “entrepreneurs” will be studying, teaching Salsa, starting a family, and continuing their love and passion for the music and dance.
I wanted to take this opportunity to thank Eliot and Hyesun for the incredible work they did in making this historic event actually happen. For creating a memory we’ll all never forget the rest of our lives. The countless hours of setting up performances for us, throwing a huge party for us, the gifts we received, and inviting us to perform on national television (SBS) was truly above and beyond. We’d also like to thank the members of Latin Rhythm Productions, namely Pillhwan Hyun, Chung-soo Ha Eun-young Choi, and Inwook Hur, for assisting, and giving of their free time and love just to make the week’s events run smoothly. We’d also like to thank Ki-ho Lee, for giving us the space to use for the workshops, Doyun Kim of Paso a Paso, Hyna Lee, and JinHyeok, our South Korea World Cityguide Correspondent.
Interview of the World’s First Salsa Instructor in South Korea, Mr. Eliot Minor
Questions for Eliot,
Why did you start teaching in South Korea? What motivated you?
It all started after I did some salsa moves during an Embassy party in Seoul back in September, 1993. People were amazed and asked me how long it took me to learn and if I could teach them. I was still new to Salsa, so I was hesitant to teach at first, however, I soon realized that I knew enough steps and patterns to get a whole room full of Koreans and foreign Embassy diplomats dancing and having a great time. It was all just for fun at the time and we started a tradition of meeting once a week for my salsa lessons, food, and music. I soon had over 50 regular students and kept it going for about two years. I was teaching for free and was just in it for the love of the dance and music and the excitement of meeting many new people.
Did you run into any barriers/obstacles along the way?
The main barrier was that my classes became more and more popular and I did not have enough time to teach because of my job. I also felt limited because I was so far away from the States and was not able to see any other people dancing. There was also no Salsa music in Korea so I had to use the same three or four CDs again and again and again. It was also difficult to develop my dancing because at the time I did not have a regular dance partner to practice with.
How did the students react to your dancing the beginning?
They LOVED IT! Korean society is very conservative and even shaking hands can be a very big step for many people. Traditionally in Korea, women could not hold hands with men unless they were planning marriage. So when they suddenly saw this dance where there was physical contact involved they were shocked and intrigued, but also quietly excited at the same time. Needless to say, after getting over the initial shyness they fell in love with the dance. It was the first time many of them had experienced such “intimate contact” with the opposite sex.
How did they like your teaching?
I was the only Salsa teacher they had ever seen, so they did not have much choice. I felt a little guilty because I knew I was no match for the Salsa teachers I had seen in California, but everyone seemed to enjoy my classes and I even made several National television appearances. I made up for my lack of experience by making the classes fun and throwing in a little comedy here and there. Everyone always had a great time.
What gives you the most satisfaction about teaching?
The biggest satisfaction is seeing people have a good time. Many people come to our classes just to get away from the daily stress at their jobs and to meet interesting people. It really makes our day when people are smiling and they come up to us and say “Thank you, I really enjoyed your class!” Recently, the other big satisfaction is being able to teach with my wife.
What gives you the most satisfaction about how you’ve affected the Salsa scene in South Korea?
These days we can walk into a Salsa club in Korea and see dozens of Koreans out on the floor doing all kinds of exciting moves and having a great time and most of the moves are ones that we taught them. Also, seeing our students build up classes of their own students lets us feel that we are really having a positive impact on the Salsa scene here.
Now that you’ve basically started the Salsa scene in South Korea, will it be hard to leave?
Yes, very hard. We are sad to leave all of our students and the Latin Rhythm dance team which has been working so hard. Everything here is just starting to explode and if we stayed here we feel we could have continue leading the Salsa wave here. Financially there are also huge opportunities now for Salsa in Korea which has been booming in the media and music scene here.
Because your occupation is “International Business”, in nature, do you have other plans to start Salsa again, in another country?
We have plans to come back to Asia some day and continue teaching Salsa for a few more years. This time we may like to go to Southeast Asia like Vietnam or Thailand. And we will definitely spend some more time back in Korea. But first we have some things to take care of in California.
Will you ever go back to South Korea? If so, when?
We will continue to go back to Korea to do some Salsa workshops and to continue training for our Latin Rhythm dance team there. Later on we may go back there to live for an extended period of time.
Why did you decide to move to Walnut Creek in San Francisco?
We had enough of the big city life (14 million people in Seoul) and wanted to go somewhere a bit more quiet and suburban. My job is in San Francisco, so we figured Walnut Creek would be close enough for me to commute. We also wanted to live someplace like Walnut Creek which is warmer. The Oakland Hills block all that cold air from the Bay.
Do you plan on continuing to teach in San Francisco?
We may start slowly because of the move and settling in, but I think we would like to continue teaching. We hope there might be some Salsa fans in Walnut Creek who are interested in learning.
What other talents do you have, and where and when have you performed?
I have performed live on Korean television where I sang traditional Korean songs and Modern Korean pop songs. I have also been in several Korean song contests where I walked away with top prizes. I have a collection of video tapes of me dancing and singing on Korean TV variety shows and talk shows which I am sure my kids will enjoy someday.
What kind of advice do you have to Salsa instructors who are starting out in a new country?
Be patient in the beginning and make sure you can wait it out until you are able to create a following. Also be sure to learn the local language and have an interest in the local customs. Having good relationships will take you a long way in finding real opportunities. Salsa has such strong appeal that it usually does not take long to get strong interest though, and with the right connections there are endless possibilities for exciting new experiences and financial opportunities.
If you had the chance to live your life all over again, is there anything you would have done differently?
I think I would have bought lots of Microsoft stock back in 1987. Other than that I am completely satisfied. I have Salsa dancing, which led me to my beautiful wife, and now all we need is to start our Salsa family, probably next year.
If you had the opportunity to sit yourself down, and have a conversation with your “self”, what kind of advice would you give Eliot Minor?
Work hard, but keep your life in balance. Make time for everything that is important and live every day to the fullest.
Questions for Hyesun,
How did you discover Salsa?
A friend invited me to go to a Salsa bar in Itaewon district called Moon Night. I saw the people dancing and the tropical latin music and I was very excited.
What attracted you to it?
There were very few places in Korea where men and women would dance together because of the conservative Korean culture. So seeing the people enjoying themselves and dancing close together was very exciting. The expression on peoples faces looked like they were so happy.
How long was it after you discovered Salsa before you met Eliot?
After the first time I visited the Salsa bar, I didn’t go again for a few months because
I was busy with work. I just went back a few times but just sat with my girlfriend and watched people dance. Then about 4 months after I first discovered Salsa, I met Eliot, and he offered to show me some moves.
What kind of company did you own before you decide to start teaching full time?
I owned a chile pepper company and was growing peppers in the Philippines to export to other parts of Asia.
Have you and Eliot performed anywhere?
Yes, we have performed at most of the Major Hotel night clubs in Seoul and at parties and events held around the city.
Do you think Salsa is widely accepted in Korea, given the “traditionally” conservative atmosphere and attitudes of the country’s older generation?
No, Korean people still have a negative impression about dancing and most are embarrassed to even think about it. But now the younger generation are being exposed to foreign culture through media and the internet and they are interested in learning new dances including Salsa, Tango, Flamenco and Swing.
I thought it was fascinating that arranged marriages were still the “norm” in South Korea. I also thought it fascinating that any woman who marries the oldest son is forced to live with his parents in their home, and be at the beck and call of her mother-in-law’s demands. How did you manage escape to all that?
The most important thing is that I chose the right person for marriage. I had a very open mind since I was a little girl and enjoyed travel, trying new things, and meeting new people of different cultures. So I was not even thinking about marrying a typical old fashioned Korean guy who was going to make me endure all those traditional customs. I saw some of my girlfriends who married traditional types and they looked so bored and pitiful. I decided that was not going to be me.
What do you have in store for us in San Francisco? Do you plan on continuing to teach, or study, or both?
We were just planning on going to San Francisco and study more Salsa with some of the great Salsa instructors there, but we decided, after some coaching from our good friend Edie, that it would be good to continue teaching there as well. We will probably set up a weekly group lesson in Walnut Creek.
If you had the chance to live your life all over again, is there anything you would have done differently?
I have had no regrets. I studied Korean folk singing, had my own business and now I am married to the best husband in the world. And of course I have Salsa!
If you had the opportunity to sit yourself down, and have a conversation with your “self”, what kind of advice would you give Hyesun Minor?
You are married now and love Salsa, and it is hard to keep it under control because the more you learn Salsa the more crazy it makes you. But you have to control yourself and keep a good balance with your married life. Your husband and his job must come first, then you can enjoy Salsa together.
Both Eliot and his wife may be reached at eliot_minor@yahoo.com