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www.groovekorea.com / August 2014 84 PrEsEnt PErfEct In 2010, Frawley became tired of not being able to answer the question, “What are your hobbies?” in job interviews, and so she began volunteering at Empathy For Life, a private- ly run dog shelter in Ilsan. Today, foreigners make up a large number of the shelter’s vol- unteers and adopters, and fundraisers are held for it every month. One of the hallmarks of this new genera- tion of Ilsanites is its social awareness. Other fundraisers — pub crawls, sports pools, pub quizzes, Oscar pools, Beer Olympics and more — are held regularly and for all sorts of causes: sick children, sick foreigners, the Ko- rean Red Cross, orphanages, families in need and the dog shelter, among others. Oregon native Allison Lee (no relation to Sid), who has organized the Beer Olympics and pub crawls, attends the monthly quiz for the animal shelter. She also adopted a dog from EFL. “As much alcohol as we have here, we have as much heart, if not more,” Lee says. “Many months there are numerous causes within our little corner, and beyond that we get together, drink together and do- nate together.” Looking back on her network, Lee says, “I’ve met some of the best people I’ve ever known here.” The community today is spread out, but the LaFesta–Lake Park area remains the central hub of Ilsan life. Lake Park is the green space that sur- rounds the largest artificial lake in Asia. The park around it is a major gathering place for Koreans and foreigners alike, who hold picnics, walk their dogs or jog on the track around the waterfront. Many foreigners live just across the street from it. Terri Easter, 22 and from Tennessee, just arrived in Ilsan a few months ago. Though she loves Seoul, she prefers Ilsan because “there’s more greenery, you still have the out- door factor (and there are) the little city parks in your neighborhood — Lake Park.” She brought her dog from the U.S. and takes it to Lake Park every day. “He’s trained to go outside, so I can’t imagine having him in Seoul, trying to find grass,” Easter says. Meat Street, on the three blocks north of LaFesta, is a pedestrian arcade with barbe- cue restaurants downstairs and rows and rows of bars above it. It’s busy every night, but on weekends especially it is rammed shoul- der to shoulder with people, often until 3 in the morning. Foreigners gather everywhere, but particularly in the half dozen bars in and around this street. The most popular are the Cocky Bar, Le Pub and Into’s. Many more have come and gone over the years. There’s plenty of foreign food as well, which is often not available in other cities outside Seoul. Nick Montella, 25 and from New Jer- sey, says, “There’s lots of food that’s pretty good: Corner Bistro, they do really good burg- ers. Royal India, their lunch special is awe- some.” In 2011, expats Mark and Mike Gringo set up Gringos, and have been schlepping au- thentic burritos all over Ilsan and the rest of Korea ever since. ‘as mucH alcoHol as wE HavE HErE, wE HavE as mucH HEart, if not morE. many montHs tHErE arE numErous causEs witHin our littlE cornEr and bEyond tHat wE gEt togEtHEr, drink togEtHEr and donatE togEtHEr for. i’vE mEt somE of tHE bEst PEoPlE i’vE EvEr known HErE.’ allison lEE Edited by Jenny Na (jenny@groovekorea.com) COmmuNITy