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Islands of Korea, Islands of the World  Stories of Life with the Bbeolbae                                                               Q. You’ve been riding the Bbeolbae for a long time.                                                   Island Story




                                                     Q. How did you start living on Jangdo Island?
                                                                                                                                                                                    .
                                                                                                                                                How many do you currently own?
                       Busu Village,
                                                       I came here when I got married. I moved to Jangdo Island in
                      Jangdo Island
                                                       1980, and the following year, I rode a Bbeolbae for the first time,
                                                                                                                                                It’s already been decades. I raised four children while working on the mudflats with the Bbeolbae.
                     Bbeolbae Expert
                                                       began.
                                                                                                                                                years old.
                    Mrs. Kwak Soyounghee               following my mother-in-law. That’s how my life with the Bbeolbae                         Over the years, I added one after another, and now I own four Bbeolbae, all of which are over ten
                                                     Q. Where do you get your equipment?
                       *Over 40 years of
                         experience                                                                                                           Q. We’re curious about how Bbeolbae are made.
                                                       I usually go to the mainland to buy items like hats and gloves
                                                       when I get the chance.                                                                   Are they built here on the island?
                                                                                                                                                Yes, there are two craftsmen on the island who build Bbeolbae. In the past, we didn’t pay with
                                                                                                                                                money—we used to barter, trading things like soy milk to get a Bbeolbae.
                                             Hat
                                   A stylish work hat I bought
                                   for KRW 5,000 at Beolgyo’s                                                                                 Q. Do you plan to continue living on Jangdo Island?
                                       fifth-day market.
                                                                                                                                                Of course. This island is everything to me now—it’s my whole life. I’ll continue to live here with the
                                                                                                                                                Bbeolbae. I’m too old to go anywhere else
                                                                         Top
                                                                     An old shirt too
                   *Clothing and gear vary                          worn-out to wear
              slightly from person to person.                       outside anymore
      Vol.03



                                                                                Essential Item
                                                                             A rubber band—if it’s not
                                                                            securely fastened, the mud
                                                                               can take everything.




                                                                                             Gloves

                                                                                          3M work gloves
                                                                  Bottoms
                                                            What we call “KELP PANTS”
                                                              Repurposed one-piece
                                                                boots by cutting





                       Shoes

                   Black rubber shoes                                                                             신





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