ciara in seoul

R&B Diva Ciara to Perform in Seoul

American R&B singer Ciara poses for Korean photographers during a press conference at the Woo Bar, W Hotel in eastern Seoul, Thursday afternoon. She held her first concert at the Fencing Arena, Olympic Park, Seoul, Friday. / Yonhap By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter American R&B star Ciara may often be compared with other successful singers like Beyonce and Rihanna, but she wants to be known for her own unique musical style. ``Beyonce, Rihanna and I are all different from each other. I have a lot of respect for what they do. All I know is that I'm me. If you see me, you can see the difference,'' she said, in a press conference at the W Hotel in eastern Seoul, Thursday. Ciara is currently in Seoul to perform in her first concert at the Olympic Fencing Stadium, Olympic Park, Friday evening. The pretty 21-year-old singer described her second album ``Ciara: The Evolution,'' as a personal reflection of the changes in her life. The album has sold over two million copies since it was released last December. ``This album covers my life's changes through the years. I have evolved as an artist and a woman in many ways,'' Ciara said. ``This is definitely different than my old record. I just did what felt good to me. This album is all about having fun. I want people to dance and have a good time when they listen to it.'' Ciara burst into the music scene in 2004, with the hit dance song ``Goodies,'' which topped the Billboard charts in the United States. This was followed up by another hit song ``1, 2 Step,'' a collaboration with Missy Elliot; and ``Oh'' featuring Ludacris. Her debut album ``Goodies'' sold over three million around the world. She was nominated for two Grammy Awards. Her latest album has already spawned several hit songs ``Promise,'' ``Get Up,'' and ``Like a Boy.'' Ciara admitted she is inspired by the music of Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Prince and Madonna. But when she's preparing for a concert, she loves to listen to Sade. At the press conference, Ciara was wearing a white top, a black leather cropped jacket and jeans tucked in funky platform boots. When asked about her fashion style, Ciara said she has a very ``spontaneous'' style and tries to be creative with whatever she's wearing. As a successful singer in the U.S., Ciara was asked to give some advice for Korean artists like Se7en and Rain, who are trying to enter the American music industry. ``The most important thing about the American market is to have a great melody, and to 'just be you.' Americans love great music productions. It would also be cool to have collaborations with American artists,'' she said. Ciara said she really likes Korean barbecue, and would like to sample different Korean dishes. She also wants to visit Dongdaemun Market to check out Korean fashion. ``People here are really sweet. It's a blessing to be able to travel around the world to perform. I'm enjoying it very much. I hope to be back at least once a month because Korea is such a beautiful place,'' she said.

off to the mountains

Rediscovering Korea's 'Spine'

A view of the steep drop as the hikers descend from Seo-bong in Deogyu-san national park, located between North Jeolla and North Gyeongsang provinces. / Photo courtesy of Andrew Douch and Roger Shepherd By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter New Zealander Roger Shepherd had already walked 350 kilometers of the Baekdu-daegan mountain ridge in June last year, before he realized he should be documenting his trek through the ``spine" of the Korean peninsula. The Baekdu-daegan is the mountain range that runs through the Korean Peninsula (both North and South Korea), passing through every province except for Gyeonggi, South Chungcheong and Jeju Island. Shepherd was so entranced by the range's beauty and the friendliness of the Korean people he had met during his trek, that he felt more foreigners should know about this hiking trail. Thus, the idea to traverse the 670-kilometer Baekdu-daegan mountain ridge in South Korea was born. Baekdu-daegan means ``white-head great-ridge.'' It starts at Mount Baekdusan in North Korea, and ends at Mount Jirisan in South Korea, running nearly 1,625 kilometers from end to end. But the two Kiwis are doing the South first. Shepherd, a policeman from Wellington, vowed to return to Korea to walk the entire Baekdu-daegan trail, and to write an English hiking guide so that other foreigners can explore the area. He met fellow New Zealander, Andrew Douch, who has been living in Korea for seven years and also interested in hiking through the Baekdu-daegan. As they did their research, Shepherd stumbled on a Web site dedicated to Korea's native mountain spirit, which was run by Kyung Hee University professor for tourism David Mason. They couldn't have found a better person to ask for help, since Mason has spent the last 25 years doing research on Korea's sacred mountains, one of which is Baekdu-daegan. On his Web site (www.san-shin.net), Mason described the Baekdu-daegan as the ``theoretical 670 km-long geomantic earth-energy main stream.'' The Baekdu-daegan ridge holds most of the highest peaks of Korea. More importantly, it has spiritual significance, since it is believed to be the life-energy source of Korea. It is ``important in traditional Korean thought, a key aspect of 'pungsujiri' (geomancy) philosophy and practices.'' Baekdu-daegan has roughly half of Korea's most sacred mountains, and the source of all of Korea's major rivers is found here. ``The Baekdu-daegan is believed by traditionalists of all sorts (Buddhists, Confucianists, Shamanists, Nationalists, Taoists and even many Christians) to continuously feed essential life-energy throughout the land of Korea, and thus into all its agricultural products and spring-waters, and thus into its people. Its unimpeded clear flow is considered necessary for the birth and raising of heroic and virtuous citizens, and thus for the health, strength and prosperity of the Korean nation,'' Mason said. Journey Begins The 2007 Baekdu-daegan Expedition Team is on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to go where no other foreigners (at least to their knowledge) have gone before _ to trek the entire South Korean portion of the Baekdu-daegan. Both Douch and Shepherd have taken time off work to do the hike, while Mason helps them by researching the historical and cultural background of the area. The team started its trek from Jungsan-ri, Jirisan National Park on Sept. 1, and traveled northward with the ``sun behind their back'' as Shepherd put it. When Douch and Shepherd met with reporters at the Buseoksa Temple over the weekend, they had already covered a significant portion. The trek was originally supposed to take 70 days, but they have progressed much more quickly. They are now expected to complete the expedition on Nov. 7 at Jinbu-ryeong in Seoraksan National Park. ``Walking has become our job. There's not much of that psychological barrier that we had at first. We were struggling with our fitness, we were like `Oh my God, there's four more kilometers left?' Now, we're like, `Oh, 4 kilometers more. Great!','' Shepherd said, as he and Douch met reporters at the Buseoksa Temple, near Punggi town in North Chungcheong Province. Douch said they had originally estimated walking an average of 10 kilometers a day to be able to finish the trek in 70 days, but they would sometimes walk as much as 25 kilometers a day. At the start, they brought heavy packs that contained three day's worth of food and supplies. But they soon decided to just look for minbaks (rural home-stay) after every day's hike, since there are many villages and towns near the Baekdu-daegan trail. It has turned out to be an interesting way to experience rural life in Korea's countryside. ``I'm now a big fan of rural Korea. There is a laid-back atmosphere in the small towns. People are friendly and curious. They always wear genuine smiles and feed us fruits. We are very grateful for that,'' Douch said. Like most hikers, they also leave their ribbons on the trail. Hiking through the Baekdu-daegan is gaining popularity among Koreans, who leave their ribbons to indicate their success in conquering the trail. Shepherd and Douch have not experienced any major problems during the trip, save for losing weight, a bad bout of gastroenteritis and some friendly arguments over Scrabble games at night. Douch recalled how an old man asked to check their backpacks because he thought they were stealing the expensive pine mushrooms that grow in the mountains. Another time, they were walking down the hill and found themselves in the middle of a Korean couple's outdoor party. When asked if they have experienced the spiritual power the ridge holds, Shepherd said he certainly feels a lot stronger than when they started the trek. ``You can't ignore that idea. It is certainly in the back of our minds. The energy from the Baekdu-daegan is mostly positive and the water from the streams is the provider of life. A lot of people admire and worship the mountains. So somehow it becomes ingrained in you,'' he said. Spectacular Scenery The 30-year-old Douch and 41-year-old Shepherd can't help but gush about the spectacular autumn scenery in Korea's mountains. While New Zealand has its own breathtaking natural scenery, they admit Korea has its own unique charm. ``I think the Korean scenery is probably on a par with any other part of the world. Some people would say New Zealand is such a beautiful country, but every country would have something that is truly remarkable about their landscape. ... We get to the top of these ridges, and we look out on a clear day and we will see lines of mountains all in contrasting lights. It's amazing,'' Shepherd said. Attempting to walk over 600 kilometers in the mountains might seem intimidating, but the two hikers said anyone with reasonable fitness could complete the Baekdu-daegan trail. Shepherd noted Korean mountains are very accessible for hikers, although basic knowledge of Korean is needed to read the signs. He suggests people do the trek during early autumn (September to October) or spring (April to May) to be able to experience cool, moderate weather and see the beautiful scenery. The Baekdu-daegan is currently the focus of the Korean government's efforts for preservation. In 2003, the government implemented a law mandating the preservation of ``the backbone of the Korean peninsula and the treasure house of its ecosystem.'' Last year, the area was designated a national nature preservation park. While these efforts are lauded, Douch and Shepherd suggest there could be more to help foreign hikers, such as English signs and more facilities for hikers. As they are on the brink of successfully walking the South Korean trail of the Baekdu-daegan, Douch and Shepherd still dream of trekking the North Korean portion. The Baekdu-daegan expedition team is planning on coming up with an English guidebook to help future hikers. There are also plans for a coffee table book featuring the photos of the trail taken by Douch and Shepherd, along with cultural information written by Mason. With this project, they hope that one day, the Baekdu-daegan can become an internationally known long distance trail like the Appalachian Trail, Sierra Crest Trail, Inca Trail and the Great Wall of China. You can track the progress of the 2007 Baekdu-daegan Expedition Team on their blog www.baekdudaegan.blogspot.com.

megdeth

Megadeth Promises Memorable Concert

Megadeth will perform at Olympic Hall, Olympic Park in southern Seoul on Oct. 28. By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Legendary thrash metal band Megadeth might have undergone some line-up changes in recent years, but founder and frontman Dave Mustaine promises to give another energetic, memorable concert experience in Seoul Oct. 28. ``Even the critics agree that this is the best Megadeth. The old guys were all great, but this is a different band with a new energy. … For people who have never seen Megadeth before, this will be a positive, and fresh experience,'' he told The Korea Times, in a telephone interview. The new Megadeth line-up includes guitarist Glen Drover, Glen's brother Shawn Drover on drums, and bassist James LoMenzo. Mustaine had originally formed Megadeth after leaving Metallica in 1983, but the band has undergone several changes throughout the years. The band is one of the pioneers of American thrash metal music. Mustaine said the band will be playing for an hour and a half in Seoul, with a repertoire of old and new songs. ``We assure fans that they're not going to walk away without their money's worth,'' he said. Megadeth is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, with the release of their new album ``United Abominations.'' The album has received critical acclaim, even being compared to Megadeth's most popular album to date ``Countdown to Extinction.'' It includes politically charged songs that touch on topics like 9/11 and Afghanistan. When asked about Megadeth's secret to its longevity, Mustaine attributed this to being truthful to his fans. ``My secret is being honest with my fans. I have problems with lying. I hate being lied to. … What I always say is under-promise and over-deliver. We will deliver a great performance. We're going to be on fire. Trust me when I say that. We're going to let the music speak for itself,'' Mustaine said. Mustaine actually knows a bit about Korean culture, thanks to Taekwondo. ``I studied Taekwondo and I had to write an essay on Korean culture. So I wrote about kimchi. I love kimchi,'' he said. Mustaine has mellowed down through the years. When The Korea Times called him up, he said he was ``cleaning up in the kitchen'' at his home in California. He said he was very happy with his married and home life now. ``I can see myself making music for the rest of my life. But performing with Megadeth? I'm going to know when it stops. I thought it was approaching a few years ago. … I see the end is coming but it's not here yet,'' he said. Megadeth will perform at the Olympic Hall, Olympic Park Oct. 28. Tickets for the concert are 88,000 won and 66,000 won. For information, visit ticket.interpark.com (Korean only). No English reservation service available. Tickets will be available on sale at the venue on the day of the concert.

travel in style

It's More than 'Samsonite'

Samsonite president and chief executive officer Marcello Bottoli is transforming the brand from a pure luggage company into an aspirational travel lifestyle brand. / Courtesy of Samsonite Korea By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Samsonite has been synonymous with sturdy, high-quality luggage. But in the last few years, Samsonite is taking a distinctly stylish turn, rolling out edgy, fashion-forward suitcases by top designer Alexander McQueen. The man behind Samsonite's rebirth as a fashionable, lifestyle brand is Marcello Bottoli, Samsonite president and chief executive officer. ``Being just a luggage company has kept the company flat for many years. We needed new ideas to grow. Being a lifestyle company allows you to expand into so many other categories, which means more opportunities,'' Bottoli said, in an interview with The Korea Times. Samsonite is expanding its line of products to include the high-end Black Label collection, and other travel accessories such as handbags, shoes and sunglasses. When Bottoli joined the company in March 2004, luggage sales accounted for 90 percent of the business. Now luggage sales are less than 60 percent of the business, but he said he would like to bring it down to 50 percent. ``We are convinced the brand is bigger than the business. The brand is worth much more than the size of the business. There are plenty of opportunities to stretch the brand into other categories,'' he said. Bottoli, a former CEO at luxury brand Louis Vuitton from 2001 to 2004, is fully aware of the risks of stretching the brand too thin. This is why Samsonite is focusing on products that combine the functionality of travel with contemporary and provocative designs that make consumers ``want'' the brand. ``If I make a pair of shoes that are the same as Ferragamo or Tod's, then why buy Samsonite? But if I make the ultimate travel shoe with Samsonite, it will work,'' he said, as he showed off a white Samsonite shoe designed by Italian shoe designer Alberto del Biondi. ``It is extremely light, made of fine Italian leather and has a lycra-like material that expands because your foot expands when you travel. It fits like a glove, but it retains its shape. The sole also massages your feet and stimulates circulation as you walk. I can wear it with a suit or a pair of jeans. It is all about travel,'' he added. The Samsonite Black Label Concertine collection is a line of fashionable soft leather travel bags, inspired by the classic concertina musical instrument. / Courtesy of Samsonite Korea Asia is an increasingly important market for Samsonite. ``Asia is the most exciting part of the world, business-wise, economic-wise, demographic-wise … Japan, Korea and China used to follow the trends, but now they are making the trends,'' Bottoli said. Samsonite launched its high-end Black Label 2008 collection with an exclusive preview party and fashion show in southern Seoul, Tuesday evening. Korean actor Jeoung Jun-ho and actress Uhm Jung-hwa walked the runway. At the event, Bottoli announced French actress Milla Jovovich will be the new model for the Samsonite Black Label ad campaign next year. Previous ad campaigns had featured French actor Jean Reno, British tycoon Richard Branson and Italian actress Isabella Rossellini. Samsonite global creative director Quentin Mackay said the new Black Label Weekend Collection combines the brand's rich, 97-year heritage, functionality with modern design and fashion edge. ``Today we want to live in luxury. A luxury that runs through everything we do, and make a statement along the way. The Black Label Weekend Collection brings to life these ideas and thoughts in a number of varied and luxurious travel pieces and accessories,'' Mackay said. The Weekend Collection has five distinct styles, namely Resort, Resort Signature, Concertine, Waifer and Bayamo. Resort is a modern interpretation of classic luxury leather bags, while Resort Signature features Samsonite's house monogram print on canvas. Concertine features stylish, accordion-like leather bags that can be expanded, while Waifer reinvents messenger bags. Bayamo is a collection of structured business and travel bags for men. Samsonite is also re-issuing the iconic trunk, which was originally launched in the 1920s and 30s. Only 2,500 pieces of the handmade trunk will be distributed around the world.

fashion again!

Seoul Collection, Preview of Spring Trends

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Top Korean designers gave a preview of upcoming fashion trends for spring and summer 2008, during the eight-day Seoul fashion week, which ended Friday. The Seoul Collection, billed as Korea's biggest fashion event, lost some of its luster as designers from the oldest fashion group, Seoul Fashion Artists Association (SFAA), chose not to participate. Instead, the SFAA will hold its own event in November. Only 35 designers, either independent or affiliated with Korea Fashion Designers Association (KFDA) and New Wave in Seoul (NWS), participated in the Seoul Collection. Last March, there were 48 designers who held fashion shows for their fall/winter 2007 collection. Despite the controversy, the Seoul Collection kicked off on Oct. 19 at the Seoul Trade Exhibition Center (SETEC), starting with the men's wear collections. For the general idea by BumSuk's spring and summer collection, designer Choi Bum-suk said he was inspired by Philippe Greenleaf, a character from Patricia Highsmith's novel ``The Talented Mr. Ripley.'' Models walked the runway holding stark black umbrellas, while wearing chic outfits that expressed ``light emotion but a luxurious classic style.'' Soft pink and gray suits showed up at Seo Eun-gil's collection G.I.L. Homme, while Jung Hyun-tae designed crisp, white layered sporty outfits for mvio's collection. Han San-hyuk took unisex dressing to the next level, where male and female models wore identical outfits. The women's wear collections started on Oct. 22, with NWS president and designer Park Choon-moo's show featuring dark, cocoon styles evoking an image of the moon. Renowned hanbok designer Lee Young-hee combined the characteristics of the two-dimensional Korean traditional costumes with the three-dimensional Western-style dress, to create hanbok with a modern twist. Husband and wife team Andy & Debb emphasized their signature style of simple and modern cuts in their collection. The clothes' silhouettes were clean and fluid, and done in sunflower yellow, light gray and fuchsia pink. Lee Eun-jung's E.J. Lee collection was fresh and stylish, encompassing a circular design for all the pieces. Heo Ha-na's collection for hana.h showed both loose and slim fitting clothes in linen, printed silk and chiffon. Park Eun-kyung took inspiration from the late Princess Diana's modern and elegant look. Imseonoc held her fashion show on Friday, featuring beautifully crafted clothes in green, navy, white, black and light orange. . While this year's Seoul Collection may have lacked designers, it was made up with star power. The Hallyu Fashion Festival, a free fashion show, was held on Oct. 21 at the Seoul Plaza, in front of City Hall. Designers Han Seung-soo, Park Herin, Hwang Jae-bock, Yang Sung-sook, An Yoon-jung and Lim Hyun-hee showcased designs from their 2007 fall/winter collection. The show attracted fans of hallyu star Choi Ji-woo, as well as actors Jeoung Jun-ho and Shin Hyun-jun. Celebrities Hyun Young, Shinhwa's Andy, Fly to the Sky's Brian, Baek Ji-young and boyband FT Island also took the catwalk to model the designer clothes. However, the show did little to promote Korean fashion, since many in the audience were only there for the pop musical performances. The next Seoul Collection, featuring 2008 fall/winter collection, is scheduled for March 2008.

M

Singer M Rises to New Heights

Lee Min-woo, also known as M, has released his third album ``Explore,'' which shows a more mature musical sound. / Courtesy of Open World Entertainment By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter When you've been a member of one of the country's longest-running boy bands for nearly a decade, it would be tempting to sit back and enjoy your success. But not if you're Lee Min-woo who is not just known as member of the popular group Shinhwa, but also a solo singer, music producer, songwriter, actor and businessman. This year, Lee started his own company M Rising Entertainment, released a third solo album, held successful solo concerts in Korea and Japan and produced songs for several artists. In an interview with The Korea Times at his office in southern Seoul, Lee said he established his own company so he can produce the music that he wants to do and develop new talent. ``It was a kind of independence for me. I wanted to do more music and have more concerts, and produce (music) for other singers,'' he said. Lee appears to be following in the footsteps of former pop-stars-turned-entertainment-moguls such as Park Jin-young and Yang Hyun-suk (a member of popular Seo Taiji and Boys) who have built their own companies JYP Entertainment and YG Entertainment, respectively. ``I used to envy Rain and Se7en because they had Park Jin-young and Yang Hyun-suk, who are both great music producers. They both had great musical influences behind them. But later, I changed my mind. Now I want to raise another artist like them (Rain and Se7en). I am now a producer and I want to produce another good singer,'' he said. Lee is also involved in producing songs for other artists such as fellow Shinhwa member Jun Jin and Wonder Girls. The song he wrote for Wonder Girls impressed Park Jin-young so much that he asked Lee to write and produce a track for his upcoming solo album. In the future, Lee would want to try and make it in the American music industry, not as a solo singer but as a music producer. ``I want to produce songs for American artists. The U.S. is the biggest market now. All the music I like is coming from the U.S. I would like to take part in the American music scene but there are still a lot of prejudices that exist. Someday I would like to break in the U.S. Maybe not next year but in the future,'' he said. M the Singer Lee, who is more popularly known as M, showed a mature, sophisticated sound in his third album ``Explore.'' He produced nine out of the 12 tracks on the album, including collaborations with hip-hop stars Tablo of Epik High (they acted together in the MBC sitcom ``New Non-Stop 5'') and Drunken Tiger's Tiger JK. The charismatic 28-year old singer said he tried to make ``Explore'' different from Shinhwa's albums, and the solo albums by fellow Shinhwa members Shin Hye-sung and Kim Dong-wan, which were released almost at the same time. ``I tried really hard for this album. I was excited to finally do the music that I wanted to do,'' he said. ``I tried to make it different from Shinhwa. When I write songs, I focus on the trends and try to make it catchy so many people will like my songs.'' His album will be released in Japan in November. Lee said he will re-record two or three songs in Japanese. Lee is quite proud of the quality of his solo concerts, especially since he gives particular attention to every detail. He is planning to hold concerts around Korea later this year, and around Asia next year. ``Come to my concert and your thoughts about me will totally change. I'm very confident about my concerts. It is worth the price of the ticket,'' he said. Shinhwa Activities Despite his busy solo activities, Lee does not forget about Shinhwa. It has been nine years since Shinhwa made their debut with SM Entertainment. When asked what he thinks is the reason for Shinhwa's continued popularity, Lee believes it is the group's charisma and personality both on and off-stage. ``When all six members go on stage, I feel like we all have the same objective and we are working toward the same goal. Shinhwa means `myth' and as we get older, we want to really become a legend," Lee said. Just how strong is Lee's love for Shinhwa? ``If I have to choose between Shinhwa and the woman I love, I would choose Shinhwa. Shinhwa is the biggest part of my life,'' he smiled. Shinhwa is scheduled to release a single in December, and to hold a concert in Shanghai, China on Dec. 15. The group is also planning to release a new album in March, to coincide with Shinhwa's 10th anniversary.

belgian food!

Mignon Terrace Serves Belgian Cuisine

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter The first thing that comes to mind when you hear of Belgian cuisine is probably those yummy Belgian waffles and chocolates. Mignon Terrace, located in Itaewon, is a quaint restaurant serving dishes from Belgium and Southern France. The menu, which is written in English and French, features a fairly extensive array of Belgian and French dishes to choose from. The appetizer menu included goat cheese salad, smoked salmon salad, and several dishes featuring mussels. We opted for the mussels in Provencal sauce (14,000 won). While waiting for the dishes, we were served French fries and a basket of bread. When the pot of steaming hot mussels arrived at our table, we were surprised at how big the serving was. The mussels were fresh, and cooked in a light but flavorful tomato-based sauce. While we really liked the mussels, the serving seemed a bit too much for two people. As for the main dish, we decided to go with the house recommendations, Waterzooi of chicken with cream sauce and potatoes (19,000 won) and grilled scallops with garlic served with saffron risotto (24,000 won). Waterzooi, a creamy chicken stew, is a popular dish in Belgium. The chicken is cooked to tender perfection, as the meat easily falls off the bone. Unlike most cream sauce dishes, the cream sauce does not overpower the chicken's flavor in this tasty dish. On the other hand, the scallops dish was cooked well with the garlicky sauce. There was a small portion of saffron risotto, which unfortunately was quite dry. To end our meal, we chose the iced souffle with Grand Marnier (6,000 won) as dessert. Other desserts include cream caramel, dark chocolate mousse, crepes Normandy (flambeed apple crepe with ice cream) and Belgian waffles. Belgian waffles can be served plain; with fruits or with ice cream. Overall, Mignon has a stylish atmosphere, but still remains warm and cozy. Kitschy art prints adorn the walls, while tea lights add glow to the restaurant. There is an outdoor terrace area with plants and even a cozy corner with large pillows where you can chill out with a cup of coffee. Mignon also has a brunch menu, featuring omelets, sandwiches and eggs benedict. Brunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. From Itaewon Station (Subway Line 6) Exit 1, turn right at the first alley. Then, turn left and walk all the way to the end of the street. At your left, you'll find stairs leading up to Mignon Terrace. For reservations, call (02) 793-3070