Park Jin-hai primarily focuses on K-dramas, entertainment shows and actor interviews. Beyond that, she also pens articles covering the broader arts scene, with a particular emphasis on classical music, dance and various aspects of lifestyle. Since joining The Korea Times in 2013, she has made significant contributions in the realms of hallyu (Korean wave), industry news and international affairs.
'Earth Hour' observed in Seoul
People sit at a Starbucks Coffee shop in Seoul lit by candles on Saturday night. The global coffee brand’s domestic unit took part in the “Earth Hour” campaign designed to reduce greenhouse gas emission. Courtesy of Starbucks Korea
By Park Jin-hai
By Park Jin-hai
Thousands of local restaurants, cafes, and office buildings including Seoul City Hall were enveloped by darkness at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
Instead of electric lights, eateries used candles.
This was not a blackout, but participation in the annual “Global Earth Hour Day,” organized by the World Wildlife Fund, where city councils urge local building owners and citizens to turn off lights to raise environmental awareness.
This year, under the motto of “I Will If You Will,” a total of 7,000 cities in 152 countries came out to highlight the adversities of climate change.
In Korea, businesses as well as local governments held a series of events to remind the public of the importance of the environment.
Starbucks Korea turned off most of its electric lights in some 500 branches nationwide, and lit up candles instead for the hour. It invited civil activists to hold seminars on the environment and gave out free coffee to customers who came by with a mug.
Philips Korea handed out 1,500 LED lamps on a first-come-first-serve basis. The lamps are environmentally friendly, and compared with others, save up to 85 percent in energy costs and their manufacture produces less carbon dioxide.
Sheraton D Cube City Seoul dimmed its lights in public areas including the signature restaurant “Feast.” Instead candles were lit, creating a romantic ambience. The Sheraton also hid glow-in-the-dark stamps in its rooms, which were later replaced with eco-bags and Sheraton mugs.
A total of 453 landmarks and companies including NHN, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, Coca Cola Korea, and Adidas participated in the Earth Hour campaign.
An additional 4,765 privately owned buildings took part in the event.
Global reaction
Sydney kicked off the event at 8:30 p.m., cutting lights to cheers and applause from a small crowd who had gathered to see the skyline dim and Sydney Opera House turn a deep green to symbolise renewable energy.
Japan switched off soon after Australia, with the illumination on the landmark Tokyo Tower dimming down as visitors were given the chance to pedal bicycles to generate power to illuminate an egg-shaped artwork.
In the Chinese capital Beijing, lights were shut off at the former Olympic stadium, the “Bird’s Nest,” while in the commercial hub of Shanghai buildings along the famed riverfront Bund also took part.