Shim Hyun-chul has been a photojournalist for The Korea Times since 2006, covering news events throughout the country. He is committed to strict journalism ethics, and it has never changed since his first day in the newsroom. He has covered four presidential elections, two Olympic Games and countless daily assignments around the world. When he is not at work, he plays tennis. Shim is also a certified lifeguard by YMCA International, which means he can actually save lives.
Happy Chuseok for married immigrants
By Shim Hyun-chul
"Where can I get gardenia seeds?"
Married immigrants are learning how to make food for Chuseok, or Korean Thanksgiving, at a cookery school in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul.
They are still relatively new to Korean dishes for the holiday that also varies by family. The Yeongdeungpo District Office invited some 60 multicultural families to the school to explain the origin of holiday dishes such as “songpeyon” (half-moon shaped rice cake).
Eyes concentrated on the hands of the instructor the students busily wrote down ingredients, occasionally looking up words in electronic dictionaries.
Kamaloba Nodira, a married immigrant from Uzbekistan who came to Korea five years ago, said it was the first attempt to make holiday food. "I usually make daily dishes like 'doenjang jjigae' and 'bulgogi,' but I am new to such special cookery. I want to make songpyeon for my mother-in-law this Chuseok," Nodira said.
By Shim Hyun-chul