The Korea Times

'Visit JW Marriott throughout your life'

The signature lobby of JW Marriott Seoul Gangnam, near Shinsegae Department Store and Banpo Bus Terminal.Richard Saul, general manager of JW Marriott SeoulBy Kim Ji-sooJW Marriott Seoul in Gangnam has been reinforcing the main tenets of Marriott culture that helped it win several awards last year.In March, the hotel announced that it received the Aon Hewitt Consulting’s 2013 Best Employer Award. It also won recognition for best environment for women to work in.“The way that the hotel was set up was that we’ve brought a lot of Marriott ways and values which by nature is about diversity, gender and fairness ... and over the years, this has been continuously reinforced,” said Richard Saul, as a way of explaining the reason behind the award.The 48-year-old general manager explained that these core Marriott ways are critical as the hotel aims to become the best or one of the best in Korea.“We really want to drive the luxury that is the JW Marriott. Luxury not in the material sense but in the level of service. We will try to elevate the level of service so tha

Apr 18, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

'Visit JW Marriott throughout your life'

Others

Ahn Yong-bok told of Dokdo, Ulleungdo

A statue of Ahn Yong-bok in Suyeong Historical Park in Busan. The Joseon-era (1392-1910) fisherman was captured and taken to Japan, where he testified that Ulleung Island and Dokdo were Korean territory, part of Gangwon Province.By Kim Ji-sooA fisherman who lived during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) is still celebrated in Seoul and Busan for helping to strengthen Korea’s sovereignty claim on Dokdo, the nation’s easternmost islets.In the Dokdo Museum Seodaemun in Seoul, Ahn Yong-bok’s story is concisely presented for all to read. In the southeastern port of Busan, a statue of him stands in Suseong Historical Park alongside “Sugangsa,” a shrine built in his honor.A commemorative festival is held on Ulleung Island every year and a non-profit organization carries out various events to highlight Ahn’s contribution. Singer Kim Jang-hoon announced a “21st-century Ahn Yong-bok Project,” a multi-faceted campaign to promote Korea’s sovereignty over the rocky islets in the East Sea.But personal information on Ahn remains

Apr 16, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Shows & Dramas

Sexy and sweet, Secret goes global

From left, Han Sun-hwa, Jun Hyo-sung, Song Ji-eun and Zinger, four members of the K-pop girl group Secret pose together in this promotional picture. Having wrapped up a successful concert in Singapore in March, the group is working on a new mini-album that is expected to be released late April or May.                                                        /  Courtesy of TS Entertainment By Kim Ji-sooIt’s been more than two weeks since the four-member K-pop girl group Secret performed in Singapore to rave reviews.Dressed in sexy red jackets and black pants, they took to the stage at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Hall on March 29. Secret became the fourth K-pop girl group to perform a solo concert in Singapore.Jun Hyo-sung, who graced the stage solo to perform Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love” has lasting impressions of Singapore. “I just remember that I was running around on stage because I was so overwhelmed

Apr 15, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Shows & Dramas

K-pop stars rush to screens

Lee Seung-gi, right, and Suzy, left, star in the drama “Gu Family Book” that airs Mondays and Tuesdays.Fans love it, but critics remainBy Kim Ji-sooYoon Eun-hye, a successful K-popstar-turned-actressLee Seung-gi, who stars in the new TV drama “Gu Family Book,” wears so many hats that it’s hard to immediately decide what his real job is.A decade after his debut, Lee is more known as a multi-tasking entertainer than a singer he is.Following in Lee’s footsteps are hordes of K-pop “idol” group members. Former K-pop star has successfully transformed into acting including Yoon Yun-hye, formerly of Baby V.O.X. Yoon has branched out into directing as well. Another isPark Yu-chun of JYJ who now has a considerable filmography under his belt including the “Sungkyunkwan Scandal” (2010) and “Missing You” (2012). The latest most prominent is Suzy of Miss A, who stars opposite Lee in the new drama. Last year she became the nation’s sweetheart with a role in the popular film “Architecture 101.” Her po

Apr 10, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Others

K-pop groups metamorphosize

Working as units allows for degree of musical freedomBy Kim Ji-sooHyorin, left, and Bora of SISTAR19, kicked off the “unit”activity among K-pop groups with the start of 2013 with theirsingle “Gone Not Around Any Longer.” Korea Times fileOne of the attractions of K-pop groups is there are numerical as well as qualitative advantages to them.The popular Girls’ Generation has nine members — Sunny, Tiffany, Taeyeon, Seohyun, Yoona, Yuri, Hyoyeon, Jessica and Sooyoung.Super Junior has 10 members currently active —Lee Teuk, Ye Sung,  Kang In, Shin Dong, Sung Min,  Eun Hyuk, Dong Hae, Si Won, Ryeo Wook and Kyu Hyun.INFINITE has seven members, SHINee has five, and all have their distinctive charms that can be obfuscated in a group.For fans, this means they are able to adore the members both as individuals and as a whole. For the group and their agencies, it allows for fluid business and musical metamorphosis.The cover of Super Junior M’s second album “Break Down.” Super Junior M is a Mandarin-speaking spinoff from the wildl

Apr 7, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Travel & Food

'Pure rooms' arrive as new trend

Interior of a “pure room” at Grand Hyatt Seoul. Rooms that undergo several purifying cleaning processes are available at handful of leading hotels in Seoul.                                                                        / Courtesy of Grand Hyatt SeoulAs the popularity of healing therapies continues, the next-in-line may well be the “purifying” experience.Last month, the Grand Hyatt Seoul introduced a total of 38 hypo-allergenic rooms, called “pure rooms,” designed to offer guests a pure experience.In collaboration with Pure Solutions Korea, the hotel cleans such rooms every day in a special routine that eliminates up to 98 percent of airborne viruses and bacteria in addition to pollens and other irritants typically found in indoor environments.The 38 rooms have state-of-the-art air purification systems, as part of a seven-step process that reduces airborne pa

Apr 4, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Travel & Food

'Sheraton Incheon is our preferred address'

The Sheraton Incheon Hotel, right, is surrounded by high-tech buildings but also greenery and nature.By Kim Ji-sooRichard Suter, general manager of Sheraton Incheon Hotel, talksin an interview held at the hotel in Songdo, Incheon.    / Courtesy of Sheraton IncheonWhen Richard Suter took office as general manager of the Sheraton Incheon Hotel last August, he faced a two-pronged task. He had to promote the hotel as well as the city of Songdo that was a relatively new concept.“Songdo itself, they say, is the future city. You want to have cities built like this where the environment is the center. But it is also about people. There is space. You live with each other but don’t sit on each other,” said Suter, 46, in a recent interview.Suter wants people to think of the three-year-old hotel when they think of the future-looking city.“We want to be the preferred address in Songdo, Incheon. We want that when people think of Incheon, they think of the Sheraton Incheon. When they think of Korea, we hope they think of the Sheraton Incheon,” Suter said

Apr 4, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

'Sheraton Incheon is our preferred address'

Others

Born in Vietnam, Serving in Seoul

Pham Thi Quynh Hoa talks on the phone at her office at the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Multiculturalism Division, Monday. Pham, 33, is one of a handful of foreign-born employees who are lending their voices to policy-making for the increasing number of multiracial families in Korea.                                                                                 / Korea Times photo by Kim Ji-soo 'Grateful to lend my small vocie to policymaking for multicultural households'By Kim Ji-sooPham Thi Quynh Hoa, 33, is busy checking her computer, taking calls and meeting with lecturers at her office in Seoul City Hall.Moving quietly and efficiently, the Vietnam-born manager of the Multiculturalism Division at the Seoul Metropolitan Government is proud to be making a small contribution to the diverse society Korea is growing into.She has lived in Korea since 2005, after marryin

Apr 2, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

People & Events

'Let the Washington wines do the talking'

By Kim Ji-soo John Kimmey, Asia’s division manager of Ste. Michelle Wine EstatesThe size of the Korean wine market and its studious consumers make it an important one, Asia’s division manager of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates says.“The Korean market is developing in the sense that you can see where the demographic lends itself to a younger consumer. They are really enjoying the Moscatos,” John Kimmey said.The natural maturation process of a wine drinker starts out with sweeter wines and then, as one drinks more, one’s palate craves drier wines.“We’re really excited about the next wave of wine drinkers in Korea, especially young upwardly looking individuals whose palate will develop more and more toward finer wine,” Kimmey said.The company featured Rieslings and reds from Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columba Crest in Washington State at a “vino trivia” event at @kitchen in the W Seoul-Walkerhill hotel in Gwangjang-dong, Seoul, last week. Kimmey was in Seoul to host the event. Ste. Michelle also owns other leading brands in

Apr 1, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

'Let the Washington wines do the talking'

Shows & Dramas

'Psy has helped promote hallyu'

Lee Kyu-chang, head of Kino33 Entertainment, speaks about bridging cultures in a recent interview at his Seoul office in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul.                   /  Korea Times photo by Kim Ji-sooKino33 CEO has ‘tall order’ for Psy, hallyu leadersBy Kim Ji-sooLee Kyu-chang, head of entertainment agency Kino33 Entertainment, likened the past three years in Korea to graduate school. Tuition was free, in the form of the three years he put in. But the degree that the freelance producer received was a sudden jolt of recognition and responsibility after appearing on a talk show about his bridging role in Psy’s success in the United States.“All I did was appear on a talk show in January to talk about what I do and what I usually talk about, and soon afterwards, I was getting emails from young people in their teens and 20s telling me how they were encouraged by what I said and that I am their role model,” Lee said in a recent interview.“I was moved by their feedback. But I began to feel responsibility as we

Mar 26, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Kim Ji-soo

Read more

'Visit JW Marriott throughout your life'

Ahn Yong-bok told of Dokdo, Ulleungdo

Sexy and sweet, Secret goes global

K-pop stars rush to screens

K-pop groups metamorphosize

'Pure rooms' arrive as new trend

'Sheraton Incheon is our preferred address'

Born in Vietnam, Serving in Seoul

'Let the Washington wines do the talking'

'Psy has helped promote hallyu'

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