The Korea Times

5.4 Club Kicks off

Choi Jung-wha, center in beige, co-founder of 5.4 Club; Park Moo-jong, second from Choi’s right, president and publisher of The Korea Times; and other members of the new club make signs to denote “five” and “four” at a launching ceremony at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in Hannam-dong, Thursday. Members of the new nonprofit organization pledged to help foreign visitors to enjoy the food, sights, stories and attractions of Korea. At far left is Rep. Yoo Il-ho of the ruling Saenuri Party.                                                                      / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulCultural tourism promotion body to facilitate foreign visitorsBy Kim Ji-sooA new type of cultural/tourism promotion body, the 5.4 Club was launched Thursday, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Seoul.Under the motto of “Feeling Korea through 5 senses and 4 themes,” the new non-profit organizat

Mar 21, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Others

A brief guide to using hotels by the day

By Kim Ji-sooUnless you’re an aficionado of hotels in Seoul, it’s hard to know the daily promotional events that the capitol’s top hotels offer. So here is a brief guide.On Mondays and Tuesdays, the Courtyard Marriott Hotel showcases a “MonTues” program offering Marriott burgers, Momo Burgers and the calzones at its Momo Cafe. Available through April 30, they are priced at 15,000 won (inclusive of tax and surcharges) and available both lunch and dinner. For more information, call (02) 2638-3081-4.On Wednesday, Seoul Palace Hotel’s modern Gusto bar features a ladies night titled “My Palace Lady,” through March 31. Open from 6:30 p.m. through 9:30 p.m., it offers unlimited wine or draft beer and snacks. Priced at 35,000 won (excluding tax and surcharges). For more information, call (02) 2186-6918. At the Millennium Hilton Seoul, the lunch buffet atOrangerie offers a 25 percent discount for secretaries.On Thursday, the Yeouido Marriott’s Vino Tempo offers unlimited wine, snacks and desserts through from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Prices start

Mar 21, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Travel & Food

3rd-Generation hotelier helms Ritz-Carlton

Marc R. Handl, general manager of the Ritz-Carlton Seoul in Nonhyeon-dong poses against the view the hotel commands over southern Seoul. Just six months into his post, he is working to ensure that the hotel’s success continues while keeping up-to-date with the times.                                                                            / Courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton, SeoulBy Kim Ji-sooMarc R. Handl, general manager of the Ritz-Carlton, Seoul, is a third-generation hotelier to whom the hotel industry is second nature.From that “privileged” platform, Handl is looking to upgrade and refine the competitive service that defines the hotel.“What people enjoy about the Ritz-Carlton is about the service ... serving ladies and gentlemen. We strive to give a very personalized service, recognition. We try our best to learn the likes and the dislikes of the guests, especially

Mar 21, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

3rd-Generation hotelier helms Ritz-Carlton

Others

MVL Hotel Kintex opens in Islan

MVL Hotel Kintex, a 20th-floor five-star hotel, stands at nighttime against the background of the international convention center Kintex. It opened Wednesday.By Kim Ji-sooMVL Hotel Kintex opens today in Ilsan, Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province, in close proximity to the largest convention space Kintex.The acronyms should be explained first. MVL stands for “Most Valuable Life” and is a hotel chain operated by leading leisure group Daemyung Leisure Industry. Kintex stands for Korea International Exhibition Center, and comprises Kintex 1 and 2 that together provide 100,000 square meters of space befitting an international convention arena.The hotel is also located in the heart of Hallyuworld, a strategic zoning area for “hallyu” or the Korean wave. Hallyuworld is a tourist/cultural complex driven by the Gyeonggi provincial government, to create theme parks, performance venues on 990,000 square meters of land. A K-pop Arena that will house an audience of 10,000 is set for completion by 2016.Taking full advantage of these factors, the hotel pledges to offer top-of-the

Mar 19, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Arts & Theater

Mungyeong to host tea bowl festival

Participants try pottery-making at last year’s Mungyeong Traditional Chasabal Festival. This year’s festival will run for nine days starting April 27 in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province.                                       / Courtesy of Mungyeong Traditional Chasabal Festival’s                                                                                                         organizing committeeA festival meant to promote Korea’s traditional tea bowls or “chasabal” will kick off in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province, April 27, for a nine-day run under the theme “Harmony of clay, fire and wind.”The annual Mungyeong Traditional Chasabal Festival has been recognized as the

Mar 14, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Others

Unsung heroes in helping stars shine

Shin Jung-soo works the phones in the corridors of MBC Dream Center where “King’s Doctor” is  filmed. Actress Kim So-eun stars as Princess Sookwhee in “King’s Doctor,” which will soon air in Japan as well.                                / Korea Times fileBy Kim Ji-sooShin Jung-soo, 25, woke up at 4 a.m. and drove from Seoul to Namyangju, eastern Gyeonggi Province, to pick up actress Kim So-eun, 23, Sunday. After helping her get ready for a shoot for the drama, “King’s Doctor,” he drove her to the MBC Dream Center in Ilsan by 7 p.m. Kim plays a princess in the popular network drama, which is garnering ratings of 22 percent and is expected to air on Japanese broadcaster NHKwithin this year. It’s a fictionalized tale about the life of a Joseon-era low-class veterinarian who specializes in the treatment of horses, who rises to become the royal physician in charge of the King’s health. At 11 a.m., shooting hadn’t y

Mar 13, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Others

Fantagio trains stars' assistants

Na Byung-jun, 37, former-manager-turned-CEO of Fantagio Company, has opened a “Managers’ Academy,” to properly train “managers” in their work of driving, assisting and promoting stars.                                                                      / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Kim Ji-sooWant to get closer to a star? Or get an interview?The first bar to get across are the “managers,” who in the Korean entertainment industry, are recruited and trained in apprenticeship. They are not office-type managers, but those who drive, set the schedule and look after publicity for the stars.When the stars are working on a drama or film, the managers accompany them 24 hours a day. It’s one of the most grueling jobs in the industry, and a former manager-turned-CEO is seeking to imbue a new level of professionalism.Na Byung-jun, 37, the head of Fantagio Compan

Mar 13, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Shows & Dramas

Young talents strive to break into JYP

Trainees work up a sweat at the JYP Entertainment building in this undated file photo. Thousands apply to get into the training program at leading entertainment agencies, as“ hallyu”or Korean wave remains popular throughout the world.                                      / Courtesy of JYP Entertainment  Park Ye-rin, winner of JYP’s 10th open auditionBy Kim Ji-sooAt the Seoul Arts College (SAC) in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul on Feb. 17, JYP Entertainment was holding its 10th open audition to recruit trainees to pursue the “hallyu dream.”Jang Yeo-hun was sitting there with his younger daughter to watch his eldest Jang Jong-soon, 15, audition in the women’s dance division.“Initially, I was worried about her hope to pursue an entertainment career, but now I fully support her,” Jang said, as he readied his camera to take pictures. His daughter was among the 25 finalists from 1,000 that originally applied for the audition.The Ariran

Mar 5, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Shows & Dramas

Carving out niche with pop rock bands

Han Seong-ho, CEO of FNC Entertainment, talks about his vision for new types of music and entertainment in his new office in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul.                                    / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Kim Ji-sooThe four lanky, good-looking guys of the rock band CNBLUE are everywhere these days, on music charts, shows and in TV dramas. Their most recent single “I'm Sorry” topped the charts after its release Jan. 14.In addition, bassist Lee Jung-shin, 21, is starring in a popular network drama; while guitarist Lee Jong-hyun, 22, and drummer Kang Min-hyuk, 21, have recently wrapped up popular television dramas of their own. Front man Jung Yong-hwa, 23, in the meantime, wrote much of the music for the group’ s recent album “Re: Blue.”But it is when they are performing live together that the four assume a new identity. Happier and more confident to do their own stuff four years after their debut, the members exude a raw edge

Feb 22, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Economy

Jinokwha Halmae Wonjo Darkhanmari

A whole chicken is boiled along with bits of leek, slices of potato and puffy rice cakes in a large brass bowl.By Kim Ji-sooThe scenes, the smell and the make-up of traditional outdoor markets are different all over the world, each featuring distinctive charms.The larger Jongno area in Seoul has the Gwangjang Market that retains the atmosphere of old Seoul — perhaps as it was back in the 1970s and 1980s when food was sparse and bargains aplenty as well as the Dongdaemun area, where things are sold more on a wholesale level.Located between Gwangjang Market and Dongdaemun is a famous chicken place that appeared in the Michelin Guide Green, South Korea. Called “Jinokwha Halmae Wonjo Darkhanmari” (which means Grandma’s One Whole Chicken), the place offers a large brass bowl in which a whole chicken is placed along with bits of leek, slices of potato and puffy rice cakes. At 18,000 won, the chicken dish itself is stylized as a portion for two. But there are side dishes such as rice cakes, noodles, and more potatoes to further enlarge and diversify this seemingly si

Feb 3, 2013By Kim Ji-soo

Kim Ji-soo

Read more

5.4 Club Kicks off

A brief guide to using hotels by the day

3rd-Generation hotelier helms Ritz-Carlton

MVL Hotel Kintex opens in Islan

Mungyeong to host tea bowl festival

Unsung heroes in helping stars shine

Fantagio trains stars' assistants

Young talents strive to break into JYP

Carving out niche with pop rock bands

Jinokwha Halmae Wonjo Darkhanmari

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