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Park Jin-hai

Korea Times K-Culture Reporter

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.

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Chinese visitors lift retailers ahead of Lunar New year

A range of discount products was available at Lotte Department Store in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, on Sunday as part of a marketing campaign aimed at visiting Chinese shoppers ahead of the Lunar New Year. Customers with Chinese passports get a 12 percent discount. / YonhapBy Park Jin-haiRetailers have enjoyed an unprecedented sales boom in the weeks before the Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 19, thanks to the surging number of Chinese tourists.More Chinese visitors are expected to visit Korea during their week-long holiday season, providing a further boost to department stores and other shops, which have been struggling with a prolonged consumption slump.To attract more Chinese customers, retailers have launched aggressive marketing campaigns, offering gold bars and other high-priced giveaways, as well as hiring “hallyu” stars to sell products.During the weekend ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, or Chinese Spring Festival, on Feb. 18 – Feb. 24, Lotte Duty Free in Myeongdong central Seoul has been bustling with Chinese customers.The cosmetics corner

Feb 15, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Chinese visitors lift retailers ahead of Lunar New year
Companies

Carmakers compete for high speed transmission

Hyundai Motor’s new i40By Park Jin-haiHyundai Motor in its new i40 launch promoted the fact that the sedan has a seven-speed dual clutch transmission.Mercedes-Benz stressed in its E220 Bluetec launch that it has rolled out the first E class with a nine-speed auto transmission, while Chrysler touted that their 200 is a segment-first mid-size sedan with a nine-speed gearbox.For local carmakers, Hyundai’s Genesis and Equus luxury sedans and Kia K9 have the highest gear counts with an eight-speed gearbox.On the back of increasing demand for a higher fuel economy, the local car market is racing to offer more gears on a wider spectrum of cars as well.Transmission is the part that creates the power along with the engine. When the vehicle has a higher gear count it is like having more steps for climbing a building. It enables driving at lower revolutions per minute, thus consuming three to eight percent less fuel.But automakers cannot blindly chase for more gear counts, because it will make the gearbox heavy, thus compromising fuel efficiency.Fiat Chrysler Automotive is one of th

Feb 15, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Carmakers compete for high speed transmission
Companies

Tivoli speaks Ssangyong's next design language

Ssangyong Motor’s Tivoli SUVBy Park Jin-haiSsangyong Motor, the local unit of India’s Mahindra & Mahindra, has been making waves in the local market, with more than 8,000 preorders since its launch in January 13.The carmaker’s first compact SUV has a 1.6-liter gasoline engine and offers what first-time buyers normally want: style, function and price.The Tivoli represents a fresh start for the carmaker that almost went to the point of liquidation.Defying the conventional image that SUVs are heavy chunks of metal, Ssangyong Motor wants to stay cool with a sharp and unique design.The LED head lights give the car a stronger look, while its two-toned body reminds drivers of BMW’s MINI. Inside, along with the heated D-cut steering wheel, the two-toned seats conjures up images of a sports car. The six color cluster that drivers can choose from as their mood changes is another thing customers in their 20s and 30s will love about the car.  The Tivoli is packed full of features, maximizing its functionality, but saving costs on less important features

Feb 15, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Tivoli speaks Ssangyong's next design language
Companies

Korea is fastest growing Maserati market in Asia

Maserati Japan CEO Fabrizio Cazzoli, right, who will also represent Maserati in Korea, stands behind a Quattroporte Diesel, while Lee Gun-hun, CEO of Forza Motors Korea (FMK), which imports the Italian company’s cars, stands behind a Ghibli S, during a press conference at the Shilla Hotel, in Seoul, Thursday./ Courtesy of FMKBy Park Jin-haiItalian luxury brand Maserati said that local sales grew five times last year, making Korea the country with the fastest growth in the Asia Pacific region.“The largest market in the North East Asian Pacific region in terms of sales volume is Korea, taking 36 percent of the overall market,” said Maserati Japan CEO Fabrizio Cazzoli during a press conference at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul, Thursday. He also represents Maserati in Korea.The luxury carmaker sold 723 cars in 2014, up 470 percent from 127 the previous year. The growth rate surpasses the regional average of 252 percent by a large margin as well as its global growth rate of 136 percent. The explosive sales have been led by its entry level Ghibli, making up 70 percent of the

Feb 12, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

Ssangyong's Tivoli popularity gains speed

By Park Jin-haiSsangyong Motor has sold more than 8,000 of its first compact sport utility vehicle, the Tivoli, in less than a month since its debut on Jan. 13.It is no small feat given the automaker, the local unit of India’s Mahindra & Mahindra, set an annual sales target of 38,500 vehiches.“At this rate, we will more than meet the sales target,” a company official said. “Already we have accomplished about a quarter of it.”In January, the Tivoli emerged as the best-selling car in the segment with 2,312 sold. In comparison, sales of Renault Samsung Motors’ QM3, the top-selling model last year, halved to 1,642.Ssangyong Motor expects Tivoli sales to hit 9,000 before the Lunar New Year, and 10,000 by the end of the month.Customers have to wait two months for delivery because of the high demand.Ssangyong Motor makes the Tivoli on the same line that produces the Korando C. The plant is working longer hours to meet demand.“Because Korando C sales are good, we need to maintain its production as well,” a company official said. “But

Feb 11, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

Hyundai Motor chief, son gain W1 trillion with stake sale

By Park Jin-haiHyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong-koo and his son raised 1.1 trillion won ($1 billion) with the successful sale of their combined 13.99 percent stake in Hyundai Glovis, officials said Friday.Chairman Chung and Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun sold a total of 5.02 million shares in the logistics unit through a block deal in after-hours trading Thursday, according to officials from the company and financial firms.Institutional investors bought the shares for 230,500 won apiece, a discount of 2.7 percent from Thursday’s closing price. It was about 50,000 won lower than the asking price at their botched sale last month.Hyundai Motor has said that the sale is aimed at meeting toughened government regulations on intra-group transactions.A revised Anti-Trust Law will take effect on Feb. 14, which bans business group owners and their family members from holding more than a 30 percent stake in affiliates that earn more than 20 billion won annually, or 12 percent of annual sales through intra-group dealings.Their combined stake in the logistics unit fell to

Feb 6, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

Renault Samsung to expand production

Renault Samsung CEO Francois ProvostBusan plant  output increasing to 200,000 unitsBy Park Jin-haiRenault Samsung Motors, the local unit of French carmaker Renault S.A., received a request from the Renault Nissan Alliance to increase production of its Rogue sport utility vehicle (SUV) by 30,000 this year, to help keep up with rising demand for the model in the United States.Its Busan plant, which exports Rogues to the U.S., will jack up its annual output to 110,000 vehicles from April.  The Renault Nissan Alliance is a strategic partnership between Renault and Japan's Nissan Motor.The Busan plant’s annual production will increase to 200,000 vehicles, which includes 90,000 other models.The automaker and local community expect the increased production will help revive the local economy as well, as the Busan plant has been operating way below capacity over the last couple of years.The local plant that once produced more than 200,000 vehicles ― 275,267 in 2010 and 244,295 in 2011 ― saw its production cut by half in 2013 to 129,439.Following the production c

Feb 6, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Renault Samsung to expand production
Companies

BMW Korea to host Korea's biggest women's golf championship

By Park Jin-haiBMW Korea, marking its 20th anniversary, will host Korea’s biggest women’s golf competition here in July.The KLPGA BMW Ladies Championship will offer a total of 1.2 billion in prize money, which is a record high amount in women’s pro golf competitions in Korea.“We think golf is an important sport through which we can communicate with our customers,” BMW Korea CEO Kim Hyo-joon said during a press meeting, Thursday. “When we see the profile of our popular 7 series customers, 98 percent of them enjoy golf. We decided to hold the event, since we want to contribute to culture and sports, striking the right balance with the economic gains that we reaped in the past,”Also, the German carmaker will donate cars to universities and high schools for research purposes.Since 2001 until 2014, the company has provided a total of 67 vehicles, worth 6 billion won. It will donate 20 cars this year.“Our task is making a customer-oriented market and protecting the future. Not through mere donations, but through creating social values co

Feb 5, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

BMW Korea expects double-digit growth

BMW Korea CEO Kim Hyo-joon speaks at a press meeting marking its 20th anniversary at the BMW Driving Center in Incheon, Thursday. / Courtesy of BMWBy Park Jin-haiBMW Korea, which posted over 40,000 in sales last year, expects another double-digit growth year in 2015.“BMW Korea had record sales last year, with Korea becoming the company’s 8th largest market worldwide. Korea still has more potential for growth and we expect to see another double digit growth year,” said BMW Korea CEO Kim Hyo-joon, during a press meeting marking the branch’s 20th anniversary in Incheon, Thursday.“Compared with France, BMW’s fifth largest market, the sales gap with us is less than 10,000. Japan has double the population size but similar annual sales,” Kim said.Although he didn’t mention the exact sales target for this year, if sales rise over 10 percent, it is forecast to reach 44,000.Kim said that the popularity of imported cars will last for the time being. “The customers get younger and sales have moved from corporate to individuals.

Feb 5, 2015By Park Jin-hai
Companies

Chrysler launches new 200

Models promote Chrysler’s new 200 mid-size sedan at an event in southern Seoul, Tuesday. The gasoline-powered sedan mated with a segment first nine-speed automatic transmission has 187 horsepower with maximum torque of 24.2 kilogram meters. The base model 200 is priced at 31.8 million won, while the top 200C is 37.8 million won. / YonhapBy Park Jin-haiFiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) launched its mid-size sedan new 200 on Tuesday.The coupe-like sedan, slightly larger than Hyundai Motor’s Sonata, adds a good choice in the segment where foreign carmakers fiercely fight for the market.Calling Korea “test bed” for the mid-size sedan, FCA Korea CEO Pablo Rosso said Korea is the first country outside North America to launch the Chrysler 200 sedan.“More Koreans are moving away from historical and uniform buying trends. We are very confident that the 200 will stand out in the midst of this competition,” he said during the launch event held in southern Seoul, Tuesday.Not to mention its aero dynamic look, the gasoline powered sedan has design and technologica

Feb 3, 2015By Park Jin-hai
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