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Park Ji-won

Korea Times Politics & City Reporter

Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.

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INTERVIEW 1st Indian twin priests ordained in Korea hope to help needy in both countries

Fr. Xavier Sahaya Arul Selvan, left, and Fr. James Sahaya Arul Selvan pose at Seosomun Shrine History Museum in Seoul, Jan. 8. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rinBrothers overcome culture shock, language barrier to follow dream By Park Ji-wonIt is not a simple road to become a Catholic priest in Korea, as it is in many other countries. To be ordained into the priesthood, men need to spend at least a decade in seminary training. Seminarians undertake bachelor's and master's degrees at Catholic universities to learn requisite skills, engage in volunteer activities and also mandatory military service. After the completion of these duties, various facets of the individual such as faith and personality are taken into consideration before ordination.Due to the difficult process, about 30 percent of priestal candidates in Korea reportedly drop out. The country has two cardinals, 40 bishops and 5,538 priests according to 2020 data from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea (CBCK). Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk died on April. 27, last year.Also, there are only 123 foreign priests active i

Jan 20, 2022By Park Ji-won
[INTERVIEW] 1st Indian twin priests ordained in Korea hope to help needy in both countries
Arts & Theater

Hwang Jung-min's play, 'Richard III,' renews classical theater for pandemic times

Actor Hwang Jung-min plays Richard III during a press conference for the play, “Richard III,” at the Seoul Arts Center, Thursday. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonThe poster for the play, “Richard III” / Courtesy of Sem Company“Richard III,” the Shakespeare play exploring the Machiavellian rise to power and short reign of the British king, returns to the stage in Korea for the first time in four years.Actor Hwang Jung-min plays the lead in the play set in the late fifteenth century depicting King Richard III, who expresses anger, self-pity and revenge, which drives him to take his own life in the end.“One of the biggest reasons I chose to join this play is that I felt sorry for the disappearing classical plays in the scene. So I wanted to show the greatness and the power of the classical performances, which have been performed by senior actors since the past, to audiences and students who want to become actors,” Hwang said during a press conference held at the Seoul Arts Center, Thursday. “Including actor O Yeong-su, who recently won a Golden

Jan 16, 2022By Park Ji-won
Hwang Jung-min's play, 'Richard III,' renews classical theater for pandemic times
Music

Two orchestras hit sour note vying for official 'national' recognition

The Korean Symphony Orchestra (KSO) / Courtesy of the KSOKSO seeks to be national orchestra, while KBS believes it deserves that statusBy Park Ji-wonOne of Korea's two leading symphony orchestras has set off a cacophony of sorts after attempting recently to be named as a “national orchestra.”That status, granted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, would guarantee the Korean Symphony Orchestra (KSO) access to more state funding and other perks, not to mention added prestige.But KBS Symphony Orchestra, the other leading philharmonic, is trying everything to mute KSO's bid.The KBS orchestra tried to block the KSO from officially using the word, “national,” fearing that its own status could be negatively affected if the rival orchestra gets the nod from the authorities to become the only national organization. The KBS-KSO dispute erupted after the KSO and the culture ministry began openly seeking the public's opinion about changing the name from “KSO” to the “National Orchestra” or the “National Symphony Orchestra.”

Jan 13, 2022By Park Ji-won
Two orchestras hit sour note vying for official 'national' recognition
Shows & Dramas

Korean Symphony Orchestra names mezzo-soprano Choi Jung-sook as new CEO

Hwang Hee, right, minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, appoints mezzo-soprano Choi Jung-sook as the CEO of the Korean Symphony Orchestra, a government-funded performing arts organization, in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and TourismBy Park Ji-wonMezzo-soprano Choi Jung-sook, a former adjunct professor of vocal music at Sookmyung Women's University, has been named as the new CEO of the Korean Symphony Orchestra, a government-funded performing arts organization, replacing Park Sun-hee.The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Tuesday that Choi will lead the state-funded orchestra with a term of three years.Choi, a graduate of the Sookmyung Women's University Department of Vocal Music, the Conservatory Arrigo Boito of Parma, Italy, and the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris, has performed in Korea and Europe. She has been working as a board member of Korea's Regional Culture & Development Agency since last year.“Based on her experiences and expertise, it is believed that she will activate cooperation with government-fund

Jan 12, 2022By Park Ji-won
Korean Symphony Orchestra names mezzo-soprano Choi Jung-sook as new CEO
Trends

Buddhist order goes all-out to criticize government, some monks criticize order

Monks of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism hold a banner calling for the expulsion of Rep. Jung Chung-rae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea near the party's headquarters, Seoul, Dec. 16. Courtesy of the Jogye Order of Korean BuddhismBy Park Ji-wonThe Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the largest Buddhist sect in Korea, has thrown all of its efforts into criticizing what they call the Moon Jae-in administration's “religious bias,” pledging to hold a nationwide rally of monks from around the country at its headquarters in Seoul on Jan. 21 for the first time in 14 years to eradicate the bias and protect the independence of Korean Buddhism. Some monks, however, have fired back at the order-led decision, saying that it is “shameful” for the order to take these actions.“We decided to go over all the religious biases and Buddhist distortions that have occurred since the founding of the country, and to hold the nationwide monks rally,” Ven. Wonhaeng, the president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and the head of a special committee for the rally,

Jan 11, 2022By Park Ji-won
Buddhist order goes all-out to criticize government, some monks criticize order
Music

INTERVIEW Jazz vocalist Nah Youn-sun awakens pandemic-weary with new album

Jazz singer Nah Youn-sun / Courtesy of NPLUGBy Park Ji-wonJazz singer Nah Youn-sun has been one of Korea's most active singers, performing and spending time outside of Korea, especially in France. But the COVID-19 pandemic has canceled stage performances and, like many other musicians, she has been anxiously longing for the end of the pandemic, as she has otherwise had a hard time finding meaning doing music.She said during an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, Friday, that at the beginning of the pandemic, “I felt my life was a mistake. I was almost thinking of quitting my career as a musician. I was happy because I spent a lot of time with my family in Korea, but at the same time, I left my home in Europe and musical career there. I was missing home while being stuck at home. So it was tough to endure a life without music, and at the same time thought that doing music was a luxury while people were dying. I ended up failing to listen to music and making music only about a year after the outbreak of the virus.”Nah has included her own compositions from time to time

Jan 11, 2022By Park Ji-won
[INTERVIEW] Jazz vocalist Nah Youn-sun awakens pandemic-weary with new album
Music

Chung Myung-whun named honorary conductor of KBS Orchestra

Conductor Chung Myung-whun, left, receives an appointment letter naming him as honorary conductor from Nam Chul-woo, acting president and CEO of the KBS Symphony Orchestra, at the orchestra's headquarters in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of KBS Philharmonic OrchestraBy Park Ji-wonConductor Chung Myung-whun was appointed as honorary conductor, or conductor laureate, of the KBS Symphony Orchestra, according to the orchestra.“He will be conducting the KBS Symphony Orchestra one or two times a year in the future,” the orchestra said. “He is also planning to join the projects for developing talented musicians to foster peace between the two Koreas and raise the status of classical music as performed by Korean musicians.” An official of the orchestra said, “He was awarded the position because he served as a musical director of the orchestra in the past and has conducted the orchestra several times recently. It is an honorary position ― volunteer work. So he will not be paid for any of his services.” The orchestra said Chung's term length has not been decided

Jan 7, 2022By Park Ji-won
Chung Myung-whun named honorary conductor of KBS Orchestra
Arts & Theater

Creators localize Broadway musical 'Something Rotten!'

The musical “Something Rotten!” / Courtesy of M Theatre By Park Ji-wonThe Korean production of the Broadway musical “Something Rotten!” has added acting details and lines for actors and new tempos familiar to Koreans, creators said.Set in London in 1595, the story written by John O'Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick and composed by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick, follows the struggles of creators such as the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, for making a hit musical at a time when William Shakespeare, who is depicted as a rock star to his contemporaries, was dominating the theatrical show scene.When their new work, “Richard II,” is scrapped after Shakespeare's announcement that his next work will be on the same subject, older brother Nick becomes desperate and visits a diviner to find out what is going to be a big hit in theater in the future.The Broadway musical premiered in Korea in 2019 and the first Korean production was unveiled the next year. This time it's running fro

Jan 6, 2022By Park Ji-won
Creators localize Broadway musical 'Something Rotten!'
Arts & Theater

The most anticipated theatrical shows of 2022

The cast of the musical, "The Lion King" / Courtesy of S&CoBy Park Ji-wonThis year's event schedule for theatrical performances is filled with large-scale musicals, as well as new works that have been waiting for the right time to be presented during the COVID-19 pandemic.The original musical, “Lion King,” of Disney fame, one of the most successful stage shows in history, will embark on its Seoul tour between Jan. 26 and March 18 at the Seoul Arts Center, followed by Busan in April. The original songs of the musical, composed by Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice, and featuring other works by musicians, such as African composer Lebo, first presented its international tour in Korea in 2018 and tickets sold out. This tour will be the musical's first international run since it was presented in Auckland, New Zealand, last year.The original French production of the musical, "Notre Dame de Paris," which has been running since November of last year, will hit the stage again in Korea between February and April at Blue Square Shinhancard Hall in Seoul as an encore show. Cirque d

Jan 5, 2022By Park Ji-won
The most anticipated theatrical shows of 2022
Arts & Theater

National museums hold tiger-themed exhibitions

“Wolhasongnimhojokdo” a painting depicting tigers passing through pine trees from the 19th century of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom / Courtesy of National Museum of KoreaBy Park Ji-wonTwo national museums are holding hybrid exhibitions with a tiger theme to celebrate the Year of the Tiger and show how the animal has been viewed by Koreans in the past and present.The National Museum of Korea (NMK) has been hosting the exhibition “Tiger Arts I” starting Dec. 29, in which 18 paintings, including “Yonghodo,” meaning a panting featuring a dragon and tiger, mainly painted in the Joseon era (1392-1910) are being showcased. The exhibition will run through May 1.“Yonghodo,” which is considered to have been made in the 19th century, portrays the tension between tigers, which try to protect Yeouiju, or magic stone, and a blue dragon that tries to steal it from a mountain. The two animals are common subjects of folk paintings and talismans. “Hojakdo,” a painting of tiger and magpie, “Wolhasongnimhojokdo,” a painting depicting

Jan 5, 2022By Park Ji-won
National museums hold tiger-themed exhibitions
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