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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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K-pop

K-pop group Super Junior dazzles Hong Kong, overseas fans in world tour concert

K-pop idol group Super Junior perform during its “Super Show 9: Road” world tour at the AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Park Ji-wonBy Park Ji-wonHONG KONG ― On Nov. 19 and 20, the AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong's largest venue of 14,000 seats, was filled with fans, where the veteran K-pop star Super Junior played two shows as part of its “Super Show 9: Road” world tour, its first time in the city in more than four years.The hot and humid weather on Sunday was something unexpected, but it was negligible for fans who had been unable to meet the nine-member boy group, one of the most popular K-pop acts in Hong Kong, for years due to the strict quarantine policy of the city. Thousands of fans wearing blue ― the color of the K-pop act ― from all over the world queued outside of the arena to share cheering items they made with other fans before attending the concert.Since the tour started in Seoul in July, Hong Kong was the fourth overseas venue following Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. “I am so excited (to see the concert),” Hong

Nov 21, 2022By Park Ji-won
K-pop group Super Junior dazzles Hong Kong, overseas fans in world tour concert
Sports

Asia Rugby admits it didn't give Chinese anthem file to Korean body

A screenshot from an Asia Rugby press conference, Tuesday. Screenshot from a video uploaded on Asia Rugby's YouTube channelBy Park Ji-wonHONG KONG ― Asia Rugby has admitted that the organization didn't pass on the Chinese national anthem audio file to the Korea Rugby Union, regarding the incident in which the Hong Kong protest anthem was played instead of China's national anthem for the Hong Kong team during the final of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series held in Incheon, Korea, Sunday.Confirming that the Hong Kong team did give the “right” anthem file to Asia Rugby in October for the Bangkok tournament, which is part of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series, interim chief executive Benjamin van Rooyen of Asia Rugby said during an online press conference held Tuesday that “Asia Rugby did not give any file to Korea Rugby.”“I think this is another grey area where I would say, from the Asia Rugby side, there was an understanding that Korea Rugby had this specific anthem on file based on the fact that in July, the correct anthem was played,” he said, adding that Asia

Nov 16, 2022By Park Ji-won
Asia Rugby admits it didn't give Chinese anthem file to Korean body
Travel & Food

Hong Kong becomes battlefield for Shine Muscat grapes among Korea, Japan, China

Shine Muscat grapes / gettyimagesbankBy Park Ji-wonHONG KONG ― Shine Muscat grapes ― developed in Japan ― are popular in Hong Kong. Despite their high price, the fruit is eaten for special occasions or given as a sign of respect. Hongkongers' fascination with Japan and its produce helped it dominate the market for this fruit. But with an increasing number of producers from South Korea and China now offering high-quality grapes at better prices, the Shine Muscat market is changing.For Fiona Mok, 29, an office worker in Hong Kong, eating Shine Muscat grapes was once reserved for special occasions ― bringing them as gifts when visiting a friend's home for a meal ― but now she enjoys them as an everyday fruit.“My boyfriend bought me a bunch of Japanese Shine Muscat worth about HK$400 ($51) as a gift. But for me, they tasted similar to Chinese ones,” she said. If it was up to her, she would choose the cheaper grapes, she added.For price-conscious Hongkongers, Shine Muscat grapes' high price ― Japanese grapes can cost anywhere between HK$100 and HK$500 a bunch, while Korean var

Nov 15, 2022By Park Ji-won
Hong Kong becomes battlefield for Shine Muscat grapes among Korea, Japan, China
Sports

Hong Kong protest anthem played at Rugby Sevens series in Korea

A screenshot of a video showing the Hong Kong rugby team at the Asia Rugby Sevens Series on Sunday listening to the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement protest anthem, “Glory to Hong Kong” instead of the Chinese national anthem. Screenshot from a video uploaded on Twitter.By Park Ji-wonHONG KONG ― The Korea Rugby Union, the local operator of the second leg of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series held in Korea between Nov. 12 and 13, apologized for playing “Glory to Hong Kong,” a protest anthem widely sung during the 2019-2020 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, instead of the Chinese national anthem, “March of the Volunteers,” during the men's final round between Hong Kong and Korea held in Incheon, Korea on Sunday.The Hong Kong government chastised Asia Rugby Monday morning about what happened and asked for an “in-depth investigation.” However, the remarks of the Korean operator contradict those of the Hong Kong government.Stressing that playing the Hong Kong pro-democracy protest anthem was “simply a mistake” by the Korea Rugby Unio

Nov 14, 2022By Park Ji-won
Hong Kong protest anthem played at Rugby Sevens series in Korea
K-pop

Meet the women of cover dance crew Chocomint HK, whose 'K-pop in public' videos have gone viral

Chocomint HK / Courtesy of Chocomint HKBy Park Ji-wonHONG KONG ― You may have seen them if you are living in Hong Kong: six young women performing in some of the busiest and most scenic spots in the city, their dance moves slick and stylish. The women make up Chocomint HK, a K-pop cover dance crew whose members are taking part in “K-pop in public,” a popular trend on social media platforms such as YouTube.Two of the group's most recent videos have gone viral ― their cover of BLACKPINK's “Pink Venom” and “Shut Down” have, as of October 31, had 191,000 and 738,000 views respectively.Considering the fact that many K-pop cover dance videos made in Hong Kong attract, on average, only hundreds to thousands of views, these numbers are phenomenal.The videos have attracted the attention of BLACKPINK fans from all over the world and have bumped their subscriber numbers to 7,700 from some 4,000 over the past month.“We didn't expect that (success),” Pearl Chan Pui-yee, a member of the group, said of the two BLACKPINK videos.“The number of com

Nov 3, 2022By Park Ji-won
Meet the women of cover dance crew Chocomint HK, whose 'K-pop in public' videos have gone viral
Society

Hong Kongers find Itaewon tragedy reminiscent of past, question lack of crowd control in Seoul

Women talk at West Kowloon Cultural District near Victoria Harbour during sunset in Hong Kong, Oct. 28. Reuters-YonhapBy Park Ji-wonHONG KONG ― Some claim the Saturday crowd crush in Itaewon, which killed at least 154 people as of Monday, was like a natural disaster that no one could have prevented. However, many Hong Kongers who learned lessons from a similar incident in Lan Kwai Fong in 1993 think it was the government's job to control the crowds to prevent such a tragedy from happening.“As a Hong Kong government official, what I thought first when I saw what happened in Itaewon was why the government did not control the crowd,” an official working for a Hong Kong government administration said on condition of anonymity.“That is what the government would do in Hong Kong during any events such as Christmas, Lunar New Year, fireworks, national holidays and of course Halloween. It is part of their responsibility preventing such incidents from happening.”In Hong Kong, the police can control crowds based on the Public Order Ordinance for every event that is expec

Nov 1, 2022By Park Ji-won
Hong Kongers find Itaewon tragedy reminiscent of past, question lack of crowd control in Seoul
K-pop

K-pop industry reduces dependence on Chinese market

In this undated file photo, the 2021 the MAMA Awards take place at CJ ENM Content Studio in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. Courtesy of CJ ENMBy Park Ji-wonHONG KONG ― Since the early 2010s, K-pop groups recruiting Chinese members had been a common phenomenon. Most successful idol groups, such as EXO, have at least one foreign member from Greater China ― including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan ― to target fans from the area. Many of those members led their bands' activities in the region, creating fan bases there and therefore contributing to ticket and album sales.However, major and middle-sized Korean entertainment companies are now cutting ties with China, amid the industry's global expansion and uncertainties about the market, according to entertainment industry officials and data. They are also reducing the number of members from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan in new groups or downsizing some of their main businesses in the region, based on the risks involved there. “Hong Kong had been playing the role of an entertainment hub to lure Chinese tourists fr

Oct 24, 2022By Park Ji-won
K-pop industry reduces dependence on Chinese market
Entertainment

Soprano Sumi Jo, HK idol band Mirror's Keung To sing in harborfront concert in Hong Kong

The poster for “Music on the Harbourfront” / Courtesy of Hong Kong Generation Next Arts LimitedBy Park Ji-wonHONG KONG ― Soprano Sumi Jo and Keung To of Hong Kong's idol boy band Mirror will be singing a Mirror song in Cantonese and Korean during the opening concert on Nov. 18 for a music festival scheduled at Hong Kong's scenic West Kowloon harborfront. It will be one of the first large-scale concerts to be held as well as the first public appearance of a Mirror member singing since the COVID-19 outbreak.The Music on the Harbourfront festival is scheduled to be held from Nov. 18 to 20 on the Great Lawn of West Kowloon Artpark, which can host 4,000 audience members.The duet will be singing one of the Hong Kong group's most famous songs, which has yet to be disclosed. HKGNA Music Festival Youth Orchestra and Refiner Drums will play the song led by conductor Andrew Ling.“When Keung To joined our festival, we asked Sumi Jo if she could sing together one song with Keung To. She generously said yes and was open to a suggestion,” Michelle Kim, founder and artistic d

Oct 22, 2022By Park Ji-won
Soprano Sumi Jo, HK idol band Mirror's Keung To sing in harborfront concert in Hong Kong
Entertainment

'We love you': Hong Kong's Tony Leung finds new generation of fans in Korea

Hong Kong actor Tony Leung attends a Q&A session at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) on Oct. 7. Courtesy of BIFFBy Park Ji-wonHONG KONG ― Legendary Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai has been the center of attention at this year's Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), held in South Korea's second-largest city. Not only was the star of the much-loved films, “In the Mood for Love” (2000), “Infernal Affairs” (2002) and “Lust, Caution” (2007) crowned the 2022 Asian Filmmaker of the Year, but fans hung on his every word during a special Q&A at the festival, and his merchandise packs have been selling like hotcakes.A festival official said that the demand for the Tony Leung merchandise pack had taken organizers by surprise. Fans have queued for hours to snap up one of the 150 packs put on sale each day of the event, which ends on October 14. Costing 35,000 won ($24.50), each pack contains a poster, badge, postcards, letters, photographs of the actor's previous visits to the festival, as well as Tony Leung autographs.An extra 600

Oct 13, 2022By Park Ji-won
'We love you': Hong Kong's Tony Leung finds new generation of fans in Korea
Trends

Korean language education expands in Hong Kong

Mu Kuang English School students attend a Korean language class, a regular foreign language subject at the school, Wednesday, Hong Kong. Korea Times photo by Park Ji-wonBy Park Ji-wonHONG KONG - Learning a foreign language is difficult and it takes a lot of time and energy to see certain visible outcomes. But a growing number of people in Hong Kong are learning Korean nowadays. Once a hobby restricted to K-pop fans, learning Korean is now more common, being included in the foreign language category for the university entrance exam as well as among regular school language subjects.At Mu Kuang English School, a local secondary school in Hong Kong, it is pretty common to see Korean letters in classes or in the library. It was the first secondary school in Hong Kong to introduce the Korean language as a regular course from the 1st grade last year, providing Korean classes once a week.Up to 12 first graders gathered for a 40-minute class on Wednesday. They learned the pronunciations for the Korean letters, ㄴ, ㄷ, ㄹ and vowels, while answering questions from Canny Lai, the Korean teacher an

Oct 9, 2022By Park Ji-won
Korean language education expands in Hong Kong
  • Belated Hangeul learners find life blossoms after literacy
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