The Korea Times

National Palace Museum exhibition sheds light on peonies in Joseon

Visitors see the exhibition “Peonies: Flowers of Peace and Prosperity” held at the National Palace Museum of Korea in Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonPoster for the special exhibition “Peonies: Flowers of Peace and Prosperity” by the National Palace Museum of Korea / Courtesy of National Palace Museum of KoreaFlowers have different meanings across cultures. Peonies have been one of the most preferred flowers here, from the Three Kingdoms period to the Joseon Dynasty, not only among ordinary people but also the royalty of the kingdoms as the flowers symbolize prosperity and glory. During royal funerals, in line with the affluence of their lifestyle, peonies were used as a pattern to bid farewell to the deceased and to bring well-being and prosperity to the country.Titled as “Peonies: Flowers of Peace and Prosperity,” the National Palace Museum of Korea's special exhibition, which opened Wednesday and runs until Oct. 31, shows up to 120 peony drawings and explores their meanings used in clothes, furniture and objects especially of the 1392-1910 J

Jul 7, 2021By Park Ji-won

National Palace Museum exhibition sheds light on peonies in Joseon

Entertainment

Naver Webtoon unveils Marvel's 'Black Widow' webcomic

Cover image for “Black Widow,” a webcomic series released via Naver Webtoon Courtesy of Naver WebtoonBy Park Ji-wonNaver Webtoon will release a Korean webcomic version of “Black Widow,” based on the Marvel Comics character ― played by Scarlett Johansson ― who has appeared in most of the Marvel films, every Tuesday and Friday.The publishing company Sigongsa announced Tuesday that it had signed a deal with online platform giant Naver and Marvel Comics, and released the first Korean-language online issue of “Black Widow,” based on the 2016 comics published by Marvel. It said it actively resized the frames of the comic to fit mobile screens and online browsers.“With Black Widow, we actively cut the frames of the original comic series and edited the size of speech bubbles and text so that readers can read them more easily … This project came to life after Marvel Comics, which has been eyeing the webtoon medium, held talks with Sigongsa and Naver Webtoon.”The publisher added there has been demand from readers to adapt the series for th

Jul 6, 2021By Park Ji-won

Naver Webtoon unveils Marvel's 'Black Widow' webcomic

Entertainment

Another legal battle surrounding late actress Jang Ja-yeon

Actress Jang Ja-yeon / YonhapBy Park Ji-wonKim Tae-ho, a former manager of the late actress Jang Ja-yeon and CEO of entertainment agency Thcompany, is threatening to take legal action against his former boss, also surnamed Kim, who founded the now defunct The Content Entertainment. Jang was found dead at her home in 2009; and is believed to have committed suicide.In a statement released Tuesday, Kim Tae-ho claimed that he has been trying hard to unearth the truth surrounding the death of the actress and fully cooperated with law enforcement officials who investigated the case. He said his statements were consistent and true, and he didn't make up anything regarding accusations made by his former boss Kim. He said he would take legal action, filing both civil and criminal suits, against his former boss. His statement came days after Kim, the founder of The Content Entertainment filed a lawsuit against him and actress Yoon Ge-o for defamation.Kim of The Content Entertainment submitted documents to Seoul District Central Court, July 1, demanding 1 billion won ― 500 million each from Yoo

Jul 6, 2021By Park Ji-won

Another legal battle surrounding late actress Jang Ja-yeon

Music

INTERVIEW Inspired by Korean dramas, Swiss classical flutist initiates soundtrack project

Flutist Philipp Jundt / Courtesy of Irene ZandelAward-winning classical musicians join K-drama soundtrack CD projectBy Park Ji-wonPhilipp Jundt, a flutist and professor at Neuchatel Conservatory in Switzerland, has become a huge fan of Korean dramas during his 12 years of living in Korea from 2008 to 2020 as an exchange professor. He first began to watch the TV series to improve his Korean language skills as well as to learn about Korean culture. But soon he found himself addicted to them, and watching dramas has become inseparable from his life.His friends teased him for his rare hobby, calling him “ajumma,” a term that refers to a middle-aged woman. The nickname fits, as in Korea, such women are often the most loyal audience for dramas. “My friends always make fun of the fact that I watch so many Korean dramas,” he said during a Zoom interview with The Korea Times on June 30. “I think Korean TV dramas have such a high standard. The quality (of K-drama music) is incredibly good. I think American TV series have really high standards but we don't have suc

Jul 5, 2021By Park Ji-won

[INTERVIEW] Inspired by Korean dramas, Swiss classical flutist initiates soundtrack project

Arts & Theater

Play 'LOVEⅡ' seeks better love through dark perfectionism of K-pop industry

“LOVEⅡ LIEBEⅡ” / National Theater Company of KoreaBy Park Ji-wonPlaywright Park Bonn of “LOVEⅡ LIEBEⅡ” Courtesy of National Theater Company of Korea“LOVEⅡ LIEBEⅡ,” a new play by the National Theater Company of Korea (NTCK), is a rare piece for the ensemble, known for presenting serious social issues through its plays, as it focuses on the Korean entertainment industry.The work's title ― which the NTCK interprets as meaning “a sequel to love” ― was written by Korean-German playwright and director Park Bonn who has won numerous awards including the Essener Autorentage Youth Jury Prize and the Stuckemarkt at the Berliner Theatertreffen. As an insider and outsider himself, he tries to depict Korean society which seeks perfection through the lens of the entertainment industry, largely represented by K-pop and K-drama, and looks for the meaning of love through the process. Audience discretion is advised as the play addresses the topic of suicide including some scenes which describe the suicides of the deceased characters now in the afterlife

Jul 4, 2021By Park Ji-won

Play 'LOVEⅡ' seeks better love through dark perfectionism of K-pop industry

Entertainment

SM founder says music, technology are indispensable partners

Lee Soo-man, executive producer and founder of SM Entertainment / SM Entertainment SM girl band aespa sets an example as first metaverse project, he says By Park Ji-wonLee Soo-man, the founder and executive producer of Korean pop music or “K-pop” powerhouse, SM Entertainment, said the time is ripe for Korea to become the “first mover” in global culture, noting the country has what it takes to play that role.His comments are backed by the fact that K-pop has become a global phenomenon thanks to its use of addictive melodies, slick choreography and eye-catching music videos and concerts. Korean artists have hit the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart at least eight times since 2009 and Korea's music industry has ballooned into a $5 billion juggernaut.In a keynote speech to the 2nd World Cultural Industry Forum, hosted by the Korea Foundation, Thursday, Lee reminded the audience of the shift in Korea's role on the global culture scene.“In the past, Korea had been the fast fol

Jul 2, 2021By Park Ji-won

SM founder says music, technology are indispensable partners

K-pop

INTERVIEW sEODo Band, pioneers of 'Joseon pop'

sEODo Band / Courtesy of Universal MusicSix-member band blends Korean traditional rhythms with pop musicBy Park Ji-wonMembers of sEODo Band identify themselves as “rebels” of fusion music. Refusing to be called yet another “fusion gugak” band ― referring to an emerging genre that captivated audiences globally after Leenalchi band's megahit YouTube videos for the Korea Tourism Organization ― they define their music as “Joseon pop.”Because the genre is unprecedented, they claim they are pioneers of the fusion music genre.“Our music is rooted in traditional music, specifically pansori. Also, there has been a long history of fusion gugak in Korea,” sEODo, the vocalist of the band, said during a Korea Times interview in Seoul, Monday. “But we don't want to be called, a fusion gugak band. We are already a pop music band. We try to defy the cliches of the fusion gugak category and try not to use the typical traditional rhythms of the genre. As Latin music first became Latin pop and then a mainstream pop genre in the international music s

Jul 2, 2021By Park Ji-won

[INTERVIEW] sEODo Band, pioneers of 'Joseon pop'

Arts & Theater

Earliest Hangeul metal movable type blocks excavated in Seoul

Movable metal printing blocks featuring Hangeul, which were found during an archaeological excavation carried out in Insa-dong, central Seoul, from March to June, are displayed during a press conference held nearby at the National Palace Museum of Korea, Tuesday. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonMovable metal type (printing) blocks, which could be the earliest known depicting Hangeul, the Korean alphabet created in 1443 under the guidance of King Sejong the Great, were found in a pot during a recent archaeological excavation in Seoul, the Cultural Heritage Association (CHA) said Tuesday. They were part of a trove of 1,600 metal type blocks, believed to have been produced between the 15th and 16th centuries during the early Joseon Kingdom, uncovered with other artifacts from the period.Of the 1,600 blocks, 1,000 carried Chinese characters estimated to have been made around 1434, which would be the oldest of their kind; while 600 were of Hangeul characters. If the blocks, which are currently being examined by experts, are confirmed to date back that far, those depicting Hangeul would be the earlies

Jun 29, 2021By Park Ji-won

Earliest Hangeul metal movable type blocks excavated in Seoul

Travel & Food

Korea Gourmet Week to be held in 5 cities in July

Poster for Korea Gourmet Week / Courtesy of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural AffairsBy Park Ji-wonDuring Korea Gourmet Week, 130 Korean restaurants in five cities will offer 30-percent discounts on their food. The event will be held in Seoul and Busan July 1-14, and Daegu, Daejeon and Gwangju July 8-21, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korean Food Promotion Institute. The participating restaurants are all designated as “safe restaurants,” a label given to restaurants that follow certain hygiene precautions, such as installing protection shields between seats.Customers who order signature menu items from the restaurants on the spot or by phone can get the discounts.The event, aiming to support the pandemic-hit restaurant industry, will be held on the sidelines of K-sale, or Korea's “Donghaeng Sale,” a nationwide sale held from June 24 to July 11, for which online marketplaces and offline stores are providing discounts up to 90 percent on various products in order to boost the nation's economy.

Jun 29, 2021By Park Ji-won

Korea Gourmet Week to be held in 5 cities in July

North Korea

Korean, US progressive Christian groups call for peace treaty, end to Korean War

The seventh Korea-U.S. Church Conference was hosted online by the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) and the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCCCUSA), Friday. Courtesy of NCCKBy Park Ji-wonThe National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) and the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCCCUSA) adopted a joint statement urging the governments of both South Korea and the United States to work towards declaring an end to the Korean War as well as to hold negotiations to sign a peace treaty on the Korean Peninsula.In a joint statement released by the NCCK and the NCCCUSA Friday, largely regarded as liberal Protestant church organizations in both countries, the two groups said, “We urge both governments to declare an end to the Korean War and open negotiations to conclude a peace treaty.”Stressing that the May 21 summit between Seoul and Washington was a “disappointment,” as it was a meeting mainly to reinforce the military alliance between the two nations, it said, “We are confident that the end of the war and

Jun 28, 2021By Park Ji-won

Park Ji-won

Read more

National Palace Museum exhibition sheds light on peonies in Joseon

Naver Webtoon unveils Marvel's 'Black Widow' webcomic

Another legal battle surrounding late actress Jang Ja-yeon

INTERVIEW Inspired by Korean dramas, Swiss classical flutist initiates soundtrack project

Play 'LOVEⅡ' seeks better love through dark perfectionism of K-pop industry

SM founder says music, technology are indispensable partners

INTERVIEW sEODo Band, pioneers of 'Joseon pop'

Earliest Hangeul metal movable type blocks excavated in Seoul

Korea Gourmet Week to be held in 5 cities in July

Korean, US progressive Christian groups call for peace treaty, end to Korean War

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