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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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Arts & Theater

Quinteto Astor Piazzolla holds national tour in Korea

From left, music director Julian Vat, violinist Serdar Geldymuradov, pianist Barbara Varassi Pega, double bassist Daniel Falasca and baritone Lee Eung-kwang pose during a press conference held in Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Bom Arts ProjectBy Park Ji-wonQuinteto Astor Piazzolla, a repertory group founded by Laura Escalada Piazzolla, widow of the legendary tango composer Astor Piazzolla, will tour Korea as part of its world tour marking the 100th anniversary of Piazzolla's birth. It has been the first performance since its visit to Korea in 2019 and the only Asian stop for the international tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation.In five cities, Seoul (Sept. 28), Daegu (Suseong Artpia, Oct. 2), Jeonju (Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do, Oct. 3), Gwangju (Gwangju Culture & Arts Center, Oct. 4) and Incheon (Arts Center Incheon, Oct. 8), they will play an 80-minutes program of famous Piazzolla pieces. The program includes famous pieces popular among Koreans such as “Adios Nonino,” the music used by figure skater Kim Yuna in her free skating performance at the 2014 Winte

Sep 30, 2021By Park Ji-won
Quinteto Astor Piazzolla holds national tour in Korea
Arts & Theater

Two Beethoven specialist pianists to tour Korea in October

From left, pianists Andras Schiff and Rudolf Buchbinder / Courtesy of Mast Media and Vincero By Park Ji-wonThere's good news for classical music fans who missed performances in 2020 marking the 250th anniversary of the birth of German composer and pianist Ludwig van Beethoven due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some upcoming performances are featuring renowned pianists and Beethoven specialists from outside of Korea.Pianists Andras Schiff and Rudolf Buchbinder will arrive in Korea for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic and play famous works by Beethoven and other composers in various locations across the country.Schiff, a Hungarian who is known as a specialist of Beethoven's sonatas, will be holding a recital at Seoul Arts Center on Oct. 7 where he will play Beethoven's Sonata No. 17, 26 and 32 as well as Bach's “Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor,” “Capriccio in B-flat major” and “Musical Offering, BWV 1079.” After he turned 50, Schiff went on tour to

Sep 27, 2021By Park Ji-won
Two Beethoven specialist pianists to tour Korea in October
Shows & Dramas

'It's Okay to Not Be Okay,' 'I-LAND' nominated for 2021 International Emmy Awards

Poster for tvN's series “It's Okay to Not Be Okay” Courtesy of tvNBy Park Ji-wonTvN's series, “It's Okay to Not Be Okay,” and Mnet's audition show, “I-LAND,” have been nominated for this year's International Emmy Awards, which are given to non-U.S. shows and actors.The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (IATAS) announced Thursday the list of nominees including the two Korean shows.Poster for K-pop audition show “I-LAND” Courtesy of CJ ENM“It's Okay to Not Be Okay,” a romantic series which was aired from June to August of 2020 revolving around Gang-tae, a caretaker in a psychiatric ward who refuses to love, and Moon-young, a famous children's book writer who is known to have an antisocial personality disorder, was nominated in the TV Movie & Mini-Series category. “I-LAND,” a K-pop audition show which aired from June to September of 2020, was listed in the Non-Scripted Entertainment category. No Korean program has won the award in those categories to date. In 2010, MBC's documentary, “M

Sep 26, 2021By Park Ji-won
'It's Okay to Not Be Okay,' 'I-LAND' nominated for 2021 International Emmy Awards
Shows & Dramas

'Squid Game' tops global Netflix chart

Netflix's original series "Squid Game" / Courtesy of NetflixBy Park Ji-wonNetflix's Korean original series "Squid Game" has topped the global top 10 charts at the streaming giant, Friday, local time. This is the first time that a Korean drama series reached the top spot on Netflix's top 10.According to streaming analytics platform FlixPatrol, the thriller series seized the position on Friday on the daily top 10 list, while topping the list on Saturday as well. The British teen comedy series "Sex Education," which was at the top, fell to second. “Lucifer,” a U.S. mystery series in its sixth and last season, ranked third on the chart.Squid Game took first place in 66 out of 83 countries.The achievement came after the series, which began streaming Sept. 17, ranked second on the same chart from Monday to Thursday, local time, last week which was the first for a Korean drama series. It also became the first Korean drama series in the U.S.'s daily top 10 list since Tuesday.Netflix's global top 10 chart from FlixPatrol / Screenshot from FlixPatrol's websiteCreated and directed b

Sep 26, 2021By Park Ji-won
'Squid Game' tops global Netflix chart
  • 'Squid Game': Linguistic realities
Trends

Tired of bustling big city life, urbanites explore rural lifestyles during weekends

Park So-yeon, a 28-year-old Seoul resident and yoga instructor, poses near Mount Gyeryong in South Chungcheong Province on July 16. Courtesy of Park So-yeonBy Park Ji-wonPark So-yeon, 28, a yoga instructor in Seoul, leaves the city for a house located near Mount Gyeryong in South Chungcheong Province, about 140 kilometers southwest of Seoul, once she is done with her busy workweek.The house is owned by her friend's parents, and there she relaxes doing only yoga and essential household chores. She also works on a farm near the house, exploring a rural lifestyle that is completely different to her weekdays in the city.“For my work as a yoga instructor, I need to travel a lot and take a subway to meet students. I can easily get stressed out and exhausted on the crowded subway, as there is no personal space there,” she told The Korea Times. “Spending four to five days in the city and two days in the countryside is perfect for a balanced life. It makes me feel alive. I am planning to continue to live like this.”“I feel grateful to live in the city because I c

Sep 23, 2021By Park Ji-won
Tired of bustling big city life, urbanites explore rural lifestyles during weekends
Arts & Theater

Seoul International Dance Festival to be held

&ltiframe width="740" height="416" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/czs2WIFEKuE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen&gt&lt/iframe&gtBy Park Ji-won Poster for SIDance2021 / Courtesy of SIDance The 24th Seoul International Dance Festival (SIDance2021), hosted by Seoul Section of the UNESCO International Dance Council (CID-UNESCO), will be held from Oct. 16 to Nov. 14 at various locations in Seoul and through online platforms.This year's festival will focus on presenting dance performances from Benelux countries ― Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg ― as well as works from non-metropolitan areas. The festival features 84 works from 83 dance companies representing 14 countries, encompassing Europe, Asia, Middle East, and North America. They will be held at various locations in Seoul, such as Seoul Arts Center, ARKO Art Center and Oil Tank Culture

Sep 23, 2021By Park Ji-won
Seoul International Dance Festival to be held
Trends

INTERVIEW Co-worshipping: Churches share worship hall amid pandemic

Revs. Yoon Chul-jong of Want-to-Revisit Church, from left, An Nam-ki of Springing Fountain Church and Kim Hak-beom of Gimpo Myungsung Church pose at the entrance of the Co+Worship Station, Wednesday, where up to nine churches from seven different denominations hold services sharing one hall in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Park Ji-wonAt the end of the 19th century, Christianity was something to be eradicated by the Confucian Joseon Kingdom and therefore many believers, priests and pastors were persecuted for their commitment to the teachings of Christ following the establishment of the peninsula's first Protestant church in 1883.Compared to then, things are now much different. As of 2015, the number of Protestants topped other religious believers with 9.6 million adherents, followed by 7.6 million Buddhists and 3.8 million Catholics, according to Statistics Korea. The data show that the Protestant congregation has grown the fastest.Some of the churches had contributed to shaping modern Korean history by saving lives of Korean War-hit citizens and fight

Sep 20, 2021By Park Ji-won
[INTERVIEW] Co-worshipping: Churches share worship hall amid pandemic
Music

Nat'l gugak center to focus on original form of traditional music

Kim Young-woon, newly-appointed director general of the National Gugak Center, speaks during a press conference held at the center in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of National Gugak Center By Park Ji-wonPeople's attention to traditional music is likely higher than ever thanks to the popularity of the so-called fusion gugak (Korean traditional music) genre. A video of Leenalchi, an alternative pop band, has already exceeded 15.3 million views on YouTube, and one of a series of promotional videos from the Korea Tourism Organization featuring the band and its music exceeded 47.6 million views on the streaming platform. The sampling of “Daechwita,” a traditional military band piece, by BTS's Suga (August D) for his single of the same name also promoted the genre among global listenersBut not many Koreans are familiar with traditional gugak, including court and folk music, despite enjoying the rising attention to the “new” music genre. Kim Young-woon, newly-appointed director

Sep 17, 2021By Park Ji-won
Nat'l gugak center to focus on original form of traditional music
People & Events

Yoido Full Gospel Church founder Cho Yong-gi dies

Rev. Cho Yong-gi, founder and senior pastor of the Yoido Full Gospel Church, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the church office, Seoul, March 27, 2020. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Park Ji-wonRev. Cho Yong-gi, founder and senior pastor of the Yoido Full Gospel Church, died Tuesday. He was 85.The pastor emeritus passed away at 7:13 a.m. in Seoul National University Hospital due to a brain hemorrhage, the church said. Cho had been hospitalized due to the stroke since July last year. He is considered as the pioneer in expanding the size of Protestant church in Korea.Born on Feb. 14, 1936 in Ulju, Ulsan, South Gyeongsang Province as the eldest of nine children, he was raised in a Buddhist family. Cho was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis in his second year of high school and was told that he would not have long to live. He was introduced to Christianity through a friend of his sister and decided to follow the religion. Cho met with Kenneth Tice, a missionary from the Assemblies of God, an American Pentecostal denomination in Busan and began helping him. He

Sep 14, 2021By Park Ji-won
Yoido Full Gospel Church founder Cho Yong-gi dies
Arts & Theater

NTCK's multimedia play to be showcased for roaming audience

A scene from “Coffee and Soporific” / Courtesy of NTCKBy Park Ji-wonThe National Theater Company of Korea (NTCK) will showcase a new COVID-19-friendly form of tour-like multimedia play that invites its audience to move around outside of the theater, showcasing a VR performance about poet Yi Sang (1910-37), the 1930s and present.The NTCK's new piece “Coffee and Soporific” by artist Seo Hyun-suk will be showcased alongside Seoullo 7017, a former overpass turned into a park near Seoul Station, as well as at the NTCK and in its main theater from Sept. 24 to Oct. 3. Each participant, who is required to bring a mobile phone and earphones, will start a 50-minute journey at the beginning of Seoullo 7017 or near the headquarters of Shinsegae Department Store alone and be asked to listen to an audio file provided by the NTCK for about 20 minutes. The audio file is a narration of background information about the era and Yi's famous poems which drew inspiration from Seoul. It explains the department store and other areas while guiding participants to pass by the actual fa

Sep 14, 2021By Park Ji-won
NTCK's multimedia play to be showcased for roaming audience
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