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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

Korean traditional tale 'Chunhyangjeon' told as comic opera

A scene from the opera “The Chunhyang” / Courtesy of Seoul Arts CenterBy Park Ji-wonPoster for opera “The Chunhyang” / Seoul Arts CenterOpera has not been one of the most popular stage performances in Korea. Of course, performances of Grammy-winning renowned soprano Jo Su-mi quickly sell out, but very few music lovers who have ordinarily enjoyed classical music choose to consume the genre, while still many prefer popular musicals, plays or traditional performances. However, the romantic comedy opera “The Chunhyang” aims to target a wide range of people by presenting the operatic version of a Korean traditional folk tale familiar to many and featuring skilled opera singers.“The Chunhyang” written by Yoon Mi-hyun, with music composed by Nah Si-rin and directed by Kim Tae-woong, reinterprets “Chunhyangjeon,” one of the most famous love stories based on pansori, or a traditional musical storytelling through singing, narrating and dancing, from the Joseon Kingdom, in a comical and twisted way. The original tale is a satirical sto

May 10, 2021By Park Ji-won
Korean traditional tale 'Chunhyangjeon' told as comic opera
K-pop

INTERVIEW eAeon finds ease with music after suffering, drops album feat. BTS's RM

eAeon / Courtesy of MotmusicBy Park Ji-wonAlbum cover for “Fragile” (2021) by eAeon / Courtesy of MotmusicStarting with “Non-linear” (2004) as a founder and leader of indie band Mot, singer-songwriter eAeon has been paving his unique path by creating computer-based music through explorations in sound design.As an elective wave engineering major at the prestigious Yonsei University and a member of Mensa, he was obsessed with designing every sound from top to bottom and used to the process even describing himself as a “control freak.”His albums, “Strange Season” (2007) “Ashcraft” (2016) by Mot, “Guilt-free” (2012) by eAeon and “The Last Night” (2018) by his project group Night Off, were largely categorized as modern rock or electronic music, but it is hard to define because he refused to use existing patterns and music sources of ordinary musical elements.Also the lyrics of his music were unlike those in other music which mainly talk about love. Rather, he focuses on expressing the dark side of human ex

May 6, 2021By Park Ji-won
[INTERVIEW] eAeon finds ease with music after suffering, drops album feat. BTS's RM
Arts & Theater

15 Korean pianists to compete in Queen Elizabeth Competition

By Park Ji-wonLogo for Queen Elisabeth Competition / Courtesy of Queen Elisabeth CompetitionFifteen Korean pianists will compete with other contenders in the first round of this years' Queen Elisabeth Competition, one of the most prestigious international classical music contests for young musicians, in Brussels, Belgium, on Monday (local time). South Korea is the country with the largest number of competitors, according to the Korean Cultural Center in Belgium.The Korean pianists in this year's competition are: Hong Min-soo, Kim Hong-gi, Kim Hye-lim, Kim Jun-hyung, Kim Seol-hwa, Kim Severine, Kim Su-Yeon, Lee Hyuk, Lee Taek-gi, Park Jin-hyung, Park Kyoung-sun, Park Young-ho, Shin Chang-yong, Yoo Se-gyeong and Yoo Sung-ho, accounting for some 26 percent of 58 participants from 16 countries, according to data of the Queen Elizabeth Competition.The country with the second-largest number of competitors is Russia (11), followed by Japan (7) and France (7). In 2013, 13 South Koreans entered the round while 24 pianists competed in 2016. The winner will be announced on May 29 (local time) i

May 4, 2021By Park Ji-won
15 Korean pianists to compete in Queen Elizabeth Competition
K-pop

INTERVIEW Newly debuted K-pop group TRI.BE aims to empower younger generations

By Park Ji-wonVideo by Lee Min-young, Kim Kang-min, Yun Da-beenTRI.BE, a seven-member K-pop girl group debuting in February, first came under the media spotlight due to the fact that the group was put together by high-profile composer and director Sinsadong Tiger and Universal Music in Korea. It is the first idol group formed by the international label.Consisting of seven members, Songsun, Kelly, Jinha, Hyunbin, Jia, Soeun and MiRe, the group rapidly attracted international fans with its debut track “DOOM DOOM TA,” a song with an addictive afrobeat, baile funk and dancehall elements, catchy lyrics and powerful and skilled dance performances. Its debut song has already clocked more than 5.7 million views on YouTube.In addition to addictive songs and performances, what makes them stand out from other K-pop groups is cultural diversity. The group consists of members from Korea, Japan and Taiwan and they range in age from 15 to 24.TRI.BE shared their thoughts about their music, debut and cultural diversity during a recent interview with The Korea Times. The following are exce

May 3, 2021By Park Ji-won
[INTERVIEW] Newly debuted K-pop group TRI.BE aims to empower younger generations
  • VIDEO How foreign K-pop idols adjust to Korean life｜ K-pop rookie TRI.BE
Trends

Royal Culture Festival to be held online and offline from Saturday

By Park Ji-won Poster for Royal Culture Festival / Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration The seventh Royal Culture Festival will begin Saturday in royal palaces in Seoul and through online channels to display traditional Korean cultural heritage sites and practices. The organizers said the festival aims to comfort pandemic-weary citizens.Starting with the opening ceremony at Gyeongbok Palace Friday, themed “rest,” the annual festival will run until May 9 at five palaces ― Gyeongbok, Changdeok, Deoksu, Changgyeong and Gyeonghui ― as well as the royal shrine Jongmyo and the altar Sajikdan.The on-site events will include “Cinema in Palace” at Gyeongbok, where critics will share their thoughts with audiences after the screening of three films about palaces and kingdoms; “Prince Yeonsan,” (1962) “The Fatal Encounter” (2014) and “Forbidden Dream” (2019).“Self-discovery Time in Palace” at Changgyeong, allows participants to write a statement and draw a picture on the

May 1, 2021By Park Ji-won
Royal Culture Festival to be held online and offline from Saturday
Arts & Theater

National Museum exhibits UK portrait collection for 1st time in Korea

The portrait “The Capel Family” owned by the National Portrait Gallery, London, is being displayed at the National Museum of Korea through Aug. 15. Courtesy of National Portrait Gallery, London By Park Ji-won A portrait of Ed Sheeran / Courtesy of National Portrait Gallery, London The National Museum of Korea (NMK) has unveiled 78 portraits of the National Portrait Gallery, London created between the 16th century and 21st century.The large-scale exhibition, titled “Icons and Identities from the National Portrait Gallery, London,” is the first of its kind in Korea and will run through Aug. 15, featuring portraits of well-known and historic figures such as William Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth I, Charles Darwin, Issac Newton, the Beetles and Ed Sheeran. The exhibition aims to offer a rare opportunity to visitors through portraits of figures who have sha

Apr 30, 2021By Park Ji-won
National Museum exhibits UK portrait collection for 1st time in Korea
Trends

INTERVIEW Pastor suspended for blessing LGBTQ questions meaning of love in church

Rev. Lee Dong-hwan, the pastor of Glory Jeil Church in Suwon who was suspended from duty after holding a “blessing prayer” at the 2019 Queer Culture Festival in Incheon, poses during an interview at The Korea Times office in Seoul, April 23. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Park Ji-wonInstead of delivering sermons and rubbing shoulders with his congregation, Rev. Lee Dong-hwan, a Methodist pastor in Suwon south of Seoul, spends most of his time these days discussing legal plans with his attorney and strategizing with a group of activists who banded together to support him.Lee has been accused by the Korean Methodist Church (KMC) of disobedience and an ecclesiastical tribunal upheld that allegation, suspending him from being a pastor for two years. His crime: holding a blessing prayer at the Queer Culture Festival in the western port city of Incheon two years ago.“If holding a blessing prayer for sexual minorities can be a punishable sin, why doesn't the church punish those pastors who blessed Chun Doo-hwan, who was behind the May 18 massacre? Why doesn't the ch

Apr 29, 2021By Park Ji-won
[INTERVIEW] Pastor suspended for blessing LGBTQ questions meaning of love in church
Films

Media, fans captivated by Youn's witty speech

Actress Youn Yuh-jung accepts the Oscar for the Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her role as “Soonja” in the film “Minari,” during the live ABC Telecast of the 93rd Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California, on Sunday, local time. Reuters-Yonhap'I didn't smell him. I'm not dog,' says Youn when asked how Brad Pitt smells likeBy Park Ji-wonAward-winning “Parasite” director Bong Joon-ho stressed that actress Youn's historic win at the Academy Awards ― for Best Supporting Actress for her role as “Soonja” in the film “Minari,” a story centering on a Korean immigrant family who seeks the “American Dream” on Sunday, local time ―was “Youn's personal triumph, not that of the Korean film scene.” Nevertheless, the news still excited many Koreans and international media outlets, not only because Youn was the first Korean national to win an Oscar, breaking through the glass ceiling of what some consider a conservative Western-centric awards event, but also as a result of her warm acceptance speech, filled wit

Apr 27, 2021By Park Ji-won
Media, fans captivated by Youn's witty speech
Music

Chung Myung-whun reflects on life with new album and recitals

Chung Myung-whun, the conductor and pianist, speaks during a press conference for his new album, “Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms: Late Piano Works,” and his recital at Cosmos Art Hall, Seoul, Thursday. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonThe cover image of Chung Myung-whun's piano album, “Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms: Late Piano Works” / Courtesy of Universal Music KoreaConductor Chung Myung-whun has returned with his second album, “Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms: Late Piano Works,” and the first recital in seven years.Chung, who started his musical career as a pianist and became famous after winning the second prize at the 1974 International Tchaikovsky Competition, for the first time as a Korean, has built his career as a conductor and music director of international orchestras, such as the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as being a member of the Chung trio. With the album including the most famous pieces written by the three composers during their twilight years, Chung tried to express himself through the piano, which is his f

Apr 25, 2021By Park Ji-won
Chung Myung-whun reflects on life with new album and recitals
Trends

Church group vows to support democracy in Myanmar

So Kang-suk, right, co-leader of the United Christian Churches of Korea (UCCK), one of the largest associations of Protestant churches in Korea, speaks during a video call with Mahn Win Khaing Than, the prime minister of the National Unity Government (NUG), newly formed government of Myanmar and opponents of the Myanmar's military coup, Wednesday. Courtesy of UCCKBy Park Ji-wonThe United Christian Churches of Korea (UCCK), one of the largest associations of Protestant churches in Korea, said that its chief pledged to support the establishment of democracy in Myanmar during a call with Mahn Win Khaing Than, the prime minister of the National Unity Government (NUG), the newly formed government of Myanmar and opponents of Myanmar's military coup, which took power in February, and urged further support from Korean and international communities.The UCCK said in a statement that So Kang-suk, a pastor and the group's co-leader, had a conference call with the NUG's prime minister on Wednesday afternoon and said, “I pray that the spring of Myanmar's democracy would come fast.”Stre

Apr 23, 2021By Park Ji-won
Church group vows to support democracy in Myanmar
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