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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

Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music to be held in May

A performance being held during the Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music (SSF) at Yun Po-sun's house, Oct 12, 2020 / Courtesy of SSF By Park Ji-won Poster for the Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music (SSF) / Courtesy of SSF The Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music (SSF) will be held in May with the theme of “Ode to Joy” to mark the 251st anniversary of Beethoven in several cultural places in Seoul. From May 13 to 23, up to 52 performers will put on 11 performances in the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, the Seoul Arts Center and the house of Yun Po-sun.For the first performance at the Sejong Center on March 13, J. N. Hummel's “Piano Trio in E-flat Major Op. 12” will be played by Kim Kyu-yeon (piano), Cho Jin-joo (violin) and Kang Seung-min (cello) under the title of “Beethoven's Contemporaries” while L. Boccherini's “Guitar Quintet in D M

Apr 1, 2021By Park Ji-won
Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music to be held in May
Trends

INTERVIEW Pulitzer-winning photojournalist stresses value of long-lasting visual stories

Maria Meza, a 40-year-old migrant woman from Honduras, part of a caravan of thousands from Central America trying to reach the United States, runs away from tear gas with her five-year-old twin daughters Saira Mejia Meza, left, and Cheili Mejia Meza, right in front of the border wall between the U.S and Mexico, in Tijuana, Mexico, Nov. 25, 2018. This is a winning photography at the Pulitzer Prize's breaking news photography award for 2019. Reuters-Yonhap By Park Ji-won Photojournalist Kim Kyung-hoon / Photo by Kim Jung-sun Tear gas was fired by the United States border guard to repel a caravan of migrants near the border between the U.S. and Mexico on Nov. 25, 2018. The Central American asylum seekers, most of whom left their homes to give a better life to their children, had to run from the tear gas. Kim Kyung-hoon, a senior photographer at Reuters

Apr 1, 2021By Park Ji-won
[INTERVIEW] Pulitzer-winning photojournalist stresses value of long-lasting visual stories
Trends

China again claims Korean dish, this time Samgyetang

Samgyetang / gettyimagesbankBy Park Ji-wonChina has claimed that Samgyetang, or traditional Korean ginseng chicken soup, is theirs, upsetting many Koreans who are tired of the neighboring country's cultural provocations.On Baidu, the Chinese equivalent of Google, Tuesday, Samgyetang was described as a chicken soup dish originating from Guangdong province, China, which was later introduced to Korea. It adds that the dish later became one of the most iconic dishes beloved by Korea's royal family members.The description is incorrect. According to the Rural Development Administration, Koreans have been making a soup with chicken since at least the Joseon era. Samgyetang was popular among wealthy Koreans during the Japanese colonial period and they enjoyed the chicken soup with ginseng powder. It became more popular among ordinary people following the 1960s.Prof. Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women's University, a self-proclaimed “publicist” for Korea, who has volunteered to correct inaccurate understandings of Korean history overseas, said he sent a complaint email to Baidu, urgi

Mar 30, 2021By Park Ji-won
China again claims Korean dish, this time Samgyetang
Arts & Theater

Pianists Cho Seong-jin, Yiruma to perform in celebration of World Piano Day

By Park Ji-won Logo for a virtual festival to mark World Piano Day by Universal Music / Courtesy of Universal Music A free online concert featuring pianists Cho Seong-jin and Yiruma will be shown online at 11 p.m., KST, Sunday, to mark World Piano Day which falls on the same day.Under the theme, “Abandoned Pianos,” the 150-minute video showing up to 17 pianists will be available free on Deutsche Grammophon's (DG) YouTube channel for 72 hours after its release, showing them performing in multiple concert halls this year that had not been used due to the hiatus created by the infectious disease.In addition to Cho and Yiruma, renowned pianists Lang Lang, Balmorhea, Jan Lisiecki, Maria Joao Pires, Yannick Nezet-Seguin, Rudolf Buchbinder, Daniil Trifonov, Katia & Marielle Labeque, Joep Beving, Alice Sara Ott, Kit Armstrong, Rui Massena and Chad Lawson will play iconic classics and contemporary works, Universal Music said in a press release.Cho will play Chopin's Impromptu

Mar 28, 2021By Park Ji-won
Pianists Cho Seong-jin, Yiruma to perform in celebration of World Piano Day
Shows & Dramas

JTBC drama facing pre-release backlash

By Park Ji-won Poster for JTBC TV series “Snowdrop” / Courtesy of JTBC JTBC's upcoming TV series “Snowdrop” has also faced a backlash from audiences for allegedly distorting history, following a similar controversy over SBS' “Joseon Exorcist.”Some reacted furiously about the forthcoming drama after its synopsis was leaked online. According to leaked information, the drama, set in Korea gripped by pro-democracy protests in the 1980s, tells the story of love between a North Korean agent and a female South Korean college student.Their discontent comes from lead characters. Suho, played by Jung Hae-in, is a pro-democracy student activist who turns out to be a North Korean agent who infiltrates South Korea to instigate chaos and political instability, during which he falls in love with the other lead role Young-cho (BLACKPINK's Jisoo). People reacted poorly to the way the male character is described and claim the plot is an apologism for the South Korean spy agency, which

Mar 28, 2021By Park Ji-won
JTBC drama facing pre-release backlash
Arts & Theater

Pianist William Youn hopes to comfort pandemic-hit audience with solo recital

Pianist William Youn / Courtesy of Bom Arts Project By Park Ji-won Poster for William Youn's piano recital / Courtesy of Bom Arts Project Pianist William Youn, or Youn Hong-chun, is one of many who missed out on chances to perform last year. Up to 50 performances of the Germany-based artist were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of those were to be held in Europe.Instead of feeling depressed, he made the most of his time to expand his artistic horizons by reflecting on himself and restoring his health which had been diminished by frequent touring.“Before the pandemic, I was traveling most of the time. I had to meet different people every day and slept in hotels. I continued to add to my repertoire. But last year, I did not practice when I didn't want to. I read a lot of books over the year and restored my health physically and mentally. I a

Mar 26, 2021By Park Ji-won
Pianist William Youn hopes to comfort pandemic-hit audience with solo recital
Entertainment

National Folk Museum targets millennials

Kim Jong-dae, director general of the National folk Museum of Korea, bows during a ceremonial ritual in front of “Jangseung” or Korean totem poles at the museum in Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonKim Jong-dae, director general of the National folk Museum of Korea, speaks during a press conference at the museum, Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapThe National Folk Museum of Korea announced it will change the way it operates and presents exhibitions aiming to target more young visitors, while planning to open a Paju branch in July, its new director general said Tuesday.“Unless we find a new direction, it might be hard for the museum to survive … We will take the way of millennials approaching culture. As young people find something new from the past or enjoy the 'newtro' boom, we could promote folk culture. We will take the lead in providing exhibitions and spaces where visitors actually experience Korean folk culture, which is closely related to our ordinary lives, as well as online content after the COVID-19 situation,” Kim Jong-dae, director general of the muse

Mar 25, 2021By Park Ji-won
National Folk Museum targets millennials
Entertainment

'80-year-old' actress plays her last 'Maude' in play 'Harold and Maude'

Actress Park Jung-ja, who plays Maude in the play “Harold and Maude,” speaks during a press conference held to promote the play at Page Myeongdong, Seoul, Monday. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonPoster for the play “Harold and Maude” / Courtesy of Seensee CompanyPark Jung-ja, a veteran actress who has been playing the 79-year-old woman Maude from the play “Harold and Maude,” originally written by Collin Higgins, bids farewell to the role this year with its upcoming performance in May, as she turns 80 in real life.The first Korean run of the play in 1987 featured veteran actress Kim Hye-ja, but Park has played the role six times now ― in five plays and one musical ― and it has become one of her most famous roles.“Nobody forced me to quit the role at age 80. But I made the decision as part of my personal project to make a beautiful end after seeing how audiences like this play every time I meet them … Back then, I thought 80 was far away from me. Then I turned 80 and am here now. I thought I would be mature at that age. But I am not. So my Maude may

Mar 24, 2021By Park Ji-won
'80-year-old' actress plays her last 'Maude' in play 'Harold and Maude'
Arts & Theater

Violinist Chung Kyung-wha cancels show due to injury

Violinist Chung Kyung-wha / Courtesy of Vincero By Park Ji-wonRenowned violinist Chung Kyung-wha canceled her much-anticipated performances at the upcoming Tongyeong International Music Festival due to a finger injury, the international festival said last week. The 72-year-old violinist was to present Bach's Violin Sonata and Partitas at the festival to be held at Tongyeong Concert Hall on March 28 and 30, but her performances were canceled. Her agency said she was told by a doctor to rest for at least four weeks. Details of her injury have not been announced. However, the agency added it is considering rescheduling her performance for this fall.Her performance at Tongyeong Concert Hall was one of the most anticipated presentations during the festival as it marks the 50th anniversary of her debut album. The artist was also set to hold a solo recital at Namdong Sorae Arts Hall in Incheon last Saturday. But that event was canceled on the day of the performance due to

Mar 22, 2021By Park Ji-won
Violinist Chung Kyung-wha cancels show due to injury
Entertainment

Racist BTS Garbage Pail Kids sticker accelerates #StopAsianHate movement

BTS poses during an online red carpet event of the Grammy Awards 2021, Monday. Courtesy of Big Hit Entertainment By Park Ji-won A statement released by Topps / Courtesy of Topps An apology from Topps, a U.S. trading card and sticker maker, for an unflattering depiction of BTS beaten up in an illustration likely accelerated the hashtag movement of #StopAsianHate among angry BTS fans and Asians.The “racist” illustration was made a week before the 63rd Grammy Awards as part of its Garbage Pail Kids sticker collection under the name, “The Shammy Awards,” showing the battered seven members in a whack-a-mole game being hit with a golden gramophone award. In addition to the BTS sticker, the company released Grammy-inspired products featuring performers such as Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Megan Thee Stallion and Harry Styles. However, unlike the depiction o

Mar 19, 2021By Park Ji-won
Racist BTS Garbage Pail Kids sticker accelerates #StopAsianHate movement
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