2AM to perform at K-pop festival in Yokohama Four-member Korean boy band 2AM will perform at the “K-Fest Summer! 2013 in Yokohama” in Japan on Aug. 10-11. The festival presents four performances, twice a day.According to the official website (kfes.brokore.com), four groups are scheduled to hit the stage on the first day, including leading K-pop group 2AM, Korean idol group My Name and Glam, and recently debuted k-pop group History. On the second day, idol group C-Clown, History, and boy band A-Prince will perform.2AM recently celebrated their five-year anniversary. After making their debut with their digital single “This Song” in 2008, 2AM continues to produce hits such as “Confession of a Friend,” “Even if I Die I Can't Let You Go,” and “You Wouldn't Answer My Calls.Jul 14, 2013
'Makgeolli' storable for 100 days Ivory-colored traditional rice wine "makgeolli"By Park Si-soo The state-run food laboratory has developed a new fermentation technology, extending the distribution period for Korea’s traditional rice wine Makgeolli to 100 days from 30 days. The Korea Food Research Institute (KFRI) said the new technology slows down the liquor’s fermentation process. Experts said it will help the products’ worldwide distribution. The demand for Makgeolli continues to rise in overseas markets. But exporting the products in large quantities to remote nations by vessels has been impossible since the current storage technology keeps its taste unspoiled only for up to one month. “We’ve found that Makgeolli keeps its taste unspoiled for up to 105 days,” a KFRI official said. “We will soon start promoting this to domestic Makgeolli makers.” Makgeolli is found to have potent anti-cancer properties that are 10-25 times greater than beer and grape wine, according to a recent study by the KFRI. Jul 14, 2013
Pharmicell ushers in 'stem cell renaissance' A Pharmicell employee looks into a microscope at the firm’s research center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. The world’s first maker of mass cell therapy “Hearticellgram-AMI” will transfer its core technologies to Saudi Arabia by 2017 for $80 million. The firm also seeks to enter major markets including the United States and China. / Courtesy of Pharmicell‘Stroke, heart failure, liver failure, spinal cord injury will be conquered’By Park Si-sooPharmicell CEO Kim Hyun-sooThe “miracle” started in September 2011.A middle-aged Korean man surnamed Kwon saw his near dead heart tissue, caused by a myocardial infarction, revived dramatically through treatment using the world’s first mass produced stem cell therapy.Since then several other stem cell-based therapies for commercial use have been invented, giving “freedom” to scores of people suffering from such ailments as knee cartilage defects, Crohn’s disease and grafted tissue rejection.In May, American scientists successfully recovered stem cells from cloned human Jul 14, 2013
Hallyu Line BEAST to promote Shinsegae DFSShinsegae Duty Free named BEAST as its official brand ambassador Thursday. The six-member boy band is currently flying high, with upcoming concerts slated for July 20 and 21 at Seoul Olympic Park already sold out. Since their debut in 2009, the group has gained a huge following from the Asian market and currently has many fans throughout the region. They recently released a new single “Will You be Alright?” that instantly topped local music charts. “As one of the leading K-pop groups, BEAST will help us to elevate our brand awareness,” said the director of Shinsegae Duty Free. Shinsegae will launch several sales promotional events with BEAST to attract Chinese and Japanese tourists to their Busan store. The first event, running until Aug. 28, has Shinsegae Duty Free Facebook offering a million won traveling gift cards for 5 shoppers and 300,000 won Shinsegae gift cards for 10 shoppers.Exo to perform at Universiade Twelve-member K-pop group Exo will perform at the 2013 Summer Universiade closing ceremony, their managemeJul 12, 2013
Seoul int'l animation fest kicks off this month By Chung Ah-youngThe 17th Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival (SICAF) will be held from July 23 to 28 in Myeong-dong and on Mt. Namsan in central Seoul.SICAF, one of the largest international cartoon and animation festivals in Korea, will hold a special exhibition featuring cartoonist Yoon Seung-un who won the comic award last year for his “Maengkkongi Seodang” which was serially posted in a comic magazine “Bomulseom (Treasure Island) and other experience events for children and adults. The opening film is “The Apostle,” a Spanish mystery animation thriller, by Fernando Cortizo, which is set in a remote village on the road to Santiago de Compostela. This film features the memorable music score by American composer Philip Glass, known for his music in “The Truman Show” and “The Hours.”The Seoul Animation Center will host on exhibitions of artwork by SICAF award-winning authors and other fun activities in which children can participate, including “Yocheol the Master Inventor” and “Nostalgia AnimatiJul 12, 2013
Singing auditions at a crossroads Choi Sung-bong captivated the nation not only for his deep baritone but also for his humble background, growing up in an orphanage when he auditioned for “Korea’s Got Talent” in 2011. / Korea Times fileBy Chung Ah-youngMBC will discontinue its flagship audition show “Great Birth” due to dwindling viewer ratings andapplicants. / Korea Times fileMnet’s “Superstar K” was hugely popular when it was first aired in 2009, generating aspiring K-popsingers. / Korea Times fileWhen the singing contests were competitively created around 2011 to generate aspiring K-pop singers, millions of applicants took to the broadcasting stations to audition for the programs, which they believed to be the gateway to becoming a star.Recently, the popularity of numerous singing audition programs such as Mnet’s “Superstar K,” MBC’s “Great Birth” and SBS’s “K-pop Star” is seemingly falling. More and more viewers are turning away from the shows due to the apparent monotony of simJul 12, 2013
Kim Junsu joined by Quincy Brown on new album Kim JunsuKim Junsu, also known as Xia and a member of a Korean boy band JYJ, invited American rapper Quincy Brown to feature on the title song on his new solo album “Incredible.” Quincy Brown is the son of a famous singer-actor Puff Daddy.Kim and Quincy Brown shared their similar music passion when they first met during the former’s music video shoot in Los Angeles.The video of the title song “Incredible” was created by the same team that made “Tarantallegra” from Kim’s first solo album.Kim will appear on Melon TV on July 15, the release date of his second solo album.Meanwhile, Kim has recently shown his popularity by selling all 18,000 seats for his upcoming concert, “Xia 2nd Asia Tour Concert Incredible in Seoul,” within 15 minutes.Jul 11, 2013
Summer camps for multiracial families Local multicultural family support centers are launching summer camps for multiracial families.The Hwaseong Multicultural Family Support Center in Gyeonggi Province has opened a summer course on “Experiencing Traditional Chinese Culture” for children from multiracial families from July 18 to 25. For applications, call (032-267-8769) or email hmdc8785@naver.com.The Anseong center is launching free summer courses varying from quilting to diet dancing targeting foreign wives from Aug. 5 to 30, every Tuesdays and Thursdays.Applications are only taken directly by the center (031-677-7191).The Uiseong support center in North Gyeongsang Province is hosting a summer camp targeting elementary students from multiracial families on July 29 and 30. For applications, please visit the center (054-832-5440) through July 17.Yecheon in North Gyeongsang Province is launching a “Multicultural Family Swimming Camp” for 70 families. Applications are on a first-come first-served basis.For more information, call 054-654-4321.Jul 11, 2013
'We Koreans need to change' Street signs and boards in different languages grace districts in the “Borderless Village” in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. Korea Times photos by Park Jin-haiLeading advocate says migrants are 'not tools'By Park Jin-haiThe “godfather” of migrants says that the country's multiculturalism policies so far have been misguided, and it’s time to change the mindset of the majority."If there exists prejudice and discrimination against minorities, policies should give more attention to the majority to educate them and change their perception toward ethnic minorities. Because, minorities will anyhow try their best to adapt to the society,” said Park Chun-ung, 52, who is leading the Ansan Multicultural Center (AMC) in Gyeonggi Province.Park, a pastor and activist, will work with fellow experts on analyzing how the media portrays ethnic minorities. He and 49 other critics who have either studied multiculturalism or have worked in relevant professions at least three years in May launched a multicultural critics association to that end. “The government haJul 11, 2013By Park Jin-hai
Hospitals seek to open overseas branches By Park Si-soo Two powerful organizations in the country’s medical industry have joined forces to open branches of local hospitals overseas that use their operation systems. Representatives of the Korean Hospital Association (KHA) and the Committee of Future Medical Industry launched a new organization Monday that will dedicate itself to facilitate opening Korean hospitals. Bae Byeong-woo, chairman of health testing equipment manufacturer Infopia, was designated as inaugural president of the organization tentatively named the Committee for Exporting Hospital and Medical Services (CEHMS). The committee was established amid growing frustration among domestic hospitals that the absence of overseas promotions specializing in medical services has hampered their overseas expansion. Bae said the CEHMS will form an extensive network with hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, builders and international distributors to provide clients with “one stop” services. He said there was a growing demand for Korean hospitals in developing countries in Asia, the Middle East, AfricaJul 11, 2013
