International Textile Fair to open in DaeguBy Shim Jae-yun A global fair for the textile industry will take place at EXCO in Daegu from today for a three-day run. The International Textile Fair 2013 will attract some 20,000 participants including foreign businesses from 20 countries. The event, also called Preview in Daegu (PID), the 12th of its kind, is being hosted by the Daegu Gyeongbuk Textile Industries. It will be the largest ever in size with the participation of 337 companies with 638 booths, compared to 322 firms and 600 booths last year. Of particular note, the number of foreign companies coming to the fair rose to 90, from 66 last year. Boosted by the recovery in textile markets and economic stimulus measures in China, an increasing number of foreign firms from Japan, Taiwan, Australia, India and Thailand have been applying for participation. The brisk participation from the foreign businesses has also been prompted by the Chinese government designation of PID as Asia’s influential overseas exhibition, helping induce companies in Beijing and Shanghai to attend. An organMar 5, 2013
Young talents strive to break into JYPTrainees work up a sweat at the JYP Entertainment building in this undated file photo. Thousands apply to get into the training program at leading entertainment agencies, as“ hallyu”or Korean wave remains popular throughout the world. / Courtesy of JYP Entertainment Park Ye-rin, winner of JYP’s 10th open auditionBy Kim Ji-sooAt the Seoul Arts College (SAC) in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul on Feb. 17, JYP Entertainment was holding its 10th open audition to recruit trainees to pursue the “hallyu dream.”Jang Yeo-hun was sitting there with his younger daughter to watch his eldest Jang Jong-soon, 15, audition in the women’s dance division.“Initially, I was worried about her hope to pursue an entertainment career, but now I fully support her,” Jang said, as he readied his camera to take pictures. His daughter was among the 25 finalists from 1,000 that originally applied for the audition.The AriranMar 5, 2013By Kim Ji-soo
Korean actor Ahn returns home after getting surgery in USSouth Korea's TV star Ahn Jae-wook returned home early this week after getting an emergency surgery for a stroke while in the United States, his management agency said Tuesday."Ahn was able to be discharged from the hospital as he made a very good recovery, and was able to return home on Sunday, earlier than expected, with the hospital's permission to travel by air," Jable Entertainment said in a statement.The 41-year-old actor and singer received a five-hour surgery for a subarachnoid hemorrhage berry aneurysm at a hospital in Las Vegas on Feb. 4 after experiencing serious headaches the previous day, according to the company. He was visiting the home of the agency chief at that time.He is in good condition, but he plans to rest for a while to fully recover, the agency said.Ahn is one of the most popular South Korean celebrities in other Asian countries, especially in China, where the MBC TV series "Star in My Heart" in which he starred was a big hit.Mar 5, 2013
Templestay to be promoted in int'l tourism fairBy Chung Ah-young The Culture Corps of Korean Buddhism will take part in the Internationale Tourismus-Boerse (ITB), a travel trade fair, which will run from March 6 to 10 in Berlin, Germany, to globally promote templestay programs.The fair is one of the world’s largest travel events, which will invite some 10,644 firms from 187 countries along with 200,000 visitors on average.The organization will preach the beauty of Korean templestay programs to foreign visitors through various cultural events such as making dolls using traditional paper.“We will convey the traditional values of 1,700-year local Buddhism history and its spiritual legacy beyond a tourism product,” Ven. Jung San, director of the organization, said. Mar 4, 2013
Singers to attend US music festivalBy Chung Ah-youngKorean singers and groups such as f(x), Guckkasten, No Brain and Galaxy Express, will attend the South by Southwest Festival in Austin Texas, the region’s largest music festival, which will take place from March 8 to 17 .A total of 11 Korean bands will hold a Korean showcase named "K-Pop Night Out at SXSW 2013" at Elysium on March 12 as part of the festival.Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Contents Agencyy, the showcase will be held along with other Korean cultural events introducing traditional liquor.World-renowned musicians such as Dave Grohl, Bruce Springsteen, MackleMore & Ryan Lewis and Flaming Lips will grace the stage in the festival. Mar 4, 2013
KOCCA ramps up support for K-pop, K-fashionHong Sang-pyoBy Kim Ji-sooA state-run content promotion agency said it will focus on “reviving culture” by providing a platform to further support core contents such as K-pop, K-fashion and K-games.“To promote these contents, we will invest 210 billion won in some 70 projects,” said Hong Sang-pyo, president of the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), in a press conference to mark his first year in office.To that end, the agency is seeking to launch a “Contents Korea Lab,” to support content ideas, a Korea Fund and a cooperative fund for content creators possibly within the year.“President Park has said in her inaugural speech that she will create jobs by steering a creative economy,” Hong said. “The KOCCA will focus all its energy on the blossoming content sector and the creative economy.”Hong said now is a good time to shift toward creating good content that integrates human imagination and sentiment with technology, rather than just focusing on technology itself. “It’s important to integrate technology, cultuMar 4, 2013
Exports of Korean fairy tales gaining impetusWhile moving in the prince’s golden coach, Gerda met a group of robbers in the forest. “Now this coach is ours.”‘Young parents want high-quality premium books’ Song Jun-sik, CEO of Owall Communications, poses withfairy tale books his firm publishes aiming at overseas markets. / Courtesy of Owall CommunicationsBy Park Si-sooKorean publishers of fairy tale books, desperate to cope with an increasingly tough survival game, are now turning their eyes to overseas markets. Their biggest challenge lies in the country’s low birthrate undercutting their customer base. Another threat is that more young parents prefer buying books Mar 4, 2013
K-pop stars dominate TV dramasK-pop stars Nam Ji-hyun, from girl group 4Minute, Kim Dong-jun, from boy band ZE:A, and Kim Yeo-won from Jewelry, pose for cameras in a press event for the new season of KBS television’s drama series, “Love and War,” at the broadcasters headquarters in February. / YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yooIt takes talent and a lot of effort to shine in K-pop, where the bar in singing and dancing ability seems to be set higher than ever. And as if this wasn’t enough, they better be able to deliver a line when plugged into a soap opera.An increasing number of television dramas are depending on young pop singers to give them a boost in viewer ratings, which means that the members of boy bands and girl groups have to find time for acting lessons between their grueling schedules. On the three national television networks — KBS, MBC and SBS — there are more than 20 dramas featuring these young singers-tuMar 3, 2013
Korean food in vogue in ChinaForeign investors pose at Bulgogi Brothers in downtown Seoul aftertaking part in a training program for foreign franchisees-in-waiting.From left are Pitt Li from China; Gunung Sahari Xi from Indonesia; KarLeon Cheng from China; and Chavivat Peechapol from Thailand.By Park Si-sooThere are multiple indications suggesting that Korean food is in vogue in China, said a financial analyst who has studied the Chinese restaurant industry.“As the popularity of Korean pop culture in China goes up, so does the demand for Korean food,” said Kar Leon Cheng, managing director of Chinese private equity fund Chaswood Resources. “Another good sign is that Korean food is widely perceived as healthy food. The demand for healthy food is on the rise as more people get fatter paychecks and become health-conscious.”Cheng recently took part in a training program in Seoul organized by Korean restaurant franchise Bulgogi Brothers for its franchisees-in-waiting overseas.The Oxford University graduate said competition among healthy food suppliers is heating up in the neighboring country, Mar 1, 2013
Standardization ㅡ key to franchise businessPeople eat “bulgogi” at a Bulgogi Brothers restaurant in Manila, the Philippines.'State support is needed to facilitate globalization’By Park Si-sooJung In-tae, chairman and CEO of Bulgogi Brothers, said standardization of taste and services is crucial for successful overseas expansion of Korean franchise restaurants. Courtesy of Bulgogi Brothers“Standardization” This is the secret of success of franchise Korean restaurant Bulgogi Brothers, owned by Jung In-tae. His franchises flourish in Malaysia, the Philippines and as far flung as Canada.Inspired by the boom in Korean pop culture abroad, an increasing number of domestic restaurants are venturing into uncharted markets.Jung is also trying to ride on this wave, seeking a bigger international presence with Korea’s signature traditional meat dish “bulgogi” (grilled marinated beef). The 58-year-old CEO is nicknamed “the master of franchises” for leading the rapid growth of American family restaurant brand T.G.I.F. and Outback Steakhouse in the domestic market Mar 1, 2013
