Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Independent publishing on the rise

A visitor to the “Public Library Independent Publishing Reading Room” exhibit reads independently published books at the National Library of Korea in southern Seoul. / Courtesy of National Library of KoreaBy Kwon Mee-yooThe  "Public Library Independent Publishing Reading Room” is showcasing the development of independent publications in Korea at the Digital Library Gallery of the National Library of Korea (NLK) in southern Seoul. Independent publishing has diversified, ranging from self-publishers who release their own creation to publishing companies experimenting new way of publication. The exhibit shows current status of independent publishing in Korea and the possibility of this self-led publication trend. Organized by quarterly magazine GRAPHIC, the exhibit encompasses a wide range of independent publications produced in Korea for the last five years with an archive of some 600 volumes of 400 books.Currently, the NLK applies the Korean decimal classification to its collections, but a new type of classification system was developed for the independent

Mar 6, 2015

Memoirs of independence activists published

This is a collection of memoirs of independence fighters published by the Institute of Korean Independence Movement Studies. / Courtesy of Independence Hall of KoreaBy Kwon Ji-youn The Institute of Korean Independence Movement Studies, an affiliate of the Independence Hall of Korea, has introduced its 60th independence activist biography to honor the 96th anniversary of Independence Movement Day, which falls on March 1.The biographies were initially envisaged in 2005 to observe the 60th anniversary of Korea’s independence from Japan. The first of these was published in 2006.This year, which marks the 70th anniversary of the country’s independence from Japan, the institute inched closer to its ambition of publishing 100 activist biographies with the release of its 60th memoir.This particular memoir, written by Prof. Sin Ju-back of Yonsei University, details the life of Yi Si-yeong, the “righteous keeper of the provisional government.”It describes Yi, pen-named Sungjae, as a man of veracity, one who made wise decisions that built fo

Mar 3, 2015

Memoirs of independence activists published

Urim Books featured at New Delhi World Book Fair

Dr. Jaerock Lee’s books are on display at New Delhi World Book Fair 2015. / Courtesy of Urim BookBooks by Korean publisher Urim Books authored by Rev. Dr. Jaerock Lee were featured at New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF) from Feb. 14-22 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India.Korea was given focus during the event, while Singapore was accorded the guest of honor status. More than 30 countries participated.The Union Minister for Human Resource Development of India Smriti Irani inaugurated the event on Feb. 14 and the Minister of State for Human Resource Development Upendra Kushwaha inaugurated the children’s pavilion.A highlight of the Urim Books booth was the book “The Message of the Cross” published in various languages spoken in India, including English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Odia, Tankhul, Simte and Nepalese. The book has been translated into 57 languages up to now.In addition, Urim displayed "My Life, My Faith," an autobiography by Dr. Jaerock Lee, which has been published in 35 languages, including English, Spanish and Portuguese.The Urim Books booth co

Mar 2, 2015By Do Je-hae

Urim Books featured at New Delhi World Book Fair

Chung Ju-yung centennial

Hyundai Group Founder Chung Ju-yung talks to an employee at a construction site of the Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan in 1983. / Courtesy of FKI MediaBook revisits can-do spirit of pioneering entrepreneurBy Do Je-hae           Park Jung-woong, author of “Hey, Have You Tried It? ChungJu Yung — the Great Challenger and Master of Crisis,” (FKI Media) / Korea Times photo by Do Je-haeHyundai Group Founder Chung Ju-yung (November 1915  March 2001), who rose from poverty to build Korea’s largest business empire, is a pivotal figure in Korea's industrialization and economic development. The 100th anniversary of his birth has started to invite media attention, particularly after a new book on his life and achievements hit stores last month. The Korea Times sat down with Park Jung-woong, author of “Hey, Have You Tried It ? Chung Ju Yung  -- the Great Challenger and Master of Crisis," (FKI Media) on Jan. 27 at a cafe in central Seoul, shortly after the book was published.Park, chairman and CEO of May Tech Interna

Feb 27, 2015By Do Je-hae

Translation institute chief reappointed

Kim Seong-koBy Yun Suh-young The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism reappointed Kim Seong-kon, the current president of Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea), to lead the organization for three more years.Kim was reappointed to the position on Tuesday, a position he had held for the past three years. His tenure is from Feb. 17 this year to Feb. 16, 2018.Kim was recognized for his high understanding of the Korean literature scene and his achievements in globalizing Korean literature.During his former tenure, Kim had published 25 books on Korean literature with Dalkey Archive Press, an American publishing company, and expanded the education program fostering native-speaking translators at “LTI Korea Academy,” a subsidiary translation academy under the institute.“We hope President Kim will further expand our overseas market for K-books and Korean publications and enhance the quality of our literature publications in general,” said culture minister Kim Jong-deok upon appointment.President Kim received a doctoral degree in English literatu

Feb 22, 2015

Moon's poems contain global appeal

By Choi Yearn-hongMoon Chung-heeMoon Chung-hee is one of Korea’s well known and recognized poets. While there are many female poets in Korea, her lyrical poems have been challenging traditional vocabularies from a male-dominant Confucian society with her unique boldness and beauty. Her vocabularies are bravely bold as a middle-aged woman in Korean society. She maintains quality of poetry with erotic themes.This is my second review of her poetry book in English. My first review of her first poetry book in English was “Woman on Terrace” for The Korea Times several years ago.She has published more than tenpoetry books in Korean language and her poems have been translated into nine languages, including English, German, Spanish, French and Japanese. For her international an appeal, she recently received Cikada Award from Sweden. The award was established to honor the Swedish Nobel Prize Laureate in literature in 1974, Harry Martinson. Cikada was his publication in 1953. While literature has its nationality, it can also be an international appeal. Her two translators, Cla

Feb 22, 2015

Traditional market as place of commuication

The cover of “Traditional Village Markets” (2015) by Jung Young-sin By Bae Eun-joo“Traditional Village Markets” (2015) by Jung Young-sin is a collection of essays and photographs on Korea’s traditional five-day markets (held every fifth day) across the nation. This is the third in a series of Jung’s books on such markets, following “Village Market Story” (2002) and “Traditional Village Markets” (2012).Novelist and photographer Jung has visited more than 552 traditional markets nationwide over the last 30 years with her photographer husband Cho Moon-ho and has been a leading figure in a movement to revive the disappearing traditional markets. Traveling from the small town Geojin, Gangwon Province, across the sea to Mosseulpo, Jeju Island, the couple has been drawing a map to guide travelers to the remote corners of the nation.Having been around for more than a century, the market is one of the most historical and oldest markets held on five days every month. The market originated at the end of the Joseon Kingdom (19

Feb 13, 2015By Bae Eun-joo

Traditional market as place of commuication

New books shed light on 'Jingbirok'

Kim Sang-joong plays Joseon Prime Minister Yu Seong-ryong in the new KBS drama “Jingbirok.” / Courtesy of KBSCover of Lee Burn-young’s three-volume novel “JingbirokCover of “Jingbirok” for teenagersBy Kim Jae-heunKBS’ new epic drama series “Jingbirok,” based on a war memoir from the 16th century, starts airing Saturday. Jumping on the bandwagon, a number of publications focusing on the Imjin War (1592-1598) have hit bookstores. “Jingbirok” is written by Yu Seong-ryong (1542-1607), then-prime minister of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), and describes the Japanese Invasion of Korea, also known as the Imjin War. Yu documented the devastating seven-year war with a hope that such a cruel confrontation never happens again.Amid a slump in the publishing market last year, books related to hit period dramas such as “Jeong Do-jeon” made successful sales, setting a trend of history-based publications, and “Jingbirok” follows in the footsteps.Lee Burn-young’s three-volume fiction “Novel

Feb 13, 2015By Kim Jae-heun

Conversation on music

Conductor Seiji OzawaCover of “Talk About Music with Mr. Seiji Ozawa” / Courtesy of Gimm-Young PublishersBy Do Je-hae "Talk About Music With Mr. Seiji Ozawa" is unlike any other book I have read on classical music.It is not a biography or a memoir of a musician, but a transcript of conversations between two Japanese giants in different fields. Conductor Seiji Ozawa and novelist Haruki Murakami had come together to talk about a lifelong passion for music.A star novelist writing extensively about classical music is something I have not seen in Korea. I have always marveled at Murakami's incredible depth of knowledge in classical music.His 2013 best-selling novel is a direct homage to the piano masterpiece "Years of Pilgrimage" by Hungarian composer and pianist Franz Liszt. One of Liszt's greatest compositions, the pilgrimage series were inspired by some of the places he visited in the 1830s and 1840s and captured his personal reflections from scenes he witnessed. They are extremely difficult to play but lovely to listen to.Murakami's "Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Y

Feb 6, 2015

Tips from travel reporter on how to travel smart

Cover image of Shut Up and Go(Season 2: Overseas travel tips), by Shin Ick-sooBy Yun Suh-young At first glance, the book can look a bit boring because there is no single image, photo, graph or whatever element that visually attracts the reader despite being a travel book. But, as the title of the book “Shut Up and Go” states, if you “shut up” and read you’ll realize that the book has a lot of information to benefit from. The book has 56 cream of the crop tips that can save you money and time and travel smart. At the end of each chapter, the author introduces interesting travel destinations he has visited for a fun read. The author, Shin Ick-soo, is a longtime travel reporter who has a knack for making money and saving money. His brilliance as a thrifty consumer applies as a smart traveler too. Making use of the extensive information he has, Shin manages to spend the least amount of money on purchases and spend the least amount of time waiting in lines. Now he shares his know-how with the readers in his second book of the “shut up” series

Feb 1, 2015

Books