Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Economist untangles economic trends in laymen's terms

By Jin Yu-young"The Man Who Teaches Economics" by Kim Kwang-seoulIn his latest book “The Man Who Teaches Economics,” economist Kim Kwang-seoul turns the subject that may seem to some as a daunting area of study, into an approachable topic.Kim stresses the need for all members of the public to have at least a basic understanding of economics. At the corporate level, employees of all tiers must be aware of the financial state of their respective companies to facilitate both internal operations as well as transactions with outside partners. At the student level, being knowledgeable in economics is advantageous as “the better one is able to predict upcoming economic trends, the better they will be able to make their future career decisions.” In part one, Kim describes the foundations of economics and simplifies it into a beginner-level introduction. He defines economics as the combination of consumption, investment, government expenditure and net exports. These, he emphasizes, are the ultimate core principles of economics, which all people must accept and adapt in

Sep 14, 2018

Economist untangles economic trends in laymen's terms

Life is full of struggles

'Bokman's Cargo Truck' says life is tough for everyoneBy Kang Hyun-kyungLife is tough for everyone. We all struggle to make ends meet. Do not blame anyone for your suffering. Face it and try to find ways to get through it without trying in vain to avoid a tough reality. In his new book, “Bokman's Cargo Truck,” released in August, author Goh Gwang-ryul, 57, observes the tough reality of human society. It's a collection of five novels _ both short and mid-length _ including the same title of a short fiction. Goh Gwang-ryul, author of “Bokman's Cargo Truck”In “Bokman's Cargo Truck,” the author delves into the struggles of the narrator and his friend Bokman.The narrator is a 50-year-old part-time lecturer juggling two to three jobs to make a living and support his wife and two children. After earning a doctoral degree in Korean literature, he teaches students in several colleges, looking for opportunities to become a full-time faculty member. After years of struggles, he realizes becoming a faculty member is a distant dream. Feeling the pinch during th

Sep 11, 2018By Kang Hyun-kyung

Swipe 'The Great Gatsby' for subway ride

World Classics with transport cards. Courtesy of Kyobo Book CenterBy Jung Hae-myoungClassic books with pre-paid transport cards have gone on sale. The so-called Metro books have two apparent purposes: reading books and swiping them when using subways or buses. The five titles include “The Old Man and the Sea”, “Demian,” “1984,” "No Longer Human," and “The Great Gatsby.”Kyobo Bookstore is marketing them as part of its anniversary celebrations. George Orwell's '1984' made into metro book. Courtesy of Kyobo Book CenterThe Metro book campaign was started by publishing company 'L& PM Editores in 2015. The card inside should be charged in advance, and the card user can get 30 percent discount at designated coffee shops, cinemas and convenience stores. The books cost 9,800 won each.

Sep 10, 2018

Swipe 'The Great Gatsby' for subway ride

'Money' reveals secrets behind Rob Moore's wealth

By Jin Yu-young Rob Moore is an entrepreneur who has found success through property investment, education, and public speaking. He is the cofounder of Progressive Property, a company providing education about investing in property. Being a prolific author with six books under his belt, he reveals the secrets behind wealth in his book “Money: Know More, Make More Give More,” which was recently translated by Lee Jin-won.“Money: Know More, Make More Give More” by Rob MooreMoore expands the definition of wealth beyond a purely materialistic quality. It is the “happiness gained through money, consideration, and service to oneself and to others,” he says. He claims that financial abundance does not equate to wealth, and that the combination of mental well-being in addition to money is what renders someone as truly wealthy. To achieve both happiness and high financial status, one must have an unwavering sense of self-value and a clear vision of the future; it is these people who will prioritize work that is worthy of their time and follow their own pursui

Sep 7, 2018

'Money' reveals secrets behind Rob Moore's wealth

'Ant-Man' author to write comic about Seoul

American comic book writer Amy Chu speaks during the 2018 Culture Communication Forum hosted by the non-profit group Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul, Monday. Chu has been selected by CICI as one of nine cultural leaders who played a role in bridging cultures. / Courtesy of CICIAmy Chu decorated for bridging culturesBy Kang Aa-youngRenowned American comic book writer Amy Chu has unveiled her plan to capture Seoul in her new comic.“I've been thinking about putting Seoul into one of my comics,” she said in an interview with The Korea Times at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul, Monday. “I did a similar thing with the Green Hornet, for example. I did part of the story in Istanbul and then I took it to Hong Kong.”Some episodes for her "Green Hornet" series were written about Hong Kong.Chu declined to give any details of her forthcoming comic about Seoul, saying at the moment she is working on four comic projects and one of them will be about Korea's capital. Chu, the founder of comic imprint Alpha Girl Comic, visited Seoul f

Aug 31, 2018

'Ant-Man' author to write comic about Seoul

Lost in translation: Briton in strife again over Korean stories

By Ko Dong-hwanDeborah Smith speaks during a press conference at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul in June 2016. Korea Times fileDid British translator Deborah Smith ― who worked on Korean fiction including the 2016 Man Booker International Prize winner “The Vegetarian” ― alter the meanings of some words and phrases in her latest translations of Korean stories?Literary critic Lee Ji-eun, speaking at an academic forum at Seoul National University, questioned Smith's translation of “The Accusation,” a short story collection by anti-Pyongyang writer with the penname “Bandi.”The British academic, 31, not only added her own explanations of original texts to the work, but interpreted texts in ways with which the writer did not agree, according to the critic. One problem occurred in a story about a North Korean family forced to move close to the Yalu River on the border with China because they were deemed to oppose a government campaign.About the family's “home that blossomed with persimmon” in the original, Smith wrote “our home,

Aug 22, 2018

Lost in translation: Briton in strife again over Korean stories

'Obscene and racist' book about Filipinas banned

Korea Times fileBy Jung Min-hoMajor book retailers have stopped selling an “obscene and racist” book about Filipinas.Online retailers, including Aladin, Yes24 and Bandi & Lunis, have removed the e-book, “How to Treat Bar Hostesses in the Philippines.”This move came after a tweet about the book was widely spread earlier this month. Many people have taken issue with the contents, which objectify Filipinas from a Korean man's perspective.“Once you go to the Philippines, you will soon be attracted to nightlife and meet many kinds of women there. Language won't be a problem. A few words will be enough to communicate with them,” the book's author, identified just as “Kevin Cho,” writes.“Even if you are not a womanizer in Korea, you will definitely be one in the Philippines. This is not the case only for Koreans but also Japanese and Americans. The fact that the Korean Wave is sweeping across Asia makes you feel even more proud. While studying English there, women can be either medicine or poison.”In the book, published three y

Aug 20, 2018

'Obscene and racist' book about Filipinas banned

'Illusion of intimacy'

Expert says multimedia helps fans build intimacy with stars By Kang Hyun-kyungIn a packed stadium at a K-pop concert, it's hard for fans sitting far away from the stage to feel intimacy with their idols, the very reason they go to live concerts in the first place.Soon frustration could strike. No worries. Digital technology will sure make fans feel that they are there with their idols.K-pop expert Suk-young Kim's book “K-pop Live: Fans, Idols and Multimedia Performance,” observes K-pop has been successfully transforming from digital music to live performances, owing to digital technology.Suk-young Kim's book “K-pop Live: Fans, Idols and Multimedia Performance”Based on her own experience at the K-pop boy band EXO's live concerts in the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in February, 2016, Kim, a professor of critical studies and director of the Center for Performance Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, explained how digital technology can pave the way for the “illusion of intimacy” in live performances. “Magnified faces o

Aug 17, 2018

Magazine 'KOREA' wins 3 gongs at International Business Awards

August cover of award-winning magazine “KOREA”. Courtesy of KOCISBy Jung Hae-myoung“KOREA,” a monthly magazine published by state-run tourism promoter the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS), won three awards at the International Business Awards 2018, known as the “Oscars” in the business field, on Aug 9.The magazine won two golds, in the “government publication awards” and “best email newsletter” categories, and a bronze in the “public relations of publication awards” division. KOCIS, an arm of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, first issued “KOREA” in 2008. The 60-page magazine promotes Korean culture, art, food, tourism and government policies. About 120,000 copies are distributed to subscribers in and outside Korea.A gala celebrating the awards will be held at the Intercontinental London Park Lane in England on Oct. 20. The winner of the grand prize, “the Stevies,” will be announced there.“Winning this honorable award has contributed greatly in raising awaren

Aug 16, 2018

Magazine 'KOREA' wins 3 gongs at International Business Awards

Up close and personal: 'Pyongyang citizens' lives not much different from those in Seoul'

Children return home after school on a rainy day in Pyongyang. A boy, center, holds a yellow umbrella patterned with the face of SpongeBob SquarePants, a popular U.S. character in an animated television series. Courtesy of Jin Chun-kyuBy Jung Da-minSouth Korean photographer Jin Chun-kyu started making trips to North Korea last October, when tensions on the Korean Peninsula were palpable. On Sept. 3, the North conducted its sixth nuclear test. The tougher round of United Nations (U.N.) sanctions followed Sept. 12. On Nov. 29, the North tested an intercontinental ballistic missile. War was becoming a distinct possibility.Jin Chun-kyu at a cafe in Seoul during an interview with The Korea Times. Korea Times photo by Jung Da-min“Visiting the North was not about if it was safe or not,” Jin told The Korea Times during an interview at a Seoul cafe on Aug. 8. “If I could get a real view into a subject I cover as journalist, I was ready to jump into a fire pit.”In his book, “Time in Pyongyang flows along with time in Seoul,” he gives a close-up and personal

Aug 15, 2018

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