Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Searching for a spouse: potential vs. perfection

By James Lee I recently visited one of my company’s offices and witnessed a match consultant on the phone having a very difficult time. I found out that the person that had called was a female client’s mother. The mother had called to complain that the man the matchmaker had introduced to her daughter was not suitable. The matchmaker told me that the mother had already rejected many of the men previously selected as prospective mates, including highly educated and accomplished doctors and Ph. D holders. I wondered how amazing her daughter must be for her to be so demanding. I found out that she was just from an ordinary family and went to a regular college. The current situation for single men is often similar. There was a case of one man who always claimed that he would be satisfied with an average woman, but when he actually met a woman he became very picky and critical, complaining about minor flaws and focusing on the areas that did not match his standards. This man’s father was even pickier than his son. I thought it may be impossible to find this man a suitable spou

Jul 1, 2010

Lotus: flower of an immaculate Buddhist world

By Chun Ock-bae Contributing writer The lotus is a plant of the water lily family. It is one of the most common motifs in Buddhist temples. Indeed, depictions of the flowers are found almost everywhere, from paintings and statues of the Buddha and bodhisattvas on lotus thrones, to altars and ceilings of the main shrine rooms, to pagodas, and even on roof tiles. To the lay observers, the lotus may appear as a mere adornment, but the flower has profound symbolism in the Buddhist world. In Buddhism the lotus is a symbol of the true nature of beings, which remains unstained by the mud of the world and is realized through enlightenment. Traditionally the lotus (``padma'') is a very important symbol in India and for Buddhism. The lotus has been ascribed with special meaning since the time of ancient Indian mythology. The lotus flower grows in muddy water and rises above the surface to bloom with remarkable beauty. The flower closes and sinks underwater at night, to rise and open again at dawn. Untouched by impurity, the lotus symbolizes the purity of heart and mind. E

Jul 1, 2010

Museum shows 100 years of Korean brand history

By Chung Ah-young Staff reporter A brand is the face of a product or a company that represents its identity and image. Korea’s brand identity history goes back 100 years ago when the nation was forcibly annexed by Japan in 1910. Dong Wha Yak Bang, now Dong Wha Pharmaceutical, registered the trademark “Buchae” of Whal Myung Su, the first western medicine in Korea at the patent bureau in August, 1910, marking the beginning of the modern brand design era. To mark its 100th anniversary, the Modern Design Museum is holding a special exhibition “100 Years of Korea Brand from Logo to Brand Identity.” The collection consists of some 200 rare items that are hard to find these days and looks back to the 1910s with colorful prints and diverse label forms. The exhibition is comprised of three parts _ the birth of brand designs in 1910 and their characteristics during the Japanese colonial era; Korean brand designs in the industrial development period from 1945 to the 1980s; and the development of visual brand identities from the 1970s to the present. “During the colonial pe

Jun 28, 2010

Glass of wine a day keeps opticians away

By Bae Ji-sook Staff reporter Drinking a glass of red wine at the end of the day has already been proven to be effective in preventing heart disease and other health problems to some extent. There is more good news for red wine drinkers. Recently, a U.S. research team has verified that drinking red wine may produce greater health benefits than previously thought. It can also help prevents blindness to a certain degree. Resveratrol found in red wine controls the blood vessel growth in the eyes, a process called angiogenesis, one of the main causes of blindness, they said. This is expected to be some great news to those over 50 years old, who are more frequently diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Professor Rajendra Apte of Washington University observed the effects of resveratrol on mice suffering from angiogenesis. The mice received laser treatment to cause abnormal blood vessel growth in their eyes. After being injected with resveratrol, the vessels started to disappear. Apte and his colleagues studied the blood vessel c

Jun 27, 2010

Korean War and US general Douglas MacArthur

By Janet Shin According to recent research, approximately 80 percent of South Koreans have a good impression of the United States. The exact figure may be due to the current political and social environments, but it seems obvious that most citizens have a favorable feeling toward Americans. Although each may have individual reasons, one specific incident in Korean history may have helped caused this perception _ and General MacArthur played a very important role in this phenomenon. On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea and began the Korean War (1950-1953), which is often referred to as “The Forgotten War.” The war lasted for three years, resulting in the division of the Korean territory. It was not a fight over national survival or even to protect the territory. The conflict between the Soviet-governed communist North and the U.S.-led democrats who occupied the South first erupted after the surrender of the imperialist Japanese in 1945. So the war was one of ideology between world powers, fighting on the Korean peninsula. Douglas MacArthur was a commander

Jun 24, 2010

Temple halls: sanctuaries of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

By Kim Haan-young Contributing writer If you visit Korean temples, you will find many halls that are dedicated to various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. There are many different Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in Buddhism. This phenomenon originated within Mahayana Buddhism, which prevails in Northern Asia. Theravadan Buddhists of Southern Asia only recognize the Buddha Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha, as their spiritual teacher. Mahayana Buddhism, on the other hand, recognizes hundreds of Buddhas, fully enlightened beings, as well as myriads of Bodhisattvas. Korea is one of the main Mahayana Buddhist countries, and different Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are worshipped in a unique system of practice. Almost all Korean temples install separate halls for respective Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. A Bodhisattva is the model practitioner in the Mahayana tradition, who entirely dedicates his or her life to the salvation of other beings. In Mahayana Buddhist cosmology, the universe is populated with various celestial Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Some people misunderstand them as gods or goddesses

Jun 24, 2010

Health tips for outbound travelers

By Bae Ji-sook Staff reporter Summer is the perfect season to go on a trip overseas. However, falling sick is the last thing you want when travelling. The National Health Insurance Corporation's Ilsan Hospital spoke on a few diseases for outbound travelers to watch out for. 1. Yellow fever: Yellow fever is known to be spread by mosquitoes. Some African states such as Ghana, Mali, Niger, Congo, Togo and South American countries such as Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Bolivia and Brazil among others are places to watch out for. It has high mortality rates, but at the same time, it is known to be effectively preventable by vaccination. Fever, headaches and nausea as well as jaundice are the main symptoms. A majority of patients recover within five days but some unfortunate ones develop complications leading to bleeding and liver and kidney failure, which can prove fatal. The hospital advises travelers to get vaccinated about two weeks prior to departure. 2. Diarrhea and typhoid. Typhoid is one of the most common diseases prevalent when traveling to tropical countries. C

Jun 20, 2010

Four instruments: the Dharma sound for liberation

By Kim Haan-young Contributing writer ``Samul” or Four instruments represent the basic percussion instruments installed in the temple bell pavilion. The main purpose of these instruments is to express the Buddha’s teaching symbolically through sound. They are ‘Beomjong’ (Temple bell), ‘Beopgo’ (Dharma drum), ‘Mokeo’ (Wooden fish) and ‘Unpan’ (Cloud gong). Each percussion instrument is used for the purpose of liberating all sentient beings in the universe: ‘Beomjong’ is for those living on Earth; ``Beopgo” for those residing in heaven and hell; ``Mokeo’’ for those belonging to the water world, the rivers and seas and ‘Unpan’ for those in the sky. ``Samul-nori” or the Four-instrument ensemble, the most famous Korean traditional musical performance is often said to be derived from this Buddhist paradigm. Samul-nori is comprised of the four Korean percussion instruments, ``buk (big drum), ``janggu” (small drum), ``jing (big gong); and ``ggwaeng-gari” (small gong). Beomjong (Temple bell) The character of ``beom” means ``Brahma'' standing for the truth of th

Jun 17, 2010

(94) Saju of a shaman

By Janet Shin People question their lives when they are in trouble or trying to find answers. They may ask their friends, parents or role models for advice, or they may try to remember the lessons learned from books or teachers. But as we live our lives, crises will appear without a knock on the door and there will be many stressful situations whose solutions are not written in books and which schools do not teach. People at times try to overcome these difficulties with forbearance, as the situation could change by itself with time, or with the wisdom that comes from age or experience. Many, however, want to learn more about their inner-selves through these opportunities, because adversity in life moves people forward by giving them a chance to look back. Saju may provide certain clues to finding one’s inner self by reading the energy flows inherent since birth. However, when people are in search of answers, they tend to seek out drastic, yet mysterious solutions. In Korea, people frequently pay visits to a “shaman” when there is an unsolved problem. But, these sha

Jun 17, 2010

(93)Saju and death of a transgender

By Janet Shin Is everything in the universe explained by rational science- Can everything be measured- Do you explain all aspects of your life in a logical manner- What is a noble life and how can you judge something as right or wrong- If so, what is your criterion- There is a same-sex male couple that appears in the KBS TV drama, “Life is Beautiful,” the first prime time drama to portray a homosexual relationship. It has been in the spotlight in particular because screenwriter Kim Su-hyun is wellknown for her hit scripts. While Korean society has matured in terms of social acceptance, homosexuality is still a subject often seen as taboo. As such, controversies have surrounded the drama. But how is homosexuality explained by saju- Essentially, saju reads into one’s life by analyzing the relationship between yin and yang and the circulation of the five elements. So, one can infer the twists and turns of a life as each component is investigated. One aspect of saju is the balance between “Gui-mun,” or “Gods and Devils” (Note: Due to the fact that Oriental concepts cannot b

Jun 11, 2010

Others

Others

Searching for a spouse: potential vs. perfection

Lotus: flower of an immaculate Buddhist world

Museum shows 100 years of Korean brand history

Glass of wine a day keeps opticians away

Korean War and US general Douglas MacArthur

Temple halls: sanctuaries of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

Health tips for outbound travelers

Four instruments: the Dharma sound for liberation

(94) Saju of a shaman

(93)Saju and death of a transgender

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