Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Dansaekhwa master Park Seo-bo diagnosed with stage 3 cancer

Dansaekhwa master Park Seo-bo / Courtesy of Kukje GalleryBy Park Han-solDansaekhwa (monochrome painting) master Park Seo-bo, who is considered one of the seminal figures in the Korean modern abstract art scene, has been diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer, the artist revealed on Thursday.“I had been a smoker all my life. It was only after experiencing a heart attack that I quit smoking altogether,” the 91-year-old wrote on his Facebook.“I want to spend the rest of my time more meaningfully by focusing on my creative endeavor,” he continued. “I've lived long enough, but there are still things left that I wish to paint … I want to be able to draw at least one more line on canvas.”As one of the founding members of the formative Dansaekhwa movement that emerged in the early 1970s in Korea, Park has been most well-known both here and abroad for his decades-long signature “Ecriture” series.The series began as "pencil-Ecriture," inspired by his three-year-old son's crude penmanship. Park started imitating his son by applying countless gr

Feb 24, 2023By Park Han-sol

Dansaekhwa master Park Seo-bo diagnosed with stage 3 cancer

Discovering century-old art of traditional shoemaking: Meet artisan of shoe street at Yeomcheon Bridge

Handmade shoemaker Ko Kee-hwang smiles during an interview with The Korea Times at Italy Shoes, his shoe shop located on the corner of Yeomcheongyo Shoe Street in Seoul, Feb. 14. / Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-minBy Lee Min-youngThe handmade shoe stores near Yeomcheon Bridge in Seoul have a history dating back almost a century. This block represents Korea's first-ever community of shoe merchants. The shoemakers in the area have passed down their knowledge and skills over the generations, making it a unique example of Korean craftsmanship.Korea Times video by Kim Kang-min, Lee Ka-jinThis road is also a testament to the resilience and dedication of the country's shoe merchants, who have overcome countless obstacles to remain operating for nearly a century.Competition from overseas suppliers of cheaper goods and large retail stores caused a decrease in profit margins for the street's small businesses, making it harder for them to stay in business. Hand-made shoe shops line Yeomcheongyo Shoe Street, Feb. 14. / Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-minThere are, however, still around 130 sh

Feb 24, 2023By Lee Min-young

Discovering century-old art of traditional shoemaking: Meet artisan of shoe street at Yeomcheon Bridge

'Hanji is durable, permeable and preservable,' says Hanji artist

Hanji artist Lee Hae-eun gives a lecture during the Corea Image Communication Institution's (CICI) Korea CQ Forum at the Italian ambassador's official residence in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of CICIBy Dong Sun-hwaHanji is a traditional Korean paper-making craft that has been used for centuries. The paper is made from the inner bark of the mulberry tree and is known for its strength and flexibility. It is also highly permeable and preservable, making it an ideal material for a variety of uses, from paper lanterns to wall hangings.Hanji artist Lee Hae-eun says that Korean hanji stands out, boasting unique advantages not found in similar types of paper, which are also made from the mulberry tree in Japan and China.“Our hanji is durable, permeable and preservable,” said Lee, who displayed her works in a series of high-profile exhibitions such as, “Paperworld Frankfurt (2017),” during the Corea Image Communication Institution's (CICI) Korea CQ Forum at the Italian ambassador's official residence in central Seoul, Tuesday. The forum intends to bring together opin

Feb 23, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa

'Hanji is durable, permeable and preservable,' says Hanji artist

INTERVIEW 'Yeongyeongdang': a hidden gem to savor traditional Korean desserts

A set of Korean traditional desserts offered in 'Yeongyeongdang' in central Seoul. Courtesy of Jung Yeon-gyeong24-year-old CEO invites people to world of Korean traditional dessertsBy Dong Sun-hwaTucked inside a low-rise building in Samcheong-dong in central Seoul, “Yeongyeongdang” is a tiny yet cozy dessert house that serves traditional Korean desserts and confections of all kinds. It only has eight seats, so those itching to get a taste of traditional desserts with a modern twist will need to reserve online ahead of time.Once visitors set foot inside “Yeongyeongdang,” they will be welcomed by its 24-year-old owner, Jung Yeon-gyeong. The dessert house was named after her, but it also refers to Yeongyeongdang Hall in the rear garden of Changdeokgung Palace, a royal palace in Seoul built in the 15th century during the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty. The hall was a symbol of auspiciousness.“Yeongyeongdang” has been striving to live up to its name since its launch in 2020. By offering its customers a variety of mouth-watering and visually-pleasing desserts,

Feb 23, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa

[INTERVIEW] 'Yeongyeongdang': a hidden gem to savor traditional Korean desserts

INTERVIEW 'Unnie Car' founder helps women break gender bias on roads

Lee Yeon-ji, center, holds up the bonnet of a car to offer vehicle maintenance tips at a workshop in Daegu, December 2021. Courtesy of Lee Yeon-jiBy Lee Yeon-wooIt's an open secret in Korea that female drivers are unwelcome on the roads. Commonly called “Kim Yeo-sa,” or “Madam Kim” in English, women are depicted as bad drivers and sometimes bullied by male drivers on the roads. The term usually refers to a middle-aged housewife who has no work experience outside the home, reflecting the outdated view that driving is in the domain of men, not women. “The term 'Kim Yeo-sa' makes me think that male drivers are marking their territory against female drivers. Actually, there are many men who are not good at driving, too. But have you ever heard the name 'Kim Chong-gak' (a kind of male counterpart term to Kim Yeo-sa) for a male driver?” Lee Yeon-ji, the founder of the educational program “Unnie (older sister) Car” asked The Korea Times. The program hosts various events to help women become confident drivers on Korean roads. Even though the nu

Feb 17, 2023By Lee Yeon-woo

[INTERVIEW] 'Unnie Car' founder helps women break gender bias on roads

Scholar who shed light on Korea's housing architecture history dies

Park Cheol-soo, former professor of Housing and Urban Design at the University of Seoul / Korea Times file photoBy Lee Hae-rinPark Cheol-soo, a Korean scholar and housing and urban design professor at the University of Seoul, who conducted extensive research into the modern and contemporary architecture of Korean housing, died, Tuesday. He was 64.Born in Seoul, Park obtained bachelor's and master's degrees and a Ph.D. in Architecture and Architectural Engineering from the University of Seoul. He worked at the Korea Land & Housing Corp. before turning to the profession of teaching at his alma mater.As a city architecture expert, he served in several governmental organizations and projects for the capital's urban planning. He was a presidential consultant for urban planning and development during the Roh Moo-hyun administration (2003-2008) and a member of the National Assembly's office building management committee, Seoul Metropolitan Government's architectural policy committee, the Architectural Institute of Korea, the Korean Housing Association and plenty more.Park also authored

Feb 15, 2023By Lee Hae-rin

Scholar who shed light on Korea's housing architecture history dies

MOU with The Jordan Times

Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin, bottom right, and Jordan Times Editor-in-Chief Mohammad Ghazal, bottom left, show their copies of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed to promote cooperation between the two news outlets, during an online signing ceremony, Monday. At top right is Asal al-Tal, Jordan Ambassador to Korea, who helped arrange the signing ceremony. Two others are Korea Times’ staff. Korea Times photo by Jeon Yae-wool

Feb 13, 2023

Korean War POW who sued Kim Jong-un dies at 89

Han Jae-bok, right, a former South Korean prisoner of war who was captured by the North Koreans during the Korean War, stands during a press conference in 2020 after the court ruled in favor of him, ordering North Korea to compensate him for his forced labor. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoonBy Lee Yeon-wooHan Jae-bok, a former South Korean prisoner who was detained in North Korea for five decades before escaping, died on Wednesday. He was 89. With his death, the number of former prisoners of war living in South Korea is now 13. Han was born in Jeongeup City, North Jeolla Province in 1934. At the age of 17, he voluntarily joined the South Korean army after the outbreak of the Korean War on June 25, 1950. He was captured in North Korea in 1951. He was forced to work in coal mines in North Korea from Sept. 1953 until he escaped to South Korea in 2001.After his return, he constantly spoke out about the repatriation of South Korean prisoners of war while working as a chairman of the Association of Returned Korean POWs.In 2016, Han received international attention after filing a lawsuit a

Feb 9, 2023By Lee Yeon-woo

Korean War POW who sued Kim Jong-un dies at 89

Korea Times photojournalist wins annual contest with portrait of Sonny's father

A photo, titled "Football coach Son Woong-jung, 'Modesty is my strength,'" by Korea Times photographer Choi Won-suk was selected as the photo of the year by a couple hundred retired Korean photojournalists at the 59th annual press photo contest hosted by the Korea Press Photographers' Association (KPPA), Thursday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Lee Hae-rinKorea Times photojournalist Choi Won-suk won an annual award in a press photo contest hosted by the Korea Press Photographers Association (KPPA), Thursday.Choi Won-suk / Korea Times file photoFeaturing football coach Son Woong-jung, the father of Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min, the photo, titled, "Football coach Son Woong-jung, 'Modesty is my strength,'" was selected as the picture of the year by a couple of hundred retired photojournalists and awarded a special prize in the KPPA's 59th annual contest, among the works of some 500 of its members.The award-winning work of Choi, published on July 19, 2022, captures the football coach tying his shoelace before a training session with young athletes begins at his Son Footba

Feb 2, 2023By Lee Hae-rin

Korea Times photojournalist wins annual contest with portrait of Sonny's father

EXCLUSIVE With tough love, Son Heung-min's father nurtures teen footballers

Yonsei University global forum

Yonsei University to hold GEEF 2023, Feb. 2-3By Jeon Yae-woolYonsei University will hold its fifth annual Global Engagement & Empowerment Forum (GEEF) under the theme of “Turning Point: From Crisis Into Opportunity” on Feb. 2 and 3 at the school's Sinchon Campus in Seoul.Among the participants are former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Austrian former President Heinz Fischer, U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, Foreign Affairs Minister Park Jin and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.The 5th GEEF is an annual event for experts from Korea and around the world to discuss diverse global issues and come up with ideas for sustainable global growth.Graca Machel, deputy chair of the Elders and former first lady of South Africa, will make a keynote speech, and a group of panelists will take on issues such as post-pandemic digital health, smart cities, women in leadership and climate change. “We are facing a critical juncture this year as the U.N.'s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2015-2030) is past the halfway mark,” Yonsei University President Suh Se

Jan 31, 2023

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