Lifestyle - The Korea Times

More festivals, live concerts to take place at home, abroad

The Korea Festival is scheduled to take place at the Deutsche Bank Park Stadium in Frankfurt, Germany, May 14 and 15 (local time.) Courtesy of Korea Tourism OrganizationBy Dong Sun-hwaAs the world seeks a transition from pandemic to endemic, a series of festivals and live concerts are set to take place offline in Korea and beyond to entertain pandemic-weary people. The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Frankfurt, Germany, are planning to hold the Korea Festival at the Deutsche Bank Park Stadium in Frankfurt, May 14 and 15 (local time). It will be the largest Korean cultural festival to take place in Europe since the COVID-19 outbreak began, and is expected to draw some 80,000 people. The event will be held in conjunction with “KPOP.FLEX,” a K-pop concert featuring some of the most celebrated K-pop acts like Exo's Kai, Mamamoo, NCT Dream, (G)I-DLE, Monsta X and IVE. Local broadcaster SBS will organize the concert in cooperation with its partners including PK Events based in Germany.Kai of K-pop boy group EXO / Courtesy o

May 13, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa

More festivals, live concerts to take place at home, abroad

Busan Food Film Festa to open in July

The poster for Busan Food Film Festa / Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan City By Kim RahnThis year's Busan Food Film Festa (BFFF) will be held in the port city from July 1 to 3, the Busan city government said, Monday. The BFFF is a festival where visitors can enjoy food-related features and documentary films, as well as actual food provided on-site and other food-related events in areas around Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae.Under the theme of “Mankind that drinks ― 'Homo Bacchus'” (direct translation), the festival organizer will soon announce the list of around 15 films on alcohol and the humanities to be screened.Besides films, there are other programs and events where visitors can talk about the meaning of alcohol while drinking together with artists and food critics.They can learn about the food and drink featured in the film before screening by attending the “Cook! Talk!” session, as well as actually eat the food at the “Food Terrace” session. In the “Food Salon”

May 9, 2022By Kim Rahn

Kim Ji-ha, dissident poet who shed light on democracy

The late poet and pro-democracy activist Kim Ji-ha, known for poems like “With a Burning Thirst” and “The Five Bandits,” speaks during a press conference in this Oct. 31, 2014 photo. He died Sunday at the age of 81. YonhapPoet's works become symbol of pro-democracy activities during dictatorial eraBy Park Han-solThe works of Kim Ji-ha, a leading dissident poet and activist who died Sunday at the age of 81, served as a beacon of democracy during the military dictatorship of the 1970s.Born as Kim Yeong-il in 1941 in South Jeolla Province's Mokpo, the late poet was a critical voice against the government as early as 1964 when he took part in protests against the Korea-Japan Treaty, which sought to normalize diplomatic and economic relations 20 years after Korea was liberated from Japanese colonial rule. Kim even served time in prison as a consequence of his activities.After majoring in aesthetics at Seoul National University, he made his literary debut in 1969 under his pen name, “Ji-ha,” meaning “underground,” with five poems, including &

May 9, 2022By Park Han-sol

Kim Ji-ha, dissident poet who shed light on democracy

Korea should get back to basics to handle political, social problems: former diplomat

Kim Won-soo, the chair of the international advisory board of the Future Consensus Institute, or Yeosijae Foundation, talks during the Korea CQ Forum at the Liszt Institute in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Corea Image Communication InstituteBy Dong Sun-hwa“Going back to the basics” is the only way to cope with the current political and social problems in Korea, according to Kim Won-soo, the chair of the international advisory board of the Future Consensus Institute, or Yeosijae Foundation. “At the moment, Korea is in a perfect storm and the only thing the country can do is to get back to the basics,” the former under-secretary-general of the United Nations said during his lecture at the Liszt Institute, a Hungarian cultural center in Seoul, Tuesday. His talk was part of the Corea Image Communication Institution's (CICI) Korea CQ Forum that aims to bring together opinion leaders worldwide.“From the ongoing U.S.-China rivalry to gender division, Korea is facing a range of political and social problems, but there is no silver bullet to solve all of them at on

May 4, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa

Korea should get back to basics to handle political, social problems: former diplomat

Kang Sue-jin delivers message of hope for International Dance Day

World Dance Alliance Korea Director Kim Geung-soo, from left, Korean National Ballet Artistic Director Kang Sue-jin, International Theater Institute Honorary President Kim Jeong-ok and International Theater Institute International Dance Committee Vice President Jeon Hong-jo pose at this year's International Dance Day celebration held at Seoul Cyber University, April 29. Courtesy of Seoul Cyber University By Lee Hae-rinKang Sue-jin, artistic director of Korean National Ballet, delivered a message of hope for pandemic-weary people in a speech celebrating 2022 International Dance Day (IDD) during an event held at Seoul Cyber University on April 29. “Dance is made of ephemeral moments, which destines dancers to be on the move forever. Yet, COVID-19 has restricted and even blocked the art of dance in its original form,” she said. “As dancers, we believe that the flapping of our wings gives hope to the hearts of those who love the art of dance and gives them the courage t

May 3, 2022By Lee Hae-rin

Kang Sue-jin delivers message of hope for International Dance Day

'No Hate Comments Day'

Lawmakers, officials, celebrities and students declare May 23 as “No Hate Comments Day” at DGB Financial Center in Seoul, Tuesday. May 23 is when Sunfull Foundation was established in 2007 to tackle cyberbullying and online hate comments. From left are DGB Life Insurance CEO Kim Sung-han, Rep. Suh Jung-sook of the People Power Party, Kwangwoon Artificial Intelligence High School student Kim Sang-woo, Osan High School student Koh Min-seo, Sunfull Foundation Chairman Min Byoung-chul, Rep. Lee Hack-young of the Democratic Party of Korea and comedian Seo Kyung-seok, who is a co-leader of the Sunfull Movement. Courtesy of the Sunfull Foundation

Apr 20, 2022By Kim Rahn

LG honors 4 heroes who saved lives

Clockwise from upper left, Kim Ha-soo, Lee Kwang-won, Lee Ki-sung and Song Young-bong were selected as recipients of the LG Humanitarian Award. / Courtesy of LG FoundationBy Kim Hyun-binLG Foundation has presented awards to four neighborhood heroes for saving the lives of other people. Three of them ― Kim Ha-su, Lee Kwang-won and Song Young-bong ― jumped into the sea to save people who were drowning, and the fourth, Lee Ki-seong, rescued three elderly people from a fire. They were selected as recipients of the LG Humanitarian Award, which was established in 2015.Kim Ha-su, 70, was walking to a convenience store in Geoje City, South Gyeongsang Province, in February when he saw a person floating out in the open sea. Noticing that the man was breathing while not moving at all, Kim went out to rescue him. He immediately took off his coat and jumped into the cold water. “I thought that the life of a young man could be in danger, so I jumped into the water,” Kim said. “Of course, I just did what I had to do.”Lee Kwang-won, 42, meanwhile, was working at a restaurant

Apr 7, 2022By Kim Hyun-bin

Among outstanding journalists in Korea

The Korea Times reporter Ko Dong-hwan, right, who writes for the politics and city desk, receives an award at the annual Korean Association of Newspapers Award at Press Center in downtown Seoul, Wednesday. The award recognized 54 winners from different local news outlets nationwide who helped their companies contribute to improving the country's journalism industry. The award was held a day before the National Newspaper Day. Courtesy of Korean Association of Newspapers

Apr 6, 2022

Korea Times chairman to lead Korea University Alumni Association

Korea Times Chairman Seung Myung-ho / Courtesy of the Korea University Alumni AssociationBy Lee Hae-rinSeung Myung-ho, the chairman of The Korea Times and Dongwha Group, has been elected as the 34th president of Korea University's Alumni Association. “I am glad and honored to assume such a heavy responsibility,” Seung said in an acceptance speech during the inaugural ceremony at Korea University's Seoul campus on Monday. “I will do my best to treasure and further develop the association's tradition,” Seung said.Seung will lead the association for three years. The association's previous president was LS Group chairman Koo Ja-yeol.After the nomination committee of the association unanimously recommended Seung for the position, the association's delegates confirmed his presidency during the general meeting that day. Seung, 66, entered university as a commerce and trade major in 1974. As a graduate, Seung has made several donations to his alma mater. Seung joined Dongwha Group in 1983 and took the helm as the group's chairman in 2011. The company expanded its busi

Mar 30, 2022By Lee Hae-rin

Korea Times chairman to lead Korea University Alumni Association

Korea Times spring concert brings hope to pandemic-weary people

The Korea Times' annual spring concert took place in the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Saturday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Dong Sun-hwaA slew of concert goers flocked to the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on Saturday to enjoy The Korea Times' annual spring concert, filling more than a half of the 2,505 seats in the Concert Hall.Award-winning pianist Lim Dong-hyek ― who became the youngest pianist ever to ink a recording contract with the world-famous classical music label EMI Classics (Warner Classics) at the age of 17 ― took the stage for the “Spring Concert: New Era Brings New Hope” with Korean-Austrian conductor Christopher Lee and the Korean National Symphony Orchestra (NSO). Currently, Lee is the music director/chief conductor at Incheon Philharmonic Orchestra. Pianist Lim Dong-hyek performs during The Korea Times' annual spring concert that took place in the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Saturday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukThe program of Saturday's concert, which was co-hosted by th

Mar 27, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa

People & Events