Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Anti-sex crime activist-turned-politician named in BBC 100 Women 2022 list

Former co-leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Park Ji-hyun, center, is seen with other women named in this year's BBC 100 Women list of influential and inspiring women. Screenshot from BBC websiteBy Lee Hae-rinPark Ji-hyun, the former co-leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), was named in year's BBC 100 Women list of influential and inspiring women around the world, Tuesday, for her work tackling digital sex crimes and bringing gender equality into Korean politics.Naming the 26-year-old as a “political reformer,” BBC reported that, “As a university student, Park Ji-hyun anonymously helped bust one of South Korea's biggest online sex-crime rings, known as the Nth Room. This year she went public with her experience and went into politics, reaching out to young female voters.”BBC added that Park was nominated as the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)'s interim co-chair after the party lost the presidential race, but she resigned after the party faced further losses. “While she may not have an official role at the moment, she is sti

Dec 9, 2022By Lee Hae-rin

Anti-sex crime activist-turned-politician named in BBC 100 Women 2022 list

Hallyu Fest to take place in Mexico from Dec. 17-18

Hallyu Fest is poised to take place from Dec. 17-18 at the National Museum of World Culture in Mexico City. Courtesy of K-magazineBy Dong Sun-hwaA festival centering on “hallyu,” (the Korean Wave), is slated to take place in the capital of Mexico from Dec. 17-18. Hosted by online media outlet K-magazine, Hallyu Fest will be held at the National Museum of World Cultures in Mexico City. It is a free-of-charge event intended to bring together Mexican fans of Korean culture, offering them a chance to mingle with each other while enjoying diverse activities. Boy group TFN, one of the most sought-after K-pop acts in Latin America, will hold a fan event on Dec. 6, one day before Hallyu Fest begins. According to K-magazine, the group will “promote its new single 'Amazon' and have an intimate moment with its Mexican fans.” Korean rock band COTOBA and indie band Tasty Shop are set to perform during the festival, giving a taste of the diverse music genres in the Korean music scene. K-pop fans like Alexa Moreno, the first Mexican female artistic gymnast who won bronze on

Dec 7, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa

Hallyu Fest to take place in Mexico from Dec. 17-18

Cardinal Lazzaro You says possibility of pope's visit to North Korea depends on Pyongyang

Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik smiles during a press conference in Seoul on Dec. 2. YonhapCardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik said Friday the possibility of Pope Francis' trip to North Korea depends on the communist country."Everything depends on North Korea. But I understand there has been no response from the North," the cardinal said when asked during a press conference in Seoul about the chance of any papal trip to Pyongyang.You, who serves as prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy of the Holy See, arrived in South Korea on Wednesday for a month-long vacation. It marks his first visit to his home country since July 2021, when he left to assume the post.The pope has expressed willingness to visit the North in an interview with the South Korean broadcaster KBS in August, asking the regime to invite him to the country."North Korea will count on practical diplomatic gains (from the visit)," the cardinal said. "There will be many possibilities the North will try to find a breakthrough through the pope's visit to the country when it faces various difficulties."Citing the no-deal summit

Dec 2, 2022

Cardinal Lazzaro You says possibility of pope's visit to North Korea depends on Pyongyang

INTERVIEW 34-year-old permaculture farmer runs zero-waste shop in Gangneung

Lee Hye-rim, who runs the zero-waste shop, “Tomorrow Market,” in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. Courtesy of Lee Hye-rimLee reveals why she opted for country lifeBy Dong Sun-hwaGANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province ― “Are you sure you want to buy all that?” This is the first question that the employees at “Tomorrow Market” will ask their customers, once they see them fill their shopping bags with bundles of eye-catching items ― such as bamboo toothbrushes and silicone straws ― uniquely found in this tiny yet refined shop. It sounds like the most unlikely question that a store clerk can throw, but the customers do not find it odd or weird, as they know “Tomorrow Market” encourages its visitors to join its initiatives to reduce waste and conserve resources.Tucked inside low-rise apartment buildings in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, “Tomorrow Market” is one of the few zero-waste shops in Korea that opened its doors in April 2019. According to Lee Hye-rim, 34, who runs “Tomorrow Market” with five other friends, the shop has three m

Nov 30, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa

[INTERVIEW] 34-year-old permaculture farmer runs zero-waste shop in Gangneung

INTERVIEW Startup helps organizations win funding for ASEAN projects

A still from a short film production as part of the ASEAN-ROK Film Leaders Incubator program in 2018, which is one of the ASEAN Korea Cooperation Fund's programs / Courtesy of ASEAN LABCEO Kim Si-eun of ASEAN LAB works to bring Korea, ASEAN closerBy Lee Gyu-leeThe Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Korea have a long history of cooperation, which has been strengthened by the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF).Kim Si-eun, the founder and CEO of consulting startup ASEAN LAB / Courtesy of ASEAN LABSince its establishment in 1990, the fund has been utilized for Korea to provide technological, economic and human resource development and people-to-people exchanges to the 10 ASEAN member states ― Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. As the relationship between ASEAN and Korea has developed over the decades, the fund has continually been increasing in size. Earlier this month, President Yoon Suk-yeol announced that his administration is seeking to double the funding for the AKCF, from $16 million to $32 millio

Nov 29, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee

[INTERVIEW] Startup helps organizations win funding for ASEAN projects

BTS' RM honored for helping to preserve overseas Korean cultural artifacts

BTS' RM / Courtesy of HYBEBy Kwak Yeon-sooBTS' leader RM received an appreciation plaque from the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) for his contribution to preserving and restoring overseas Korean cultural artifacts.RM, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, shared a post on his Instagram Story, Friday, with a short “Thank You” note. The engraving on the appreciation plaque reads, “You have contributed to preserving and promoting Korean cultural artifacts outside the country with great affection for our cultural heritage and history. You are being honored with much appreciation and gratitude.”The K-pop superstar is well known for his keen interest in and engagement with the art community. RM is often spotted in museums and galleries even during the group's busy tours and publicity schedules, and the rapper-singer shares his exhibition visits on social media. His fans also visit the places where the star has visited, calling it an “RM tour.” He also collects a diverse set of works by domestic and foreign artists. He has donated 100 million won ($74,6

Nov 28, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

BTS' RM honored for helping to preserve overseas Korean cultural artifacts

INTERVIEW Young performer hopes to revive popularity of magic in Korea

Magician Eden Choi performs tricks onstage for “The Art of Manipulation” at the Expo Centre Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates during the second week of November. Courtesy of Sharjah Book AuthorityAfter enthralling spectators in UAE, Eden Choi is ready for tours in Japan, SpainBy Park Han-solSHARJAH, United Arab Emirates ― A constellation of balls, playing cards, metal canes and rings change colors and multiply in mere seconds at the deft gesticulations of a young magician.Without uttering a single word, the black-clad performer continues to wield the tools of his trade against the rhythmic music echoing through a neon-lit theater, captivating the eyes of children and adults alike at the Expo Centre Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Eden Choi, or Ye-chan Choi, was the only Korean performer invited to this year's Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), the largest event of its kind in the Middle East. The fair has long branded itself as a family-friendly expo by hosting entertainment programs in addition to publishing-related sessions.His half-hour one-man show, t

Nov 27, 2022By Park Han-sol

[INTERVIEW] Young performer hopes to revive popularity of magic in Korea

Helping out needy people in winter season

Yoido Full Gospel Church senior pastor Lee Young-hoon, left, fills boxes with daily necessities for people in need at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Friday. The church joined hands with Seoul Metropolitan Government, Good People and CJ CheilJedang to deliver boxes to 23,000 underprivileged families in Seoul. Courtesy of Yoido Full Gospel Church

Nov 25, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Helping out needy people in winter season

Korea Times Translation Awards open doors for aspiring literary translators

Participants of the 53rd Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards pose during the award ceremony at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Thursday. From left are The Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin; judge Jung Ha-yun, associate professor of interpreting and translation at Ewha Womans University; Yoon Sung-chun, deputy minister for culture and art policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Fiction Grand Prize winner Graham Hand; Fiction Commendation Award winner Giulia Macri; Poetry Grand Prize winner Gene Png; judge Brother Anthony, professor emeritus of English language and literature at Sogang University; and Kim Se-min, chief strategy officer and senior managing director at KB Financial Group. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Lee Gyu-leeAspiring translators said that the Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards, hosted by The Korea Times, have become a stepping stone for their literary translation dreams. The Korea Times held the award ceremony for the 53rd edition of the contest, sponsored by KB Financial Group, at the Korea Press Center in

Nov 24, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee

Korea Times Translation Awards open doors for aspiring literary translators

53rd Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards Fiction Commendation Award winner Giulia Macri

Commendation Award winner Giulia MacriGiulia Macri is a translator from Milan, who is currently in her second year at the Literature Translation Institute of Korea (LTI Korea). She used to work as a graphic designer in Italy before coming to Korea in December 2017.After taking a Korean course at Yonsei University, she took the Interpretation and Translation Course for six months at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. She has always had an interest in translation. So after learning English at school, she first picked up translation as a hobby, translating magazine articles from English to Italian or the other way around. When she came to Korea, she took on a Korean-Italian translation job, but it wasn't until she began studying at the LTI that she found her dream as a literature translator, hoping to introduce Korean literature to an Italian audience. Macri translated the short story, “The Forty-Four Lives of a Wedding Dress,” by novelist Chung Se-rang. She said that she fell in love with Chung's style of touching on “heavy topics in a very humorous way,” whe

Nov 24, 2022

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