Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Naturalized Korean proposes inclusion of migrant brides in transport subsidy bill

By Lee Hae-rinCouncilor Ai Suluu / Courtesy of Ai SuluuAi Suluu, a naturalized Korean legislator at Seoul Metropolitan Council has proposed a bill to include foreign nationals in the city's transportation subsidy for pregnant women.Originally from Kyrgyzstan, Ai was elected as a member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council on the proportional representative system in the June 1 local elections. She is the first foreign-born representative of the council.The city government launched an initiative to provide pregnant women holding residence registration with a 700,000 won ($535) voucher for public transportation or fuel costs for personal vehicles last month. An estimated 43,000 women are entitled to the transportation benefit. But the policy soon became a hot potato as many migrant women were excluded from the subsidy as they were not eligible because of the strict requirements.Migrant women who do not hold Korean citizenship are not eligible for the subsidy program. Notably, many foreign spouses, regardless of intention to acquire Korean citizenship, tend to have children before they wou

Aug 12, 2022By Lee Hae-rin

Naturalized Korean proposes inclusion of migrant brides in transport subsidy bill

Famed Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake dies at 84

Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake / AP-YonhapIssey Miyake, who built one of Japan's biggest fashion brands and was known for his boldly sculpted pleated pieces as well as former Apple CEO Steve Jobs' black turtlenecks, has died. He was 84. Miyake died Aug. 5 of liver cancer, Miyake Design Office said Tuesday. Miyake defined an era in Japan's modern history, reaching stardom in the 1970s among a generation of designers and artists who reached global fame by defining a Japanese vision that was unique from the West. Miyake's origami-like pleats transformed usually crass polyester into chic. He also used computer technology in weaving to create apparel. His down-to-earth clothing was meant to celebrate the human body regardless of race, build, size or age. Miyake even detested being called a fashion designer, choosing not to identify with what he saw as a frivolous, trend-watching, conspicuous consumption. Again and again, Miyake returned to his basic concept of starting with a single piece of cloth ― be it draped, folded, cut or wrapped. Over the years, he took inspiration from a v

Aug 9, 2022

Famed Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake dies at 84

George Mason University's digital arts exhibition

A group of visitors view art on Thursday at George Mason University Korea’s 2022 Progress at Play digital arts exhibition, which runs from Aug. 4 to 12 at Seoul City Hall. Thirty digital artworks that address social issues, including computer games, comics, webtoons and illustrations, are on display. They were selected from works submitted by domestic and international students for the annual competition organized by the school’s computer game design faculty. The event is aimed at encouraging students to apply their digital skills to tackle various social challenges. Courtesy of George Mason University

Aug 4, 2022

George Mason University's digital arts exhibition

5-day, spectacle-filled Seoul Festa hopes to boost tourism

Seoul Festa's opening ceremony at Jamsil Sports Complex will feature a K-pop concert. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government Five-day, city-wide event kicks off Aug. 10 in Jamsil By Ko Dong-hwan Less than a week remains until Seoul launches its first large-scale global festival since before the COVID-19 pandemic. This time, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is planning various spectacles for the eyes and ears that it hopes will send participating tourists all over the city.Seoul Festa 2022 will open in Jamsil in Seoul's Songpa District on Aug. 10. Hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the festival is being jointly prepared by the government and thousands of local private firms, and will run until Aug. 14. With its main events happening at Jamsil Sports Complex, various smaller events will also occur in other areas such as Gwanghwamun, Yeouido and riverside parks along the Han River.

Aug 4, 2022By Ko Dong-hwan

5-day, spectacle-filled Seoul Festa hopes to boost tourism

Seoul E-Prix ready to thrill EV racing fans

Pastor helps dying patients fulfill last wishes

A 63-year-old terminal cancer patient surnamed Kim enjoys autumn leaves on Mount Nam in Seoul last November. Courtesy of Haon PublicationRev. Song Kil-weon, critical of funeral service companies cashing in on death, campaigns for 'small funerals' By Lee Yeon-wooLast November, a 63-year-old patient surnamed Kim, who was fighting terminal cancer in hospice care at the time, was able to fulfill her last wish in this world, thanks to Rev. Song Kil-weon: Kim visited Mount Nam in Seoul to see the autumn leaves in person. She visited the mountain in a wheelchair on that beautiful sunny day with her two daughters and a 16-month-old grandson. Kim repeatedly said how happy she was.“She told me she wanted to go there to see the autumn leaves, but she didn't notice them much because of her marvelous grandson,” Song said. “She couldn't take her eyes off the baby boy and said again and again with a happy smile on her face that she was so happy.” Song, a pastor of the small Chungran church in the eastern Gyeonggi Province county of Yangpyeong, said he has not heard any news

Aug 3, 2022By Lee Yeon-woo

Pastor helps dying patients fulfill last wishes

CICI to host Cultural Communication Forum on space in digital era

French-American economics and philosophy columnist Guy Sorman / Courtesy of CICI By Kim Rahn Korean architect and Hongik University professor of architecture Yoo Hyun-joon / Courtesy of CICI Renowned architects and scholars will discuss the role of real-life and digital spaces in cultural communication at this year's Culture Communication Forum (CCF).The Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI), the organizer of the forum, said Tuesday that the annual forum will take place on Aug. 25. Participants in Korea will gather at Grand Hyatt Seoul while those abroad will join online.Under the theme of “Space and cultural communication,” the participants will talk about how real-life and digital spaces respectively affect cultural communication and how they can be integrated.“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the concept and meaning of 'space' has become diverse,

Aug 2, 2022By Kim Rahn

CICI to host Cultural Communication Forum on space in digital era

Ex-taekwondo chief Kim Un-yong inducted into new Hall of Fame

Kim Un-yong, the late founder of the WT and a member of the inaugural class of inductees into the WT Hall of Fame / Courtesy of the World Taekwondo (WT)Kim Un-yong, the late founder of the global taekwondo governing body, has been inducted into the newly created World Taekwondo (WT) Hall of Fame.The WT honored the inaugural class of inductees during its General Assembly in Sofia on Monday (local time).Kim, the first president of the WT and also a former vice president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), received the Lifetime Contribution Award, earning recognition for his "leadership in developing taekwondo's role with the IOC and securing Olympic recognition for the sport," according to the WT.Taekwondo became an Olympic medal sport in 2000, with Kim, who founded the WT in 1973, playing an integral role.Former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, also credited with supporting taekwondo's entry into the Olympic program, received the Lifetime Contribution Award, too. The inaugural Hall of Fame class featured two other Koreans: Lee Dai-soon in the "official" category for his

Aug 2, 2022

Ex-taekwondo chief Kim Un-yong inducted into new Hall of Fame

Korea's figure skating icon Kim Yuna to wed singer Ko Woo-rim

Figure skater Kim Yuna, left, and singer Ko Woo-rim will get married in October. Screen captured from Kim and Ko's Instagram accounts respectivelyBy Lee Gyu-leeFigure skater Kim Yuna, the 2010 Winter Olympics gold medalist, will marry singer Ko Woo-rim, a member of crossover vocal quartet Forestella. All That Sports, the agency of Korea's skating legend, and Ko's agency, Beat Interactive, said Monday that Kim, 32, and Ko, 27, will tie the knot “at the end of this October in Seoul.”Adding that the couple has been dating for three years, the agencies noted that the wedding will be held in private. “Kim and Ko met at 'All That Skate' ice show in 2018 when Forestella was invited (to the show) as a guest singer. And after three years in a relationship, they decided to tie the knot,” they said.“As both Kim and Ko want a wedding ceremony with only family and close friends, the details of the wedding date and venue have not been released and will be kept private from the media. We ask fans and media for their understanding.”Nevertheless, immediately after

Jul 25, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee

Korea's figure skating icon Kim Yuna to wed singer Ko Woo-rim

Virginia Tech students' visit

A group of students and faculty from Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business pose after their visit to The Korea Times as part of their international study tour, Wednesday. They had a session to discuss K-pop and Korean culture with the newspaper's staff. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul.

Jul 20, 2022

INTERVIEW Saudi Arabia seeks to become cultural leader via partnership with Korea

Saudi Arabia Culture Minister Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al Saud / Courtesy of Saudi Arabia Ministry of CultureSaudi Arabia culture minister meets Korea's government, top entertainment company officials By Dong Sun-hwaIn October 2019, K-pop behemoth BTS grabbed international headlines for becoming the first non-Arab artist to play a concert at a stadium in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, where foreign singers could rarely take to the stage in the past. The sold-out show at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh took place only about three months after K-pop act Super Junior became the first Asian artist to stage a solo concert in the kingdom.K-pop boy band BTS performs during its 2019 concert at King Fahd International Stadium in Saudi Arabia. Courtesy of Big Hit MusicOnce known for its strict conservatism, Saudi Arabia is seeking to open a new door for cultural interaction and transform itself into a cultural hub in the Middle East and beyond. In a bid to do so, the country has picked Korea as its major partner. “Korea has distinguished itself i

Jul 12, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa

People & Events