Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Sharing cultural content

From left, Lee Chang-sup, president and publisher of The Korea Times; Lee Young-man, CEO of Herald  Corp., publisher of The Korea Herald and chair of the Foreign Language Newspapers Association of Korea; Park Young-goog, director of the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS); and Y. K. Abraham Kwak, CEO of Aju News Corp., pose after signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at Herald Corp.’s headquarters in Seoul, Wednesday. KOCIS will provide content from its multi-language portal Korea.net to the news companies and the foreign language media will report the achievements of the KOCIS and its affiliate Korean Cultural Centers abroad./ Courtesy of Foreign Language Newspaper Association of Korea

Nov 18, 2015

Scholar devoted to inter-Korean dictionary

Kim Wan-seoBy Yi Whan-wooKim Wan-seo, a scholar at an inter-Korean compilation board that will publish a unified Korean language dictionary, disagrees with the belief that people should not bet their lives on something that is unlikely to happen.Kim, 44, says he instantly determined to dedicate his life to the then-envisioned board when he was just 19 after reading related news.The news back in 1989 reported on South Korean pastor Moon Ik-hwan’s unauthorized visit to Pyongyang during the peak of the Cold War era.The progressive-minded pastor and then-North Korean leader Kim Il-sung met and agreed to set up a joint organization to publish a dictionary that contains vocabulary used in both Koreas.The visit of the now-deceased Moon to the communist state was controversial and the pastor was jailed for five years for violating the National Security Law.“But I was certain that one day the Korean Peninsula would be reunited and a unified Korean language dictionary would be needed to narrow the widening gap of word usage across the tensely guarded border,” Kim said during

Nov 18, 2015By Yi Whan-woo

Scholar devoted to inter-Korean dictionary

Secret to making tasty kimchi is salting

Lee Sun-hee, assistant director of kimchi at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill / Courtesy of Sheraton Grande WalkerhillBy Yun Suh-youngIt's gimjang (seasonal practice of kimchi-making) season again. Beginning from mid-November through mid-December, Koreans start the collective practice of making kimchi which is a part of traditional culture as well as a way to prepare the household with staple fermented side dishes for another year.Lee Sun-hee, assistant director of kimchi at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill, has been researching and making kimchi for 18 years at the hotel. She shared her know-how with The Korea Times readers here to mark the beginning of gimjang season.The Sheraton Grande Walkerhill’s kimchi research center, established in 1989, has been producing its own kimchi called "SUPEX kimchi" (SUPEX stands for "super excellent). It also has been holding a gimjang event annually since 2013.What Lee considers the most important procedure in making kimchi is the salting process.SUPEX kimchi / Courtesy of Sheraton Grande Walkerhill"How you salt the cabbages before filling

Nov 17, 2015

Secret to making tasty kimchi is salting

Ex-gov't official to promote Korean medicine in Croatia

By Lee Min-hyungShim Dong-supShim Dong-sup, a former high ranking official at the trade ministry, is seeking government support to raise awareness of the Korean version of Oriental medicine both at home and abroad.“The Ministry of Health and Welfare should expand relevant budgets for the balanced development of Western and Oriental medicine,” he said, Monday.Shim, 56, started his career at the Ministry of Trade and Industry in 1984. While studying law in the United States, he was frustrated over hospital costs. He has since become interested in learning about Oriental medicine by himself.“I have been studying Korean style Oriental medicine for more than 22 years,” he said. “One thing I have found is that many foreign countries are very interested in learning the methods. But this is not the case for the Korean government.”That was the reason he partnered with Croatia’s leading psychiatric hospital to further promote global awareness about Oriental medicine.On Nov. 24, Shim and two renowned doctors who specialize in this will visit Croatia to

Nov 16, 2015

Ex-gov't official to promote Korean medicine in Croatia

Indian teaches visitors yoga on Nami Island

Abhijit Ghosh, an Indian yogi, helps a student with posture during a yoga class at Dong Seoul College inSeongnam, Gyeonggi Province, in this 2013 photo. / Courtesy of Abhijit GhoshBy Kim Se-jeong Abhijit Ghosh, 40, a yoga instructor from India, is inviting people to Nami Island in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, this weekend where he will open yoga sessions for the general public.His special yoga sessions are part of a week-long Indian cultural festival organized by the Indian Embassy in Seoul running until Sunday. The sessions will take place on Saturday and Sunday on the island, and anyone interested is welcome. “Just come to relax,” the yogi said.The festival will feature another yoga session at Millennium Seoul Hilton on Saturday by another yoga instructor.Ghosh teaches yoga at Dong Seoul College in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. He’s been teaching there for nine years.The yogi said he is putting a lot of emphasis on raising awareness that yoga is not about physical fitness only. “Yoga is also about mentality,” he said.Ghosh has been practicing yoga

Nov 13, 2015By Kim Se-jeong

Indian teaches visitors yoga on Nami Island

Psy treatment room

The photo provided by Severance Hospital in Seoul on Thursday shows the “Psy treatment room” named after the South Korean rapper-singer who became famous with his song “Gangnam Style.” Hospital officials said Psy had donated 500 million won to the children’s ward, and the treatment room was opened on Nov. 1 for speech and psychological therapy for young patients./ Yonhap

Nov 12, 2015

'Dr. Guinness' never stops learning

Lee Wang-yulBy Choi Kyong-ae“Know something of everything and everything of something!” is the advice given by Lee Wang-yul, the Guinness World Record holder for having the highest number of diplomas and certificates at 116.“I have had some difficulties to complete each academic course as it took a lot of money, time and energy, the 74-year-old told The Korea Times. “But now I feel proud of my past achievements of earning seven regular diplomas and 109 non-regular diplomas over the past four decades.”In December 1993, Lee was awarded a Guinness certificate with the greatest number of diplomas and certificates ever, 61. Afterwards, he made it a rule to enroll in and complete a new course all through his life.He was born in 1942 in Gumi, South Gyeongsang Province, and couldn’t have a regular school education from elementary to high school due to a lack of tuition money. He later passed a school qualification examination for high school and college entrance.To finance his tuition fees, he worked during the day and studied at night, mainly taking eveni

Nov 12, 2015

University presidents' forum

Lee Young-moo, seventh from left in the first row, president of Hanyang University, poses with presidents of Korean and Chinese universities during the 7th Korean-Chinese University Presidents Forum at the school’s campus in Seoul, Tuesday. Those in the front row are Jee Byung-moon, fifth from right, president of Chonnam National University; Choi Kyung-hee, sixth from right, president of Ewha Womans University; Li Yuanyuan, sixth from left, president of Jilin University in Jilin, China; and Piao Yonghao, fourth from left, president of Yanbian University in Jilin, China. / Courtesy of Hanyang University

Nov 11, 2015

ROK-US soldiers play ball on joint team

By Kim Hyo-jin Baseball is strengthening unity among South Korean and U.S. soldiers of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC), who have formed a joint team. “About 20 military personnel working on base formed a joint baseball team last month,” a CFC official said Wednesday. “Its inauguration ceremony will be held soon.” The team was named “We Go Together,” a phrase that has long been used in the CFC to underline the bond between South Korea and the United States. U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert also tweeted the phrase to offer assurance to concerned South Korean citizens after he was attacked by a knife-wielding man in March. The idea of forming a joint baseball team was first suggested by a South Korean officer. He wrote a post on the CFC website expressing his hopes of creating a team. It drew the attention of many U.S. officers and soldiers who often played baseball during leisure time. With an active response, they managed to put together the first joint sports team between Korean and U.S. military personnel in CFC history. The

Nov 11, 2015

'Coloring books are about healing'

Illustrator SuwaBy Kwon Ji-younTaeyeon, the lead vocalist of Girls’ Generation, is hooked on coloring books. One of her favorites is “Look” by illustrator and designer Suwa, and, more so since Suwa appeared alongside the idol on an entertainment show, the book has been flying off the shelves.“I’m very grateful for, and a bit startled by, all the interest in my book and myself,” Suwa said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.“Shooting the show was definitely a new and fun experience. And Taeyeon had prepared so much for the shooting, and her willingness to learn was very moving. Also, more fans have followed me on SNS, including a good number of Taeyeon’s fans abroad.”Suwa began drawing at age five, and has always had a thing for fashion. She interned at a design company while studying at the Parsons School of Design, which was also when she began working as a freelance illustrator.After graduating, she worked as a women’s wear designer at big name brands including Michael Kors, Nautica and Tommy Hilfiger.“Bu

Nov 10, 2015

People & Events

People & Events

Sharing cultural content

Scholar devoted to inter-Korean dictionary

Secret to making tasty kimchi is salting

Ex-gov't official to promote Korean medicine in Croatia

Indian teaches visitors yoga on Nami Island

Psy treatment room

'Dr. Guinness' never stops learning

University presidents' forum

ROK-US soldiers play ball on joint team

'Coloring books are about healing'

Most Read in Lifestyle