Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Young software talent

Incheon National University students pose after they won first-prize at the SW-Hackathon competition in the Bexco, Busan, Monday. They created a technology to raise the resolution of CCTV and received 10 million won in prize money and an opportunity to study abroad. Hosted by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, the three-day competition was aimed at discovering young talent who can develop software applications and products, as well as to encourage them to start their own businesses.. Courtesy of Incheon National University

Sep 16, 2015

Late American missionary honored for promoting 'Arirang'

Dr. Homer B. Hulbert (1863-1949) / Korea Times fileBy Do Je-hae Many Koreans remember the late American missionary Dr. Homer B. Hulbert (1863-1949) as the author of 1891 “Sa Min Pil Ji,” the nation’s first hangul or Korean-language textbook on world geography.A local music festival organizer’s announcement Tuesday to honor him for spreading “Arirang,” a folk tune that all of the Korean Peninsula knows, is renewing attention to his pioneering contributions in promoting traditional Korean music.The organizing committee for the Seoul Arirang Festival said that Hulbert will be the inaugural recipient of the “Seoul Arirang Award.”“Hulbert, who came to Korea 129 years ago, had a special affection for Korean music,” said Yoon Young-dal, head of the committee, in a statementThe committee accredited Hulbert for transcribing Arirang, which had previously been transmitted among Koreans orally, with Western music notes. “He opened new horizons for Korean music,” Yoon said.In 1896, he published an essay on Arirang i

Sep 16, 2015By Do Je-hae

Late American missionary honored for promoting 'Arirang'

Son returns to big screen with thriller 'The Phone'

Actor Son Hyun-joo poses during a press conference introducing his new film “The Phone” at a theater in Apgujeong-dong, southern Seoul, Monday. / Courtesy of NEWBy Baek Byung-yeulVeteran actor Son Hyun-joo returns to the big screen in the upcoming thriller “The Phone."Starting his acting career in 1991, Son has appeared in many dramas and has gained popularity appearing in smash-hit TV dramas such as “First Love” (1996), “To Be with You” (2002) and “My Rosy Life” (2005).Though he has mostly portrayed characters of faith on the small screen, playing passionate and devoted men, Son has filled his big screen career as a front man in thrillers including “Hide and Seek,” (2013) and “The Chronicles of Evil” (2015).Speaking about why he decided to act in another thriller, Son explained that he tries to put importance on quality scripts rather than the genre of the film.“I made another thriller again. When choosing a script, I place greater importance on whether the script is attractive or

Sep 15, 2015

Son returns to big screen with thriller 'The Phone'

Jang Keun-suk volunteers at orphanage with fans

Actor Jang Keun-suk By Bahk Eun-jiActor Jang Keun-suk and his fan club donated 25 million won ($22,000) to Namsanwon, an orphanage in Seoul, his management company Ytree Company said Monday.The 28-year-old actor also volunteered at the orphanage with his fan club Cri-J.Jang and his fans made tteokbokki, a Korean spicy rice snack food with fish cake, and gimbap, a Korean rice roll, for children at Namsanwon for lunch on Saturday.Cri-J donated 15 million won earned from an exhibit of Jang’s photos in August, and Jang also added 10 million won to his initial donation.The fan club has volunteered at the orphanage once every two months since 2012, and Jang took part in the activity for the first time on Saturday, Ytree said.“I was moved by letters written from the children in Namsanwon, which were on display at my exhibition. That’s the reason I decided to join this time,” Jang said.“It was extra meaningful for me to volunteer with my fans and I had a wonderful time with the children.”   

Sep 14, 2015

Jang Keun-suk volunteers at orphanage with fans

Autoworker witnesses dramatic changes

Cho Nam-wookBy Choi Kyong-ae Cho Nam-wook, 53, is one of tens of thousands of workers at major carmakers in Korea. He has witnessed dramatic changes in the auto industry over the past decades.“I began to work at GM Korea in 1987 when the company was called Daewoo Motor. We manufactured vehicles and customers bought them. But I now find selling a car is an increasingly tough job due to competition with imported brands and evolutionary changes in customers’ tastes in vehicles,” he told The Korea Times in a recent interview.Customers used to buy vehicles made by Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors out of patriotism. Seven out of 10 cars on the street are still made by these firms. But they increasingly buy cars according to their preferences, he said.In Korea, GM Korea has sold a practical lineup composed of the mainstay Chevrolet brand, the large Alpheon sedan and the Damas and Labo mini car. It has recently launched the large Impala sedan to replace the Alpheon whose production will soon be halted.Cho now works as electronics engineer at GM Korea in its main Buyeong pl

Sep 14, 2015

'Koreans use antibiotics too much'

Dame Sally Davies, Britain’s chief medical officer, speaks during an interview in southern Seoul on Monday. / Courtesy of the British Embassy in SeoulBy Jung Min-hoKoreans use antibiotics too much and that could accelerate the “end of modern medicine,” Dame Sally Davies, Britain’s chief medical officer, says.“It is a concern that Koreans overuse antibiotics,” she said. “Not just Koreans. This is becoming a problem across the world. And we need to raise awareness.”Davies came to Korea on Sunday to attend the second Global Health Security Agenda High-Level Meeting, which was held at the COEX in southern Seoul from Monday-Wednesday.Her point is that the world uses antibiotics far more than necessary, which helps the rapid growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.This is a serious problem because, unless a new class of antibiotics is discovered, antibiotics available now could become useless in a few decades, she said. No new class of antibiotics has been found since 1987.“Modern medicine is supported and underpinned by antibiotic

Sep 11, 2015

Actor Ahn Jae-wook joins donors' club

Ahn Jae-wookActor Ahn Jae-wook has joined the Honor Society, a group of donors who have contributed 100 million won and more.Community Chest of Korea runs the society.The society hosted an admission ceremony for Ahn on Thursday.The actor, 45, has been making donations to the charity since January 2007.“I’ve decided to join because as a father-to-be, I wanted to give hope to children and help them have dreams,” Ahn said. “I hope my small contribution will be used meaningfully for the next generation so the contribution can serve as a source of strength for them."The society now has nine celebrity members ― Girls’ Generation’s Yoona, MissA’s Suji, entertainer Hyeun Young, actor Kim Bo-sung, actress Soo Ae, singer Hyunsook, pop diva Insooni and actor Park Hae-jin.Ahn and his wife are expecting a baby early next year.

Sep 10, 2015

Ex-diplomat dreams of better world with culture

Chung Dal-hoBy Park Jin-haiLong-time diplomat Chung Dal-ho, 66, is having second life as a cultural ambassador.After nearly 40 years as a career diplomat, Chung now leads the World Culture Open (WCO), a multinational non-profit, non-governmental organization to promote the value of cultural diversity.He took up the position in February.“Today, culture holds more importance than ever,” he said. “Compared with 15 years ago, when we opened the Korean office, we are better placed to promote culture now that the national agenda includes cultural promotion.”Chung said the civic organization was campaigning for the “Culture Designer Movement” here.“We think of a platform where all people regardless of their nationality, age and sex could nurture creativity,” he said.“Each and every one becomes a culture designer and makes their life creative and we as an organization connect the dots to make the world better place.”The WCO focuses on three goals ― making sports events like the Olympics also cultural events, giving cultural awa

Sep 10, 2015By Park Jin-hai

Ex-diplomat dreams of better world with culture

Freedom fighter acquitted posthumously

Choi Neung-jinBy Kim Hyo-jinA former independence fighter executed in 1951 for allegedly collaborating with communists during the 1950-53 Korean War has been posthumously acquitted after his relatives filed an appeal against his conviction.Choi Neung-jin, 53, was regarded as a political rival to then-President Syngman Rhee, and was executed after a court found him guilty of breaking the National Security Law.Decades later, Choi’s family filed a petition for an appeal. Seoul Central District Court overturned the 64 year old conviction on Sept. 1, citing a lack of evidence.Born in South Pyeongan Province in 1899, Choi joined the independence movement during the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial rule of the Korean peninsula. He fought against the Japanese army as a member of a resistance group named the Young Korean Academy or “Heung Sa Dan,” founded by Ahn Chang-ho.After Korea’s liberation, he served as a director of the criminal investigation bureau of the police, but soon lost his job for demanding the expulsion of Japanese collaborators from the police force.Choi p

Sep 9, 2015

Hyolyn and Yubin join rap competition show

 Wonder Girl’s YubiSISTAR’s HyolynBy Kim Jae-heunHyolyn of the popular girl band SISTAR and Wonder Girl’s rapper Yubin are ready to join the rap competition show “Unpretty Rapstar” that premiers Friday at 11:00 p.m. on CJ E&M’s music channel Mnet.The show, a spin-off of “Show Me the Money,” immediately gained popularity in its first season last year for content that showed intense competition among the female rappers, especially in one-on-one battle episodes.Although it may seem unfavorable for female idol stars to appear in a competition show where they may lose and tarnish their image, Hyolyn and Yubin have decided to take the risk, where comparatively unknown rappers are willing to compete fiercely for their chance at stardom.“I’ve decided to star on this series to show my real self,” Yubin said during a press conference at Times Square in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Tuesday. “There were limits to what I could show in the girl group as we pursued retro music while I wanted to go for hip-hop.”Hy

Sep 8, 2015By Kim Jae-heun

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