Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Rapper Sean raises over $1.6 mil. for descendants of independence fighters

Rapper Noh Seung-hwan, also known as Sean, successfully completed an 81.5-kilometer marathon in celebration of the 80th anniversary of Korea’s Liberation Day and donated over 2.3 billion won ($1.6 million) to build homes for descendants of independence activists, his agency YG Entertainment said Saturday. The 2025 815 Run, hosted by Sean and Habitat for Humanity Korea, is an annual charity marathon held to reflect on the significance of Liberation Day and express gratitude to independence activists. Despite heat exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, Sean completed the run in 7 hours, 50 minutes and 22 seconds. While Sean and 44 others completed the entire distance, a total of 19,450 runners participated in shorter courses, with approximately 4,000 taking part in an 8.15 kilometer run at World Cup Park in Seoul's Mapo District and others doing courses of 3.1 km or 4.5 km. Proceeds from the event, along with donations from 10 sponsoring companies, amounted to 2.38 billion won. The funds were donated to Habitat for Humanity to construct new homes and support housing improvement projects for desce

Aug 17, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Rapper Sean raises over $1.6 mil. for descendants of independence fighters

Bishop Timothy Yu Gyoung-chon dies at 63, remembered for humble service

Bishop Timothy Yu Gyoung-chon, who served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Seoul, passed away on Friday at the age of 63. The Archdiocese of Seoul said that Yu died from an illness at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital. He had been battling bile duct cancer, undergoing surgery and chemotherapy last year. Born in Seoul in 1962, the late bishop graduated from Catholic University of Korea. After completing his military service, he went on to study in Germany at the University of Wurzburg. He was ordained a priest in 1992 by the Archdiocese of Seoul and later earned a doctorate in theology from the Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology in Frankfurt. In 2013, Pope Francis appointed him as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Seoul, and he was officially consecrated the following February. The late bishop was known for his modest lifestyle, rarely drawing attention to himself and even driving the same small, old car for decades. Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick of Seoul said that the late bishop aspired to be a priest who stood with the humble, and his frugal life an

Aug 17, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

Bishop Timothy Yu Gyoung-chon dies at 63, remembered for humble service

Yoon Moo-boo, Korea’s beloved ‘bird doctor,’ dies at 84

Yoon Moo-boo, a prominent ornithologist and educator known to many as Korea’s “bird doctor,” died on Friday at Kyung Hee University Medical Center in Seoul. He was 84. Yoon, who had a stroke in 2006 and suffered a recurrence in June, is remembered for his unwavering devotion to the study and preservation of Korea’s birds. He continued his work even after being confined to a wheelchair and developing partial paralysis that forced him to learn to photograph with his non-dominant left hand. Born in 1941 in the coastal town of Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, Yoon grew fascinated with birds as an elementary school student after encountering a hoopoe. He later remarked that, if born again, he would want to come back as a hoopoe, a testament to his lifelong affection for the creatures. Over a career spanning five decades, Yoon traversed the Korean Peninsula, amassing a staggering archive of 600,000 bird photographs and more than 1,300 reels of footage. Yoon held bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from Kyung Hee University and wrote his doctorate thesis on the geographic va

Aug 15, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

Yoon Moo-boo, Korea’s beloved ‘bird doctor,’ dies at 84

From Kim Ji-seok to Han Soo-yeon, actors you didn't know were descended from Korea’s independence heroes

As Korea marks Liberation Day, which commemorates the restoration of sovereignty from Japanese colonial rule, the legacy of independence fighters continues to inspire the public. Some celebrities who are descendants of these patriots have openly expressed their pride in their family history on television programs. Actor Kim Ji-seok is the grandson of independence activist Kim Sung-il, who joined the independence volunteer corps and carried out resistance activities. Kim was arrested alongside patriot Yun Bong-gil and endured harsh torture. On his YouTube channel, Kim appeared with his grandmother to share stories about Kim Sung-il. When he asked, “What kind of work did grandfather do during the independence movement?” His grandmother replied, “He delivered information from Korea to the independence army and raised independence funds from wealthy individuals.” Actor Yoon Joo-bin’s grandfather is the younger brother of Yun Bong-gil. Yun is remembered for throwing a bomb at an event held to celebrate the Japanese emperor’s birthday in Shanghai’s Hongkou Park on April 29, 193

Aug 15, 2025By Hankookilbo

From Kim Ji-seok to Han Soo-yeon, actors you didn't know were descended from Korea’s independence heroes

Indian-born TV personality Lucky to marry Korean woman in September, expecting first child

Indian-born television personality Lucky, whose real name is Abhishek Gupta, is set to tie the knot and welcome his first child. On Aug. 15, a representative from SLL confirmed to Xportsnews that both the wedding and pregnancy reports are true. According to MyDaily, Lucky will marry a Korean non-celebrity on Sept. 28 at a location in Seoul. The bride-to-be is currently pregnant, and the couple is preparing for parenthood while spending time together to build a happy family. During a recent appearance on the YouTube channel “Jodongari,” Lucky shared, “When I meet a Korean person, conversations feel comfortable and it’s easy to break the ice,” he said. Lucky first came to Korea in 1996 and became well-known through appearances on JTBC’s “Abnormal Summit” and “Special Reporter 25hr,” as well as MBC Every1’s “Welcome, First Time in Korea?” In past broadcasts, he drew attention by revealing that he owns nine houses in India. This article from Xportsnews is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

Aug 15, 2025By Xportsnews

Indian-born TV personality Lucky to marry Korean woman in September, expecting first child

Cha Eun-woo’s brother goes viral after 4-second appearance on ‘You Quiz’

Cha Eun-woo’s younger brother has become a hot topic online after making a brief appearance on the tvN talk show “You Quiz on the Block.” According to online community posts, the singer-actor’s sibling appeared in the June 11 episode of the show, which featured Oh Chang-gyu, a former semiconductor company vice president who became an intern in a real-life version of the movie “The Intern.” In one scene, which lasted about four seconds, several company employees were shown walking together. Viewers quickly noticed a man who was later identified as Cha’s brother, drawing attention for his striking resemblance to the star. Despite the blurry image, his facial features, body shape and proportions were nearly identical to Cha’s, prompting comments such as “I’m curious about their parents,” “It’s like there’s another Cha Eun-woo in the world” and “That’s some amazing genetics.” Cha himself had already spoken about his brother during a May 2024 appearance on “You Quiz.” At the time, he revealed a photo of his sibling, then a journalism student in China, a

Aug 14, 2025By Xportsnews

Cha Eun-woo’s brother goes viral after 4-second appearance on ‘You Quiz’

FEBC-Korea to host patriotic concert in Incheon to commemorate 80th Liberation Day

Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC)-Korea will hold its annual Children’s Choir Patriotic Concert in Incheon on Friday to mark Liberation Day, which this year commemorates the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule. The large-scale performance, featuring about 700 children from FEBC-Korea’s regional children’s choirs, will take place at Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon. This year’s concert carries special meaning as it also marks the 140th anniversary of the establishment of Protestant missions in Korea and the 75th anniversary of the Incheon Landing Operation during the 1950-53 Korean War. Organizers chose Incheon for its historic significance as a center of the independence movement, the birthplace of modernization and Christian mission work in Korea and the site of U.S. General Douglas MacArthur’s pivotal landing operation in 1950 that turned the tide of the Korean War. Incheon has long served as a gateway to the world through its port and airport, and it is also where FEBC-Korea first began broadcasting, making this year’s celebration espec

Aug 12, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

FEBC-Korea to host patriotic concert in Incheon to commemorate 80th Liberation Day

Deceased organ donor saves four lives

For the family of Lee Hoon, June was marked by sorrow, but also by extraordinary empathy and compassion. According to the Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency (KODA) on Monday, Lee died at a hospital in Seoul on June 27 after his organs were donated following brain death, saving the lives of four people. He was 61. On June 15, Lee was suddenly struck by a brain hemorrhage while sleeping. He was taken to Gangnam Severance Hospital immediately. However, despite the medical staff’s best efforts, he never regained consciousness and was declared brain-dead. Days later, on June 27, his family made a decision that would embody his lifelong spirit of generosity: They decided to donate his lungs, liver and both kidneys, giving new life to four patients. During his lifetime, Lee often said, “When I leave this world, I want to do something that will help others,” according to his family. They said they wanted to honor his wish. Born in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, as the youngest of four children, Lee worked as a manager at an accounting firm before his passing. His family said Lee had a wa

Aug 12, 2025By Jung Min-ho

‘Oldboy’ director Park Chan-wook reportedly expelled from US writers’ guild — but why?

Park Chan-wook, the acclaimed filmmaker behind "Oldboy" and "The Handmaiden," has reportedly been expelled from the Writers Guild of America (WGA), according to foreign media reports. On Friday (local time), U.S. outlets including Variety reported that the WGA expelled Park and Don McKellar, co-writers of the HBO series "The Sympathizer." The guild had disciplined seven members for violating strike rules during its 2023 walkout. Four of them appealed their expulsion, but Park and McKellar were said not to have done so. "The Sympathizer" is a seven-part series released in 2024 based on the novel of the same name by Vietnamese American author Viet Thanh Nguyen. The story follows a North Vietnamese spy who flees to the United States after the Vietnam War. It marked Park’s second television project and third overseas production, drawing strong domestic and international attention. The cast includes Robert Downey Jr. and Sandra Oh. The WGA strike ran from May to September 2023, with demands including higher pay and fairer profit sharing in the streaming era. The work stoppage delayed major

Aug 10, 2025By Hankookilbo

‘Oldboy’ director Park Chan-wook reportedly expelled from US writers’ guild — but why?

Jin and Hattie’s leap to fame as Korea’s top international couple

When Harriet Emily Heo, better known as Hattie, found herself lost in the heart of Seoul one summer day in August 2019, she had no idea her life was about to change forever. Freshly arrived from the U.K. as an English teacher, Hattie waited for a new Korean friend, Heo Jin-woo, or Jin, inside a convenience store, unaware that she was standing on the very street where Jin’s parents had first met decades earlier. That serendipitous meeting marked the start of a remarkable journey. Together, they would soon become Korea’s most-followed international couple on YouTube. Five years after their fateful meeting, Hattie, 29, and her husband Jin have become prominent symbols of a multicultural Korea, amassing a YouTube following of 9.8 million subscribers. “Honestly, we never knew it would get this big,” Hattie said during a recent interview with The Korea Times. “I thought I would stay in Korea for a year, then go to acting school back home. We made our first video for fun. We just wanted to make each other smile, and maybe a few others too. I never imagined this would become our life.

Aug 7, 2025By Lee Hae-rin

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