Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Outgoing Philippine ambassador's farewell

Philippine Ambassador to Korea Maria Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega, front left, poses with Woongjin Foundation Chairman Shin Hyon-ung, back left, and Digital Skynet President Kim Choong-hyun, back right, during Gennie's Multicultural Music Broadcasting radio show, Wednesday. The ambassador is expected to leave the post by the end of this month. Courtesy of Woongjin Foundation

Jun 9, 2025By Jhoo Dong-chan

Outgoing Philippine ambassador's farewell

Yoido Full Gospel Church pastor appointed secretary general of Pentecostal World Fellowship

Lee Young-hoon, senior pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church, was appointed the secretary general of the Pentecostal World Fellowship (PWF), the world’s largest association of Pentecostal churches. The PWF, established in Zurich in 1947, represents about 700 million believers across more than 150 countries. The appointment highlights the growing influence of Asian and Korean churches in the global Pentecostal movement, the Seoul-based church said. Pastor Lee was unanimously elected at a presbytery meeting of the PWF held in Helsinki, Finland, June 3, and his appointment was formally announced during the closing session of the 27th Pentecostal World Conference (PWC) on June 6, witnessed by Pentecostal leaders from around the globe. His term as secretary general is three years. The PWC, held every five years, serves as a crucial platform for Pentecostal leaders worldwide to connect, exchange ideas and forge common stances on missionary directions and global issues. The secretary general position is one of the highest leadership roles within the PWF, overseeing the organization, finances an

Jun 8, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

Yoido Full Gospel Church pastor appointed secretary general of Pentecostal World Fellowship

Cheonan K-Culture Expo in full swing with thousands of visitors

CHEONAN — The Cheonan K-Culture Expo 2025 with MyK FESTA is in full swing with thousands of visitors as it celebrates the global attention to Korean culture. Held at the Independence Hall of Korea in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, it is a five-day event running from Wednesday through Sunday under the theme of “Global K-Culture in Full Bloom,” offering a dynamic combination of music, fashion, food, beauty and education. Attracting tens of thousands of visitors, the opening ceremony was a major highlight, featuring high-profile performances by pop stars such as Sung Si-kyung, Lee Mu-jin, H1-Key and BEATPELLA HOUSE. “The expo boasts the country’s status as a global powerhouse in culture,” South Chungcheong Province Governor Kim Tae-heum said during the opening ceremony for the event, Wednesday. For this year’s event, the city has decided to expand its previous five exhibition halls to seven. All the exhibition halls feature AI, AR, interactive content and extended reality (XR) to strengthen visitors’ experience in immersion. They showcase digital content related to foo

Jun 6, 2025By Jhoo Dong-chan

Cheonan K-Culture Expo in full swing with thousands of visitors

Father Noel O'Neill, advocate for disabled in Korea, dies at 93

Father Noel O’Neill, an Irish Catholic priest who transformed care for people with intellectual disabilities in Korea by establishing the country’s first community-based living facilities, has died. He was 93. According to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Gwangju, O’Neill died of blood cancer Sunday in his home country of Ireland. He had returned there last July after concluding 67 years of pastoral and volunteer service in Korea. After studying theology in Ireland and being ordained, O’Neill came to Korea in 1957, dedicating himself to missionary and social welfare work. He began his pastoral service in 1958 as an assistant priest at Jangseong Parish in South Jeolla Province, later serving as parish priest in several regions, including Seoul, Jeju and Gwangju. O’Neill was one of the first to introduce the concept of community-based living facilities in Korea, laying the foundation for people with intellectual disabilities to live independently within their communities rather than in institutions. The first group home began in 1981 in Gwangju, where he lived with one woman wit

Jun 5, 2025By Park Ung

Father Noel O'Neill, advocate for disabled in Korea, dies at 93

Pianist Lim Yun-chan donates 100 mil. won to support pediatric patients

Renowned Korean pianist Lim Yun-chan and his management agency, Moc Production, donated 100 million won ($72,500) to Seoul’s Catholic Medical Center to help support the treatment of pediatric patients. The Catholic Medical Center, which is affiliated with the Catholic University of Korea, said earlier this week that the donation was made at Lim’s request and is intended to be used entirely for the treatment of pediatric patients. In accordance with Lim’s wishes, the hospital has established the "J.S. Bach Fund," named after the composer whose piece Lim performed. The fund will be dedicated to supporting the treatment of critically ill children. The donation came from the proceeds of Lim’s sold-out solo recital series in Korea, held March 23-25 at the Aram Nuri Arts Center in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, north of Seoul. Lee Hwa-sung, president of the Catholic Medical Center, expressed gratitude for the donation. "We hope this donation will provide support to children and families who face obstacles to receiving proper treatment in difficult circumstances. We will ensure that the fund

Jun 4, 2025By Anna J. Park

Pianist Lim Yun-chan donates 100 mil. won to support pediatric patients

Egyptian twin sisters reflect on 11 years of sharing Korea with world

For Salwa Elzeny Mostafa, and her twin sister Esraa, the fascination with Korea began with K-dramas and K-pop — just like many fans around the world. But their decision 11 years ago to become Honorary Reporters for Korea.net, a promotional website run by the Korean government, brought their experience and understanding of Korea to a whole new level. Now, they are among the longest-serving members of the program. “Our journey with Korean culture began over 20 years ago. Our love for Korea started in middle school, when we first watched Korean dramas like ‘Winter Sonata’ (2002) and ‘Boys Over Flowers’ (2009), and listened to K-pop groups like Girls’ Generation, T-ARA, SS501, Super Junior and CNBLUE on Egyptian TV,” Salwa told The Korea Times during a recent Zoom interview. After graduating university, the twins joined Korea.net's Facebook page, called “Korea Clickers,” where they discovered the Honorary Reporter program. Launched 15 years ago by the Korean government, the program produces a variety of content on Korea in 10 languages, some of which is published on Kore

Jun 4, 2025By Kim Se-jeong

Egyptian twin sisters reflect on 11 years of sharing Korea with world

BIGBANG's T.O.P makes bold appearance at Netflix’s ‘Squid Game 3’ event in the US: ‘I couldn’t miss this’

Choi Seung-hyun, also known as T.O.P from the K-pop group BIGBANG, made a striking appearance at Netflix’s global fan event “TUDUM 2025” in Los Angeles, held at the Kia Forum on Saturday (local time). The event is a global celebration where Netflix’s top stars and creators gather with fans to promote upcoming content. T.O.P joined “Squid Game” creator Hwang Dong-hyuk and cast members Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Park Sung-hoon and Kang Ae-shim to promote “Squid Game 3,” which is set to premiere on June 27. T.O.P greeted the crowd with a playful tone. “You must be surprised to see me here,” he said, adding, “I couldn’t possibly miss out on an event this amazing. I’m here to give you a sneak peek at the new 'Squid Game 3.'" Following greetings from Lee Jung-jae and Lee Byung-hun, T.O.P and Lee Jung-jae introduced the main trailer for “Squid Game 3” by counting down together in Korean: “Three, two, one.” T.O.P also shared several photos from the event on his social media, giving fans a glimpse into his current activities. In “Squid Game 3,” T.O.P plays t

Jun 2, 2025By Xportsnews

BIGBANG's T.O.P makes bold appearance at Netflix’s ‘Squid Game 3’ event in the US: ‘I couldn’t miss this’

Unification rally in Seoul sparks hopes for peace

A unification rally took place Friday in Yongsan, in the heart of Seoul, where participants renewed their commitment to achieving a peaceful and unified Korean Peninsula. The 2025 Korean Dream Unification Resolution Rally drew around 400 distinguished guests, including former Prime Minister Chung Un-chan, who serves as president of the Korean Dream Hangang Grand Festival; Chung Woo-taik, co-chair of the organizing committee and former deputy speaker of the National Assembly; and Lee Jong-kul, also a co-chair and former floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. The rally, which began last month in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province and traveled through 13 cities and provinces across the country, was part of a national campaign to build momentum for the upcoming Korean Dream 10 Million Campaign, scheduled for Aug. 14–15, along with the Korean Dream Hangang Grand Festival. “On Aug. 15, the festival will be held along the Han River, where the history and life of our people flow endlessly,” Chung said in his welcome remarks. “Over the past 80 years since the end of Japanese col

Jun 2, 2025By Park Ung

Unification rally in Seoul sparks hopes for peace

K-drama stars military updates: Cha Eun-woo and Rowoon to enlist soon, Lee Do-hyun returns

Fans of Korean male actors are experiencing mixed emotions as some stars return from military service while others prepare to enlist. Lee Do-hyun, who joined the Air Force in August 2023, completed his mandatory service on May 13. His return to the entertainment scene is eagerly anticipated, as his pre-enlistment film “Exhuma” achieved remarkable success, surpassing 10 million viewers during his service period. Fans are now looking forward to Lee’s next chapter, which kicks off with his fan meeting tour, “Re DO HYUN,” set to begin in Seoul, June 14 and 15, before traveling to eight locations across Asia. While Lee’s discharge has been welcomed by fans, the news of other beloved actors heading off to fulfill their military duties has sparked a sense of loss. Rowoon, known for his roles in “Extraordinary You,” “The King’s Affection,” “Destined With You,” “The Matchmakers,” and “The Murky Stream,” is scheduled to enlist on July 21. Accordining to FNC Entertainment, Rowoon will undergo basic training before serving as an active-duty soldier in the Army. Jus

May 31, 2025By Xportsnews

K-drama stars military updates: Cha Eun-woo and Rowoon to enlist soon, Lee Do-hyun returns

Korean language contest celebrates global learners bridging Korea, world

The Korea Times awarded 14 winners of its Korean Language Speaking Contest during a ceremony at the Cyber University of Korea's Inchon Hall in Seoul, Thursday. Now in its second year, the contest aims to promote global interest in the Korean language and contribute to Korea's growing cultural influence around the world. The event was co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Education, with additional support from the King Sejong Institute, the Cyber University of Korea and Kangwon Land, one of Korea's largest casino and resort operators based in Gangwon Province. "Learning a language means learning the culture and role of another country," said Lee Jung-woo, director of the culture ministry's Culture and Arts Policy Office. "It's not easy to learn a foreign language and I congratulate you on participating in this contest and even winning an award. I hope you will continue to serve as citizen diplomats who connect Korea with your home countries." Choi Cheol-kyoo, acting CEO of Kangwon Land, which also owns High1 Resort, a ski resort in Jeongseon, Gang

May 29, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min

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