People & Events

Commendation Award State Incentives Needed for Less Desired Jobs

By Kim Chi-seul Ewha Womans University In the aftermath of the financial crisis, a new trend seems to be spreading among many of my friends: they want to prolong their education by going to law school. We can deduce three reasons for this phenomenon. First is that in a time of uncertainty, youths are regressing toward a few professions that guarantee stability. Second is that companies simply aren't hiring enough youths. Third is that youths are putting off entering the small- and medium-sized enterprises that constantly report an under-supply of applicants. Youth unemployment is hardly new news. However, the problem was exacerbated in recent years by a trend towards on-demand hiring rather than bulk hiring. This made new employment susceptible to economic fluctuations. Also, with the ongoing recession, companies are reluctant to hire youths with little to no work experience when even existing labor is hard to maintain. In June, Korea's unemployment rate was found to be at 3.9 percent, which was the second-lowest among OECD countries, after the Netherlands. The unemployment ra

Commendation Award Hospitality Crucial for Positive Nationalism

By Cade Holleman Yonsei University Well into the realization of a fully-developed South Korean society, democracy and economy, the country's brand image continues to lag behind these and other related indicators. One of the four original Asian Tigers that experienced rapid modernization and economic development in the wake of Japan's post-World War II recovery and rise, South Korean development has been traditionally based on an export-led model, much of which the country retains today even as it transitions into a mature, service-driven economy. In recent years, the country has also become a major exporter of "cultural" products such as the movies, television and music collectively known as "hallyu", or the Korean Wave. Yet despite all this, South Korea still maintains a relatively low level of name recognition. Why such a discrepancy? The primary issue is that there are two "Koreas" in international media-one, to put it simply, good, and the other, bad. This dual usage and identification often confuses foreigners and thus the name "Korea" is found to have baggage

Commendation Award Environment Sustainability to Symbolize Korea

By Troels Kranker Seoul National University I arrived in Seoul three weeks ago on a sunny afternoon, tired from a seven-and-a-half hour flight from Dubai. I had been told that the buddy program at Seoul National University, where I was about to study at for the next semester, was not able to provide me with a pick-up service. I therefore had to figure out how to arrive at my one-room apartment in Shilim-dong myself. However, when I went into the arrival terminal I was surprised. My personal buddy, Jung-Eun Lee, had borrowed her mother's car, picked up the keys for my room, driven an hour to Incheon airport and waited for me for another hour because my flight was delayed. I was stunned with joyful emotions as if I was attending my own surprise party. This is an example of how overwhelmingly embracing, helpful, polite, kind, and compassionate Koreans and the Korean society are. Over the next few weeks, this gesture of collectiveness and appreciation of the greater good for the benefit of the community and the members within it, no matter their national origins, continued to re

Lee Seung-gi Embroiled in Plagiarism Allegation

A composer has filed a complaint with the police against two songwriters who composed popular singer Lee Seung-gi's latest hit song. The unidentified accuser alleged that the co-composers of ``Let's Break Up'' infringed upon his copyright by copying a song of his that was released in 2007, according to the Seongdong Police Station in Seoul. ``Let's Break Up,'' which is on Lee's latest album, ``Shadow,'' has topped music charts both online and offline after its release in late September. The accuser claimed that some parts of the song are the same as his song, titled ``As I Hurt My Ankle,'' and some other parts were very similar. However, the co-composers of Lee's hit are denying the allegations. The police will refer the case to the Korea Copyright Commission to determine whether the song was copied or not. After making his debut as a singer, Lee has successfully crossed boundaries by appearing on the entertainment program ``One Day Two Nights'' and starring in the SBS drama ``Brilliant Legacy.'' His latest digital single, ``Will You Marry Me,'' which was released

2AM Leader Diagnosed With Flu

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Jo Kwon, leader of ballad group 2AM, was confirmed to have been infected with influenza A (H1N1) Wednesday, according to his agency JYP Entertainment. The 20-year-old singer paid a visit to hospital after suffering from a high fever and was diagnosed with the disease. The agency added that the singer is resting away from the other three members and will skip his schedule set for this weekend. He is the third celebrity to be diagnosed, following K.Will and SS501 member Kim Hyun-joong. Making his debut in 2008, Kwon has been a favorite on various entertainment programs, thanks to his witty comments and dancing skills. The group's hits include ``This Song'' and ``Time for Confession.'' He is currently appearing in the MBC show ``We Got Married'' opposite Ga-in, a member of female dance group Brown Eyed Girls. sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr

Rain Talks Hallyu, Song, and Movie

By Cho Jae-hyon Staff Reporter Singer and actor Rain, one of the top Korean wave or hallyu stars, said the term ``Korean wave'' would be better not used as it is too self-centered and could cause anti-hallyu sentiment among Asian fans. Asked about the reason behind its recent waning on CNN's Talk Asia interview program, Rain said, ``The biggest problem is the term Korean wave. It doesn't sound right. It's a bit too self-centered.'' Rain said it shouldn't just be about exporting Korea's own culture but about using each other's cultures and exchanging ideas. ``I think the word hallyu can actually create anti-hallyu sentiment because it sounds so unilateral, which could be why some of the dramas and other things are losing popularity compared to before.'' He also said a lot of people have jumped on it for the money, and introduced works with low quality, causing a loss of face to some extent. Asked about the strong points about Korean pop culture, he pointed to a lot of talent compared to other countries. ``The ingredients, as I like to call it, are good. A lot o

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, center, poses with 16 honorary ..

A Korean Food Evangelist in US

Chang Jae-ok Publishes 3-Volume Book to Promote Hansik By Cho Jae-hyon Staff Reporter Chang Jae-ok, a promoter of Korean food in America for nearly 40 years, says making Korean food enjoyable to foreigners is the first step to globalize hansik (traditional Korean cuisine). "I've learned that there is a move here to globalize Korean food. We should have started it earlier," Chang told The Korea Times. "I think Korean food has obviously a potential to become a favorite among foreigners." Chang, 65, has assumed the role of goodwill ambassador for Korean food at the Korean embassy in the United States for about four years, cooking food for diplomats at various events hosted by the embassy and many other organizations. Chang said to make hansik popular the chef shouldn't be afraid of using foreign ingredients and experimenting. "I really like to experiment with food. If Korean food is served the way it has been served to Koreans, some foods may not taste good to foreigners," Chang said. "For instance, foreigners usually don't like Ddeok (Korean rice cake) because of i

Couple, Raising 6 Adoptees, Donate Organs

A couple raising six adopted children have donated organs to patients they do not know. Kim Sang-hoon, 49, donated his kidney Wednesday to an unidentified patient in his 40s with renal failure at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, the Korean Oran Donor Program said. The patient has undergone renal dialysis for three years. Kim's donation came after his wife, Yoon Jung-hee, 44, donated her kidney to a patient in 2007. ``I realized that organ donation is not such a scary or difficult thing to do through my wife's experience. It's a beautiful thing to change someone's life,'' Kim was quoted as saying by the organ donation organization. Yoon decided to donate after watching her adopted daughter Ha-sun run at a school sports event. Ha-sun received heart transplant surgery when she was younger. The couple adopted two children, including Ha-sun, in 2000 and has since adopted four other children, including one Vietnamese child. Kim quit a high-paying job 10 years ago and became a priest. The couple is now devoted to helping the needy in Daejeon, teaching poor children for fre

New Kid on the Block Sweeps Music Charts

By Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Seo In-gook, winner of Mnet's ``Superstar K,'' a reality competition program to find new musical talent similar to the United States' ``American Idol,'' instantly topped online music charts with his debut mini album, the cable music channel announced Tuesday. All three songs featured on the mini album ― ``Bureunda'' (Calling You), ``Young Love,'' which the 22-year-old wrote the lyrics for and sang during the competition, and ``Areumdaun Ibyeol'' (Beautiful Breakup), a remake of the Lee Seung-chul song ― became top-ranking numbers upon its release Tuesday. ``It is extremely rare to sweep music charts on the day an album is released, unless you are a top singer. It's even more significant considering that competition is tough opposite top stars who are making their comebacks and rising newcomers,'' said Mnet in a statement. The debutant singer's tracks took the top three spots on Mnet's Web site (www.mnet.com). He also beat out popular K-pop artists like Leessang, SHINee, Baek Ji-young and Girls' Generation on Cyworld (www.cyworld.com) with ``