Lifestyle - The Korea Times

English Professor, Columnist Passes Away

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter English professor and columnist Chang Young-hee, who touched many hearts with her warm and inspiring essays and columns, died of cancer Saturday. She was 56. The daughter of famed English scholar Chang Wang-rok of Seoul National University, she was a passionate professor and columnist, presenting her heartwarming columns in local newspapers, including English daily The Korea Times, and local dailies Chosun Ilbo and JoongAng Ilbo. Born in 1952 in Seoul, Chang contracted polio one year after her birth and had not been able to use her legs since. She studied English Literature at Sogang University and received her doctorate from the State University of New York at Albany. After returning to Korea, she taught students part time and started writing columns for The Korea Times in 1987. She later became the professor at her alma mater in the department of English Literature and Linguistics. Chang and her father hold a special place in the history of the nation's first English daily, both having participated in the column section ``Though

May 10, 2009

Actors Sul, Song to Tie Knot on May 28

By Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Top actors Sul Kyung-gu, 41, and Song Yun-a, 35, surprised the public with their engagement to wed at the end of the month. ``Sul and Song are holding their wedding on May 28,'' Sul's management agency S2007 Entertainment said Friday. The two stars plan to hold an official press conference today at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul. The ``On Air'' TV screen beauty and the award-winning actor of ``Peppermint Candy'' are both graduates of Hanyang University. They acted opposite each other for the first time in 2002 through the film ``Jail Breakers'' and then in 2006 for the melodrama ``Lost in Love.'' Coincidentally enough, Sul separated with his then-wife, the younger sister of actor Ahn Nae-sang, during the production of ``Jail Breakers'' and then divorced her by mutual agreement in July 2007, when ``Lost in Love'' was released. In an interview with Sports Chosun, Sul denied rumors about having had an extramarital affair ― or was pregnant ― out of wedlock with Song. ``We started dating at the end of 2007,'' the ``P

May 8, 2009

Director Hong Invited as Judge in Locarno Fest

By Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter South Korean director Hong Sang-soo has been invited to be a judge at the Locarno International Film Festival in Italy, festival organizers announced Thursday. The 62nd edition of the premier Italian film festival will open in Locarno, Switzerland, from August 5 to 15. The ``Night and Day'' director will judge films in the International Competition section alongside French screenwriter and filmmaker Pascal Bonitzer, noted German actress Nina Hoss and Catalan producer Luis Minarro. Meanwhile, Hong's latest short film ``Lost in the Mountains'' was featured as part of an omnibus digital project in the 10th Jeonju International Film Festival, ``the Locarno of Asia,'' which ends today. ``Like You Know It All,'' the latest feature by the minimal realist, starring top local stars Ko Hyun-joung and Kim Tae-woo, will be shown in the out-of-competition section of the Cannes Film Festival, from May 13 to 24. Last year, Korean newcomer Noh Young-seok received special mention at the festival with his feature debut ``Daytime Drinking.'' Locarno is recogn

May 7, 2009

Mister World Contest to Be Held in Seoul

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The Mister World 2009 Contest will be held in Seoul for three weeks from late August till the middle of September with the participation of contestants from more than 80 countries. The Hankook Ilbo-The Korea Times media group and the Miss World Organization (MWO) will co-host the biennial festival which will pick a ``James Bond-style'' Mr. World who represents creativity, leadership and tolerance, organizers announced Tuesday in London. The signing ceremony was held between Chang Jae-ku, the chairman of the Korean media group and MWO Chairwoman Julia Morley at the Dorchester Hotel in London The event stresses the contestants' volunteerism, leadership, cooperative spirit and other talents as the main criteria, a major departure from its original form where muscular beauty was the main priority. Morley said that if the previous image of Mister World was the cartoon character Popeye, now it was James Bond. The Mister World Contest has been held since 1996 biennially, with various sports such as a marathon, mountain biking and water sk

May 6, 2009

Lee Elected to Head ADB Alumni Club

By Kim Jae-kyoung Korea Times Correspondent BALI ― Former Trade Minister Lee Bong-suh was elected to head an association of former employees of the Asian Development Bank (AFE-ADB), the Ministry of Strategy and Finance said Monday. This is the first time that a non-Japanese citizen has become the head of the association, which consists of around 2,400 former ADB employees from 54 countries around the world. Lee worked for the ADB as vice president from 1993 to 1998. He will lead the multinational bank's alumni club for the next four years. His election came during the 23rd annual general meeting of the AFE-ADB held in Bali, Indonesia, on the sidelines of the 42nd annual meeting of the ADB. Lee served as a presidential secretary for economic affairs under the Chun Doo-hwan administration and a trade minister under the Roh Tae-woo administration. kjk@koreatimes.co.kr

May 4, 2009

Steering Committee Launched to Globalize Korean Food

By Na Jeong-ju Staff Reporter First Lady Kim Yoon-ok called for efforts Monday to promote traditional Korean food, or ``hansik,'' around the world, saying doing so will help upgrade the country's image abroad. ``The globalization of hansik will not only help expand hallyu (the Korean culture wave), but help enhance Korea's global reputation,'' Kim said in a ceremony in Seoul to launch the initiative steering committee. Kim will serve as the honorary chairwoman of the 36-member group, which will include Yoo In-chon, minister of culture, sports and tourism; Chang Tae-pyong, minister of food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries; and chief executives of food firms. Actor Bae Yong-joon, who runs a Korean restaurant in Tokyo, was also appointed a committee member. ``The panel will convene a meeting every six months to discuss how to make Korean food 'global food,''' the committee said in a press release. ``It will play a central role in creating necessary laws and coordinating government policies on globalizing Korean food.'' First Lady Kim, 62, is known to have a keen i

May 4, 2009

Chinas Transformation Offers Koreans Some Food for Thought

By Sunny Lee Korea Times Correspondent BEIJING ― Kim Hee-chul, a South Korean in Beijing, knows more about China than most Koreans. He was one of a handful who first came to China in 1992 when the two countries, then ideological adversaries, established diplomatic ties amid the post-Cold War thaw milieu. He has since stayed here, witnessing China's dynamic change. ``China has transformed colossally,'' said the soft-spoken Kim, who heads the Korean Community in China (KCC) ― an organization that represents some 800,000 South Korean residents in China ― the nation's largest expatriate community. Koreans in China are spread through all corners of the land. The eastern coastal city of Qingdao, where South Korean-run factories are concentrated, has China's largest Korean population with 150,000. Qingdao is followed by Beijing with 120,000, and Shanghai with 80,000, according to KCC. When the global financial crisis struck last fall, Koreans were among the hardest hit and some had to give up their businesses and return to Korea. But with signs of a recovery looming, Kim s

May 3, 2009

Sho Becomes PATA Life Member

By Kim Rahn Staff Reporter A Korean tourism expert has been honored by being made a lifetime member of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), an international organization for the Asia-Pacific tourism industry. Sho Jae-pil, editor and publisher of Travel Press, received the PATA Life Membership Award during the organization's 58th annual meeting held in Macau from April 17 to 21. The life membership is the association's highest honor, given to an individual who has devoted at least 15 years of exceptional voluntary service to PATA and to the industry. Sho is the second Korean to receive the membership, following former Korea Tourism Organization head Oh Jae-kyeong. ``It is an honor to become a PATA life member as a representative of the Korean tourism industry. I'm proud of Korea, which has become one of the major travel markets with 6.8 million inbound and 13 million outbound travelers,'' Sho said. Sho, the committee chair of PATA Travel Industry Council and a board member of the organization, has been actively working for the development of the tourism industry

May 1, 2009

Lee Jong-wook Elected Sogang University President

By Kang Shin-who Staff Reporter Sogang University has named history professor Lee Jong-wook, 63, as the 13th president of the university. He succeeds Sohn Byung-doo and will be the first Sogang alumnus to serve in the post. Lee will lead the Catholic university from June for a four-year term. A graduate of history, Lee also obtained his masters and PhD from the university. ``I will do all my best to make Sogang an internationally competitive university,'' Lee said. His inauguration ceremony will take place on June 29. kswho@koreatimes.co.kr

Apr 29, 2009

Singer Park Ji-yoon Returns With New Album

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Singer Park Ji-yoon is back with a new album, breaking out from her six-year hiatus and life as a photographer. The 27-year-old singer has been avoiding the spotlight in recent years, focusing on yet another profession as a photographer, but she finally appeared in front of the press at a showcase Tuesday in southern Seoul. ``The new album `Flower, Once Again,' is like my first one. It's meaningful because unlike the past, when I wore clothes and sang songs chosen by others, I was able to express my own feelings through the lyrics and melodies,'' she said. First debuting in 1994, Park became popular with her sweet image, delicate voice and catchy dance and ballad numbers such as ``Steal Away'' and ``I'm a Man.'' This time, her songs are more acoustic and simple, stretching to the contemporary music style of Europe. When asked if this meant she was saying good-bye to her signature dance numbers, Park said no. ``The dance singer Park was me, and this is also me,'' she said. Debuting at the age of 15 must have been a burden, a