Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Linguistics Scholar Seeks to Globalize Korean Alphabet

By Michael Ha Staff Reporter A group of Korean linguistics scholars are making a concerted effort to help globalize the Korean alphabet. ``We've found that there is a great deal of interest in learning about the Korean writing system," said Chun Tai-hyun, professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and vice president of the academic group, the Hunminjeonguem Society. Seoul National University (SNU) Professor Kim Ju-won serves as president of the group. Professor Chun explained, ``For instance, when we visited Bau-bau, a city in Buton Island, Indonesia, we realized that the indigenous communities in the region ― communities without their own writing system ― were very receptive to learning the Korean alphabet." He noted the Korean alphabet could easily be used in conjunction with the local spoken language and that it can actually be used to help preserve and record the indigenous culture and language. ``In Indonesia, ethnic minority communities are losing their own spoken languages. We realized that the Korean alphabet could actually help preserve these endange

Oct 15, 2008

Food Expert Publishes Book of Traditional Recipes

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Yoon Sook-ja, director of the Institute of Traditional Korean Food has released ``The Beauty of Korean Food: With 300 Best/Loved Recipes,'' which introduces easy-to-follow instructions for Korean dishes. ``The recipes of Korean food have been passed down to us through word of mouth, like using measurements such as `some more' or `a little of.' Housewives who are good at cooking can follow these rather ambiguous instructions, but for others, it's very difficult. There are many books that carry the measurements of main ingredients, but not specific ones like the size of the pots and pans and the power of the flame,'' Yoon told The Korea Times during a phone interview. The book includes dishes that have already been introduced in a similar book of 100 recipes published last year with the collaboration of the institute, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. As Korean food tends to be difficult to make due to the lack of documental material, the book will offer the SI Measureme

Oct 15, 2008

Kim Wins Best Director Award in Spanish Film Fest

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter Kim Jee-woon, director of Korean blockbuster film ``The Good, The Bad, The Weird,'' was awarded Best Director at the 41st Sitges International Film Festival in Catalonia, Spain, which closed on Oct. 12. Kim's film also won the award for Best Special Effects. The ``oriental Western'' featuring exciting horseback races and train rides, is a revisionist western set in 1930s Manchuria, starring top actors Lee Byung-hun, Song Kang-ho and Jung Woo-sung. Another Korean movie, ``The Chaser'' directed by Na Hong-jin grabbed the Orient Express Award, or best Asian production motion picture. The Korean thriller is a suspenseful story of a serial murder starring actors Ha Jung-woo and Kim Yun-seok. The film festival's Best Motion Picture went to ``Surveillance'' by Jennifer Lynch, daughter of David Lynch. The film festival, created in 1968, is one of the major fantasy film festivals in the world. Last year, Korean actress Lee Young-ae starring in ``Lady Vengeance'' directed by Park Chan-wook won the award for Best Actress in 2005 and ``The

Oct 13, 2008

Song Hye-kyo to Become Producer in New Drama

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Actress Song Hye-kyo will return to the small screen as an up and coming producer in KBS' new drama ``Worlds Within'' produced by Pyo Min0su and written by Noh Hee-kyeong. ``When I finished filming `Full House' with producer Pyo four years ago, we promised to work together with writer Noh. I was their fan and so I had no reason to say no,'' Song said during an interview with Yonhap News Agency. ``Worlds Within'' depicts the story of producers who work in a broadcast company. Her costar Hyun Bin will also appear as a fellow producer. The drama brings the two actors together as fellow students, colleagues and eventually, lovers. ``I liked that it wasn't a Cinderella story many people dream about. It's different from previous melodramas. Scenes that may really happen in our daily lives happen in the drama,'' she said. After appearing in the hit drama ``Full House'' with singer/actor Rain in 2004, she mainly worked on the big screen, appearing in two movies. She has also been active in commercial ads, both here and abroad. Her popularity

Oct 12, 2008

Gov’t Hosts Mass Wedding for Multi-Racial Couples

By Park Si-soo Staff Reporter On Saturday morning when the sky was a bright crystal blue and bright sunshine warmed up the ground, the Olympic Park in southern Seoul saw 200 brides and grooms in neat black tuxedos and white wedding dresses. Half of them were different in appearance from locals and spoke Korean a little haltingly, but their shy smiles were no different from other Korean couples on the verge of walking down the aisle. The Ministry of Justice hosted the joint wedding at the park's 88 Lawn Field for 100 Korean-foreigner couples, whose wedding ceremonies had been delayed due to financial hardship. This is the first event of this kind hosted by the government. The event, dubbed ``Together Festival,'' was to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Korean government as well as to show the Korean government is ready to embrace a multiracial family. ``I, together with the Korean public, offer my sincerest congratulations on your wedding,'' said Prima Minister and wedding officiator Han Seung-soo. ``You are an important constituency of Korea, and also member

Oct 12, 2008

Peace Corps Volunteers Make Homecoming Trip

By Kim Se-jeong Staff Reporter Charles Goldberg, 64, feels at home in Korea, where he once lived for three years in the 1960s, and remembers nearly everything of his time here, including the Korean language. A homecoming trip, organized for Peace Corps volunteers by the Korean government, was a great opportunity for him to express his love for Korea, his second home; and to showoff his well-polished Korean, which actually astonished many Korean native speakers who heard him speak. About 40 volunteers and 20 family members participated in the trip. During an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, Monday, Goldberg, one of the first Peace Corps volunteers dispatched to Korea, dug deep down into his well-kept memories of Korea. He came to Korea as a volunteer in 1966. At a time when a tall, big guy with different looks was scarce in villages like Gongju in South Chungcheong Province, his presence was the talk of the town and he became a subject of curiosity, he recalled. ``They looked at me like a big bug,'' he said in Korean. The 22-year-old taught English at G

Oct 7, 2008

Song Hye-kyo Unveils US Indie Film in Busan

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Hallyu star Song Hye-kyo unveiled her new movie ``Make Yourself at Home,'' at the 13th Pusan (Busan) International Film Festival over the weekend. Song, one of the best known Korean actresses in Asia, surprised many when she chose to work on an independent film by first-time Korean-American director Sohn Soo-pum. ``The film is not necessarily a Hollywood debut for me, rather it is an independent American movie," Song said, Sunday in Busan. ``I was very comfortable acting because I was working with people who loved movies.'' A joint U.S.-Korea production, ``Make Yourself at Home'' is described as a psychological thriller about a woman shaman Sook-hee, who chooses to live an ordinary life in the United States. She marries a Korean-American named Peter, played by Arno Frisch. Song's character in the film is something of a femme fatale, a role that is new to the actress who has played mostly sweet, innocent characters in popular Korean dramas like ``Full House'' and ``All In.'' ``The role was a challenge because it is a char

Oct 6, 2008

Singer Kimera Back Home After 20 Years

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Popera singer Kimera, 54, has been appointed as the goodwill ambassador of the 2008 Korean Festival, organized by the Overseas Koreans Foundation, to uphold the spirit of Koreans living worldwide. Famous for her flashy eye makeup and costumes, the singer appeared at the press conference Friday, dressed in an ivory suit, complete with a matching hat. It is the singer's first visit to her homeland in almost 20 years. ``I'm not very good at talking to the press or doing interviews,'' she said laughing. She continued by saying that she was always proud of being Korean and there was no moment in her life that she wanted to change her nationality. ``When I was offered the position as ambassador, I asked myself, `was I too ignorant of my homeland?' I realized I haven't done much for my country and now I will change that by singing and performing,'' she said. Kimera is known to be the one of the first singers to have come up with the new music style ``popera,'' which infuses the elements of pop music with opera. Having a voice range of fou

Oct 3, 2008

Grass Is Not Always Greener for TV Celebs

By Bae Ji-sook Staff Reporter The suspected suicide of top actress Choi Jin-sil has driven the nation into shock. Behind her ever-cheerful image and smile lies the dark side of a star who captured the hearts of Koreans for two decades. Choi was the fifth icon of the entertainment industry to commit suicide since 2007. Singer Yuni, TV actress Jeong Da-bin, actor Yeo Jae-gu and Ahn Jae-hwan also killed themselves. Their deaths highlight the darker side of the show biz world. Dr. Hong Jin-pyo of Asan Medical Center assumed that there must have been multiple factors in Choi's suicide. ``She may have been physically exhausted, couldn't stand the rumors that she had joined hands with loan sharks to get back a loan from Ahn Jae-hwan, who had committed suicide.'' In fact, many of Choi's friends said she had been haunted by such rumors for a long time and was under pressure. A singer, who identified herself as a suicide attempter, recently appeared on a TV program and said most of her coworkers suffer from anxiety and loneliness. ``You are always under the watchful public ey

Oct 2, 2008

From Ad Star to Celeb-Mom

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The late actress Choi Jin-sil, 40, was a quintessential star whose girl-next-door image had once elevated her to Korean sweetheart status. Born Dec. 24, 1968, she came into the spotlight in the late 1980s. She got her television break in 1988 by appearing in the drama ``The Joseon Kingdom; 500 Years.'' With her famed image, Choi also reigned as the ``queen of commercials'' through most of the 1980s. The famous quip in an ad ― delivered with a trademark smile ― ``Men, they all depend on how women fashion them'' is remembered as one of the most famous moments in the actress's career. Her major break came with the television drama ``Jealousy'' (1992), in which she starred with fellow actor Choi Su-jong. They are still considered one of the most memorable screen couples in Korean drama history. ``Jealousy'' provided a platform for her career, guiding her on her way to becoming one of Korea's sweethearts; or the top Korean sweetheart. She went on to pursue her acting career by working in dramas and finally took the next step into movies.