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Koreans Love to Criticize Themselves

By Sunny Lee Korea Times Correspondent BEIJING ― One year ago, Beijing-based Al Jazeera reporter Melissa Chan had to pack her belongings at two hours notice, and fly to Seoul to interview the family members of the Korean hostages who had been kidnapped by the Taliban. Once in Korea, Chan became confused when she realized that she herself became the intense interest of the Korean media. Also, what she had originally thought a three-day assignment in Korea ended up extending into a month-long stay. As Koreans reflect on the Afghan hostage crisis that happened one year go, Chan has also offered her own perspective to The Korea Times on her experience of covering the news in Seoul. Korea Times: What was it like to be in Korea as an Al Jazeera reporter? Chan: To be perfectly honest, I was confused. We showed up, and very quickly, quite a large number of Korean media was following us everywhere. I was also surprised that within the 24 hours of our arrival, we were able to secure interviews with two family members who had had their children held hostages in Afghanistan. I sho

Aug 5, 2008

Philosopher Tim Scanlon Touches on Beef Protest, Dokdo

By Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter The World Congress of Philosophy ― or what many call ``the Olympics'' of philosophy ― ended Tuesday after a week-long run. The event's 22nd edition, held for the first time outside of Europe and North America, attracted some 2,600 thinkers including renowned Harvard professor Tim Scanlon. The congress was an opportunity for both veteran and the rising generation of philosophers from all over the world to congregate, and be inspired by the non-Western backdrop. ``I'll be going home with more to think about,'' the 68-year-old Indianapolis native told The Korea Times. ``I was really struck by this sense of common history, which seems to be an important element in holding Korean society together.'' Scanlon's belief comes despite experiencing firsthand a candlelit vigil opposing American beef imports and bringing to light a clash between liberals and conservatives. As a ``zealot'' supporting freedom of speech, he said he wasn't bothered by the ``peaceful demonstration.'' But if rioters start attacking police, then it is not freedom of speech, he

Aug 5, 2008

Saju Expert Sheds Light on Life

Shin Hopes Korean Saju Will Become Popular Around the World By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Fortunetelling is booming throughout Seoul. Walk around the downtown area and you'll find many fortune tellers who claim to read your future using tarot cards or analyzing your palm. Korea has its own fortunetelling tradition called saju, or four pillars. Saju is a study of life by looking at one's four pillars: month, day, year and time of birth. It is based on Chinese astrology. Unlike Chinese fortune telling which is famous around the world, saju is hardly known outside Korea. Janet Shin, a saju expert, says that while Korean and Chinese saju are similar, she wants to make Korean saju more widely known and appreciated around the world. ``Chinese and Korean fortune telling are both based on Chinese astrology, so there's not much difference. The Chinese four pillars are a little more orthodox than Korean saju. Korean saju may be more real and practical. But the Chinese four pillars are well known because there are many scholars who have published books in English,

Aug 5, 2008

UAE Princess Will Compete in Taekwondo at Beijing Olympics

By Kim Se-jeong Staff Reporter Sheikha Maitha Mohammad Rashid Al Maktoum, 29, looks like a model at nearly 178 centimeters tall, long black hair and a distinctive look. In fact she is a daughter of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). But in August, she will spend most of her time in a white, UAE-flag stitched uniform of taekwondo, the traditional Korean martial arts, competing with world-class athletes in the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing in the women's under 67kg category. With the opening of the Olympics a few days away, Maktoum is stepping up her final training effort in Korea. The princess said final training in the birthplace of taekwondo is very significant. ``It's a good chance to practice and to gain experience,'' she said at a press conference in Seoul, Monday. ``It was always my dream to represent my country. I will fight at the best of my ability for my country,'' Maktoum said. She will vie in the Olympics as a wildcard contestant, an opportunity given to less qualified athlet

Aug 5, 2008

Pop Icon Returns With New Genre

By Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter Korean unparalleled pop icon Seo Taiji has finally reappeared, with a much-anticipated album release and an unexpected concert. His comeback comes four and half years after his seventh album. But his long hiatus seems to have heightened fan's anticipation with the first 100,000 copies of his new single sold out in reservations alone. His ``guerilla concert,'' a self-promoted free concert held Friday without any prior notice, attracted more than 4,000 fans and ended in 15 minutes because of safety concerns. ``I spent about three months doing nothing. After that, I spent time making some demos and thinking about new music for about two years abroad while taking some leisure time. And then, I came back to Korea to finish the work … This new album took much more time than the previous albums,'' Seo, 36, said in an interview with the Yonhap News Agency. Many critics and media said Seo's eighth album was more mainstream and short on the musical experimentation characteristic of Seo. But the singer stressed that he experimented a lot on

Aug 4, 2008

Jo Sumi Invited to Beijing Concert

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Jo Sumi, South Korea's most famous soprano, will be performing at the ``Divas in Beijing'' concert series which will be held during the first week of the Olympic games in Beijing. Jo will perform alongside fellow superstar sopranos Angela Gheorghiu and Renee Fleming. According to China's Xinhua Daily and the official Olympic newsletter, Jo received an official invitation to perform at the Divas in Beijing concert series. The concert is part of the ``Meet in Beijing 2008 Olympic Arts Festival.'' Jo is scheduled to perform with the China National Opera Orchestra Aug. 11 at the prestigious National Center for the Performing Arts. One of today's most sought-after coloratura sopranos, Jo will perform selections from Gounod's ``Romeo and Juliet,'' Rossini's ``Barber of Seville'' and several Korean songs at the concert. Jo was quoted by China Daily as saying, ``I love the idea of combining the talents from the world's different regions and I am proud to be singing at such a historic event in Asia, my home region.'' The Divas in B

Aug 4, 2008

American Thinker Discusses Meaning of Ethical Questions

By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Seoul National University (SNU) is heating up with thinkers and philosophers from all over the world gathered for the 22nd World Congress of Philosophy (WCP). This is the first time an Asian nation has hosted the event, with approximately 3,000 participants getting together to share academic achievements and insights in philosophy. Among those attending is Allan Gibbard, 66, who shared some of his views and ideas on the future of philosophy at the event. ``My aim is to get the best analysis in important philosophical problems and learn from the ways other people are tackling problems and arguing their positions,'' he told The Korea Times during an interview at the venue. Gibbard is an expert in contemporary ethical theory, particularly metaethics, which tackles the meaning of fundamental ethical questions. A professor in the department of philosophy at the University of Michigan, he stressed that ethical questions are just as important as the answers. ``We all ask whether the things we might do may be wrong or morally right. But when we try

Aug 1, 2008

Novelist Lee Cheong-jun Dies

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Korean master novelist Lee Cheong-jun, known for ``Sopyonje'' and ``Dangsindeului Cheonkuk'' (당신들의 천국) (Your Heaven),'' died Thursday, after losing his battle with lung cancer. He was 68 years old. Yonhap News reported Lee had been undergoing chemotherapy for lung cancer last year. His illness worsened, and he was transferred to the Samsung Medical Center in Ilwon, southern Seoul for further treatment. Lee was born August 1939 in Jangheung, South Jeolla Province. In 1965, his short story ``Toewon'' (퇴원) won the Sasanggye New Writer Prize. Two years later, he won a Dongin Literature Award for ``Stupid and Fool'' (Byeongsingwa Meojeori) (병신과 머저리). Throughout his four decade-long career, Lee wrote more than 100 short stories, 13 novels. Lee's work has influenced a generation of Korean writers and helped improve the overall quality of Korean literature. He has won some of Korean literature's top awards, including the Yi Sang Literature Award, Republic of Korea Literature Award, Hankook Ilbo's Creative Literature award, and rece

Jul 31, 2008

Kim Wants to Make Documentary About Korean Emigration to Russia

By Kim Se-jeong Staff Reporter Marina Kim, 25, a Korean-Russian news anchor at one of the most viewed Russian TV stations, has a dream: Making a documentary on the history of Korean immigration to Russia. And the desire for making her dream come true is gets stronger each time she visits what she feels is her `connected' land.'' Kim came to Korea for the second time at the invitation of the Overseas Koreans Foundation to the 2008 Future Leaders' Conference that began on Tuesday at the Grand Hilton Hotel in Seoul. She is a third-generation Korean in her family born of a Korean father and a Russian mother. Her grandparents were Korean immigrants to Russia. In light of her first trip five years ago, she said it was very emotional ``Both my father and I came to Korea for the first time,'' Kim said in an interview with The Korea Times Wednesday. She said they were impressed by economic development that their mother country has made. ``I thought Seoul looked like how Moscow will appear in 50 years time.'' Her second trip gave her an in-depth understanding of

Jul 31, 2008

Nun-Poet Fighting Cancer

By Karen Song Korea Times Intern Korea's beloved poet and nun Lee Hae-in, 63, is battling cancer, Yonhap news said. On July 24, Lee wrote about her fight against cancer on fan cafe ``dandelion's turf'' after receiving surgery and treatment at a hospital in Seoul. She apologized for worrying her fans. ``Although this is not the last goodbye before I leave this world, since I would have to solely concentrate on my disease for the moment (or maybe longer), please forgive me for only being able to meet through letters,'' she said, and added ``live every moment to the fullest'' quoting ``the time you wasted today was the day the dead of yesterday wanted to live.'' On July 28, she posted a letter in her own handwriting titled ``dear loving 'dandelion's turf' families'' to express her sincere thankfulness for the concerns her fans have shown. Lee expressed her will to fight the disease by saying ``with gratitude for the attention and prayers of love, I would like to say goodbye for a moment. Parting is the starting point of prayer; parting is the start of meeting… There mu

Jul 30, 2008
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