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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Kicking away mundane jobs and cooking up a new life

Chef Laurent Dallet and patissiere Lee Hyun-hee pose after an interview at Monsant de Aewol in Jeju. / Korea Times photo by Yun Suh-youngEngineer, bank clerk become chef, patissiereBy Yun Suh-youngJEJU _ Living a life without passion is equivalent to living a life like the walking dead.For some, keeping a job that they're not passionate about is no problem as long as it's stable and steady. For others, it's a pain that needs to be endured. While those who find it suitable to live a mundane life keep it as it is, those who don't find it enough follow their passion and take a bold turn.Laurent Dallet and Lee Hyun-hee are of the latter."I had a comfortable job. The pay was good, conditions were good too. But there was not a lot of satisfaction," said Dallet, an engineer-turned-chef who cooks for the French Embassy in Seoul and simultaneously runs his own restaurant Le Chef Bleu next to it in Chungjeongno.Dallet was an engineer who worked for French telecom company Bouygues for 10 years and was with Renault Europa before that. After working 15 years in this profession, he decided he&rsqu

Jun 4, 2017
Kicking away mundane jobs and cooking up a new life

'Diversity is the Philippines' charm'

Benito Bengzon, undersecretary of the Philippines’ Department of Tourism, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the 32nd Korea World Travel Fair at the COEX in southern Seoul, Friday. / Courtesy of Route & Global ComBy Kim Bo-eun Southeast Asia is a popular vacation destination for Koreans, due to its proximity and relatively low cost.The Philippines is one of the favored choices _ 1.4 million Koreans visited the country last year, accounting for 25 percent of all tourists to the island state.What differentiates the Philippines from other neighboring countries is the diversity it has to offer, according to Benito Bengzon, undersecretary of the Philippines’ Department of Tourism.“The country consists of thousands of islands _ so for a resort experience you can go to Boracay; if you like mountains, Davao; and to see its colonial heritage and Spanish houses, Iloilo,” Bengzon said in an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, Friday.He was here as head of the Philippines’ delegation to the 32nd Korea World Travel Fair (KOFTA) held Thur

Jun 4, 2017
'Diversity is the Philippines' charm'

Hotel Lobby

The Conrad Seoul is offering two bingsu desserts at 37 Grill and Bar, featuring mango and grapefruit. The desserts will be served in bowls that will showcase three layers of milk-brewed Earl Grey tea, soft creamy ice flakes and fresh fruit of mango or grapefruit pieces on top.The desserts will also be served with special dry-ice plating that creates a cloud-like mirage. They will be available until Sept. 10. Mango bingsu costs 42,000 won while grapefruit 38,000 won, including tax. For more information and reservations, call (02) 6137-7110. The Sheraton Grand Incheon Hotel is offering three types of bingsu, a summer dessert, until Sept. 10 at the lobby lounge ConneXions.The signature red bean bingsu features local red beans and injeolmi, a type of rice cake. Persimmon bingsu features vanilla ice cream and sweet ripe persimmon on top and berry bingsu features blueberries, raspberries and strawberry ice cream. Red bean bingsu costs 20,000 won, while the other two cost 23,000 won each, including tax. For more information and reservations call (032) 835-1712. The Imperial Palace

Jun 1, 2017
Hotel Lobby

At Mount Sobaek, nature, trails, friends give real sense of hiking

 Mount Sobaek is one of Korea’s 22 national parks, with its 1.439-meter-high peak, Birobong. /Courtesy of Jung Du-youngBy Kim Se-jeongVijay Kumar and his wife Ashwija Balu are regulars on Climbing in Korea hiking trips. The couple brought their eight-month-old daughter Kayal along./Courtesy of Ashwija BaluIn Korea, hiking is almost everyone’s hobby. During weekends, people dress in colorful outdoor clothes, bring their gear and set out for a mountain.I am no exception. I have invited my friends and family on short hikes in and near Seoul, during which I exhausted myself and sweated profusely. It is usually a big social event with food and drink and makes me feel closer to my friends and family ― and it gives me the best sleep that night.My recent hike to the 1,439-meter-high Mount Sobaek outside Seoul was quite different. It was much more challenging, way more than I expected, and I was surrounded by people I didn’t know, but in the end we got to know each other and felt bonded through the challenging hike. Mount Sobaek isn’t an easy hike, especially

Jun 1, 2017
At Mount Sobaek, nature, trails, friends give real sense of hiking

Korean cuisine spreads to Singapore

Chef Ki Soon-do, center, presents her family recipe for ‘jang,’ a traditional Korean fermented sauce, at a culture event in Singapore, Friday. To her left are Korean restaurant owner Vivian Han and East Asia Cultural Project Chairman Kim Sang-woo. / Courtesy of East Asia Cultural ProjectBy You Soo-sunKorean cuisine was introduced at a cultural event held in Singapore, Wednesday through Friday. The Singaporean government hosted the event, “Essence of Korean Cuisine Culture,” as a way of exploring the traditions of Korean cuisine and its future in the Singaporean market.The event was a collaborative effort by South Jeolla Province and Daesang Chungjungwon, Korea’s 60-year-old food brand that has been expanding in the overseas market. Madam Ki Soon-do, famous for her Korean-style soy sauce, and Vivian Hahn, owner of modern Korean restaurant Congdu, were major contributors at the event.South Jeolla Province, widely recognized for having Korea’s best cuisine, introduced its organic dishes, made with ingredients straight from the region’s soil, sea

May 31, 2017
Korean cuisine spreads to Singapore

Hotel line

Fraser Place Namdaemun Seoul is offering an outdoor BBQ promotion at the 16th floor’s Panorama Lounge and Bar rooftop terrace.The menu includes beef sirloin, tenderloin, lamb chops, chicken, sausage, grilled vegetables, salmon, king prawn, squid, abalone and scallops. The promotion costs 39,000 won per person, including tax. With an additional 10,000 won, guests can have unlimited house wine and locally brewed beer. For more information and reservations, call (02) 2098-0740.Fraser Place Central Seoul is also offering a pet-friendly package. The package includes a one-night stay in a hotel room, plus gifts including a bag of organic dog food, two sample nutritional powder and three training pads, and a discount coupon for Pet Paradise, a Japanese pet-clothing designer store. The hotel also offers an elevated dog diner made of stainless steel and dog waste bags and rent dog tags.The package doesn’t include breakfast or other amenities. The package starts from 179,000 won, excluding tax and service fees. For more information and reservations, call (02) 2220-8000.  

May 26, 2017
Hotel line

Eco-Learning Institute connects non-hikers to nature

Mongtan Middle School students participate in a rock-climbing session at the Bukhansan Eco-Learning Institute in Seoul on May 10. /Korea Times Photo by Kim Se-jeong By Kim Se-jeong On May 10, students from Mongtan Middle School in Muan, South Jeolla Province, spent a day at the foot of Mount Bukhan in northeastern Seoul, making wooden nest boxes for wild birds.Divided into groups of five or six, they nailed pieces of wood together into boxes at the Bukhansan Eco-Learning Institute and attached the boxes to trees out in the woods.“I didn’t expect making the box to be so fun,” Kim Lee-sol, 14, said. “I feel great to be able to make a nesting place for birds.”After making boxes, Kim and her classmates rock climbed and learned Tyrolean traverse, a mountaineering activity, at the institute’s compound.Even though Korea is known for its casual weekend hikers, the Bukhansan Eco-Learning Institute offers opportunities and activities that non-hikers can enjoy.Public outreach is an important work of the institute for young and old. “One of our

May 25, 2017
Eco-Learning Institute connects non-hikers to nature

Stone, wind, and food

A view of the ocean from the cafe Monsant de Aewol in Aewol, northern Jeju  / Korea Times photo by Yun Suh-young Jeju Food and Wine Festival brings island's food to surface By Yun Suh-youngJEJU — The country’s southern island of Jeju is popularly known as “Samdado,” translated as “an island abundant with three things” — stone, wind and women.It may have been true back in the day, but the latter isn’t quite accurate as recent statistics reveal the number of men has exceeded that of women in Jeju since 2015. According to a Statistics Korea report released in April, there were 324,435 men (excluding foreigners) as of March compared with 320,489 women.While the statement about women no longer applies, something else is becoming abundant — gourmet food.Jeju had long been popular for its seafood and black pork, but it wasn’t exactly a fine dining destination. Most of its restaurants provided casual dining for locals, stop-and-go style, or for groups and families.But the quality of food available on Jeju has reached

May 25, 2017
Stone, wind, and food

Sustainability is keyword for JFWF going forward

Chef Laurent Dallet, second from left, patissier Lee Hyun-hee, second from right, and their culinary teams demonstrate how to cook the creative dishes they prepared for the JFWF during the Grand Kitchen with Masters, a program for students, at Halla University on Jeju Island, May 18.  / Courtesy of JFWFFestival may rotate locations starting next yearBy Yun Suh-youngThe Jeju Food and Wine Festival (JFWF), which was held for the second time this year, is an offspring of the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival (HFWF) that is entering its seventh year.The JFWF was inspired by the Hawaiian festival, adopting and emulating the same format -- inviting overseas chefs to cook with local ingredients. It also donates its proceeds (from ticket sales) to Halla University and several culinary institutes, the way HFWF donates its profits for the development of the culinary arts in Hawaii. The two islands have been sister islands since 1986 and last year celebrated the 30th anniversary of their sisterhood.The JFWF plans to continue with the same format -- fostering culinary talent, promoting Jeju's f

May 25, 2017
Sustainability is keyword for JFWF going forward

Koreans consume 377 cups of coffee on average in 2016: report

South Koreans drank a total of 377 cups of coffee per person on average last year, mirroring brisk growth of the sprawling market fueled by a flurry of various franchises, a government report showed Wednesday.The average coffee consumption, based on South Koreans aged over 20, has grown at an annual rate of 7 percent since 2012, according to the report by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. The size of the domestic coffee market reached 6.4 trillion won ($5.68 billion) as of end-2016, up 30.6 percent from 4.9 trillion won tallied in 2014, the report said. Of the figure, coffee franchises accounted for 62.5 percent last year, up from 53.8 percent two years earlier, reflecting that the coffee brands have led the market growth. Big coffee chains, such as Starbucks and Paul Bassett Korea that attract customers with high-quality brewed drinks and a wide range of choices, have spurred smaller businesses on to launch their own brands, the report said. The outbound shipments of coffee products, which include ready-to-drink c

May 24, 2017
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