Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Lunchboxes slammed for sexist names

Korean convenience store chain CU launched new precooked lunchbox products “Girlfriend-made lunchbox” and “Mom-made lunchbox” on Mar. 14, which aroused concerns on gender issue regarding their names online. / Courtesy of BGF RetailBy Eom Da-solNetizens have condemned new precooked lunchbox products at Korean convenience store chain CU for names that suggest gender inequality.CU launched “Girlfriend-made lunchbox” and “Mom-made lunchbox” on Mar. 14.But critics say the names reflect the traditional view  that “only women should cook.”The products contain cooked rice and various side menus that are popular with men.In the “Girlfriend-made lunchbox,” heart-shaped fried ham sits atop a bed of rice.Feedback on the products has not been friendly, with people castigating the gender-biased names on Facebook and Twitter.A Twitter user said, “Women are not the only ones who can cook, and not obliged to make meal-boxes for their boyfriends, husbands, or sons.”Another said, “Why is the famous conve

Mar 17, 2017

Where does the hate come from?

A solitary cell at the Seodaemun Prison History Hall in Seoul / Korea Times photos by Jung Min-hoPrison museum traces Koreans who suffered under Japanese ruleBy Jung Min-hoThe issue of sex slaves has long been a source of animosity between Korea and Japan, but it is certainly not the only one.For 35 years of Japanese occupation (1910-45), many Koreans were senselessly tortured and killed. Seodaemun Prison History Hall in western Seoul provides a vivid image of this painful past.There, visitors can see horrendous torture devices that Korean independence fighters had to endure ― in many cases ― to the death. For those who survived, this is a living memory they can never forget.With their photos, video testimonies and background information of how they ended up in the infamous prison, their stories are very personal.For those who want to understand more about the animosity between the two nations from the victim’s perspective, this is the place to go.The Japanese government built the prison in 1908 as part of a larger system to hold Korean independence activists from across t

Mar 16, 2017

Recalling 'manse' rallies that took place within Seodaemun Prison's walls

Things to do - and not to do - in Paris

A peaceful garden in the morning at Versailles / Korea Times photos by Jung Min-hoBy Jung Min-hoPARIS ― Paris is one of the world’s top travel destinations for good reason. From remarkable museums to excellent cuisine, the City of Light must be experienced at least once in a lifetime.But some things should be avoided to make the best of your experience there. Here is what to do and not do as a tourist.Try random restaurantsToday we live in a world full of restaurant reviews. But don’t be obsessed with them in Paris. There are many restaurants relatively unknown but surprisingly awesome.This is not one of those games that you can play in any city. But in Paris, a failure does not mean the food is awful and your money is wasted. In most cases, the food is still good and lesser-known gems are not difficult to find.One of the gems I encountered was Abri, a place where customers can have a meal worth hundreds of euros for less than 30. A dessert that tastes like heaven at AbriExcept for ramen placesHave you ever tried ramen in Japan? Whatever your answer is, avoid ea

Mar 9, 2017

'Sundae revived my life'

Korean sausage restaurant CEO releases book on her journeyBy Yun Suh-youngYook Kyung-hee, CEO of Heestory Food and owner of SundaesilrokOn Monday evening, a restaurant in a corner of Daehakno, the college district of Seoul, was packed with guests, who were not there to buy food but to congratulate Yook Kyung-hee, CEO of Heestory Food and owner of Sundaesilrok, of her recent publication.Yook published a book, "Sundaesilrok," which means “Record of Sundae” (Korean sausage), late February to record her 42-month journey to explore sundae nationwide and worldwide."Why such a fuss with the publication of a book?" one might ask, but it was proof of how well Yook maintains her relationships. So many people wanted to congratulate her, not just because of the book but because they were really happy for her.Yook was a CEO who had gone through many hardships with her previous restaurants but who is now a successful CEO running nine different restaurants. She began her career as a restaurateur with a Korean food restaurant called "Namdo Story" but experienced many failures along the w

Mar 7, 2017

Gyeongbok Palace to resume night tours

This year's night tours at Gyeongbok Palace, one of the royal palaces in Seoul, will begin late this month, the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said Thursday.The CHA first presented the "Gyeongbok Palace Starlight Tour" program on a trial basis in September and it gained huge popularity for offering stunning rare night views.The CHA said the spring seasonal program set to run from March 20 to April 14 will include a modern reinterpretation of a 12-plate royal dinner and the night viewing of Mount Inwang on the Gyeonghoeru pavillion.Gyeonghoeru is the most beautiful space in the palace and was used for royal banquets for foreign envoys during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).The guided tour starts with the supper offered alongside a traditional Korean music performance. Led by a tour guide in traditional costume, visitors will explore "Jipgyeongdang" and "Hamhwadang," the queen's two royal chambers.The tour includes a stop by "Hwangwonjeong," a two-tier hexagonal pavilion built on the islet in the royal pond, and "Jibokjae," King Gojong's library also used as a meeting for foreig

Mar 2, 2017

Food Talk The beer story untold

An employee at the Amazing Brewing Company pours beer from one of the brewpub’s 59 taps. The brewpub boasts the largest number of taps in the country. / Korea Times photos by Yun Suh-young By Yun Suh-youngThere had been a huge debate about the taste of Korean beers a couple of years back, sparked by a British journalist residing in Korea who wrote a column about how bad South Korean beer tasted and that he'd rather drink a North Korean one over it. Many agreed saying South Korean beers didn't really have any "taste" and some even denounced that they tasted like urine, while others were infuriated by the comment and offended by a foreigner taking a lash at local beers.Interestingly, that journalist ended up opening his own craft beer pub (and is no longer a journalist) which has become quite popular. Whether inspired by the beer brouhaha or not, it was around this time in 2012, when the beer column was published, that the local craft beer scenery began to wriggle. Craft beer breweries began to multiply around 2010 but it wasn't until a few years later that craft beers

Mar 2, 2017

hotel briefs

 Sheraton D Cube City Hotel’s renovated Fit Café, which used to be exclusive to fitness members, is now open to all hotel guests.At the café, located on the 28th floor, guests can enjoy a unique atmosphere and a breathtaking panoramic view of the city. The café offers affordable beverages starting at 5,000 won for a cup of coffee and refreshments, along with two hours of complimentary high-speed internet. An all-day pass costs 15,000 won, and a monthly pass costs 170,000 won. Guests can also order from the a la carte menu, which features sandwiches, pastas, salads and desserts. The café is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. For more information, call (02) 2211-1680. Conrad Seoul’s buffet restaurant, Zest, is featuring greens in March in its menu, including crown daisies, wild chives, edible fatsia shoots and wild rocambole.At the restaurant’s Korean station, guests will find grilled fish with deodeok, a root vegetable, seasoned with red chili paste, as well as soybean paste soup with clams and wild rocambole and bibimbap wit

Mar 1, 2017

Experience spring at hotels in Seoul and Incheon

Sheraton Grand Incheon Hotel’s “Cherry Blossom and Songdo Package” will include a night’s stay in a Deluxe City View Room and a Japanese sushi bento and seafood nabe for two./ YonhapBy Kim Se-jeongAs spring nears, hotels in Seoul and other metropolitan areas are offering packages to help guests enjoy the warmth of the season.Sheraton Grand Incheon HotelSheraton Grand Incheon Hotel’s “Cherry Blossom and Songdo Package” will includekage will include a night’s stay in a Deluxe City View Room, a Japanese sushi bento and seafood nabe for two, brochures for the Lonely Planet Incheon tour and the tour of Goblin, a famous soap opera shot in Songdo. The package also includes access to the fitness center and indoor swimming pool. The hotel’s proximity to a main cherry blossom area in Songdo will further enrich the guests’ stay.The package, available from March 8 till April 20, costs 214,000 won, excluding tax and service fees. For more information and reservations, call (032) 835-1004 or visit www.sheratongrandincheon.com. Grand

Mar 1, 2017

Experience spring at hotels in Seoul and Incheon

Food Talk Experts advise on how to select good wine

By Yun Suh-young Guests taste award winning wines at the 2017 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards Thursday at The Westin Chosun Seoul. Courtesy of Korea Wine & Spirits AwardsThe 2017 Korea Wine & Spirits Awards were held Thursday, presenting awards to 85 brands of wine available in Korea, including the seven "Best of the Best.” They were Caliterra Tributo Chardonnay, Badia di Morrona I Sodi del Paretaio, Quinta do Valdoeiro White, The Grape Grinder Pinotage, Champagne Philizot & Fils Numero 3, Moscatel de Setubal and Domaine Lafage Amour.The evaluation criteria for the best wines were aroma, flavor, balance, aftertaste and value for money. The latter was added this year to cater for consumers who want to enjoy wine at a reasonable price. It is an effort to erase the common perception that expensive wines are the best wines.But as consumers, we don't simply want to be presented with wines that are shining with glory, with award-winning stickers or two-digit scores evaluating how awesome they are. As consumers, we want to be able to choose wines that match our prefer

Feb 24, 2017

[Food Talk] Experts advise on how to select good wine

PHOTOS Floating around 'Venice of Kyushu'

A boatman stands with a pole at Yanagawa in Fukuoka. / Japan National Tourism OrganizationBy Jung Min-hoYANAGAWA, Japan ― A boatman breaks out into a traditional Japanese song in his low-pitched voice as the boat passes under the boughs of beautiful willow trees on the banks of the canal.A pleasant breeze brushes past the faces of passengers, and the water laps against the boat to make faint sounds making background all the more beautiful.Peace and serenity are among the words that best describe Yanagawa, a lovely little city in the southwestern part of Fukuoka Prefecture.Yanagawa is famous for its hundreds of kilometers of canals all over the city. They were built for defensive purposes in the 16th century and have been maintained since then to be used as both transportation networks and recreational attractions.Riverboats, called “donkobune,” are a unique means of transportation that tourists can use to see most parts of the city through the waterways.In this city of 70,000, there isn’t anything super glamorous. But it’s beautiful in many ways. From the

Feb 23, 2017

Travel & Food