Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Child-friendly zones pop up in response to kid-free venues

An increasing number of restaurants and cafes in Seoul are displaying ”Seoul Kids OK Zone” stickers at their entrances to indicate to customers that they are child-friendly businesses. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan GovernmentNew child-inclusive campaign helps businesses with promotion, salesBy Ko Dong-hwanA sign in front of a business indicating it is a “NO KIDS ZONE” is posted at an Ediya Coffee shop in May 2022. Korea Times fileUnder the campaign name “Seoul Kids OK Zone,” an increasing number of restaurants and cafes in Seoul are declaring themselves child-friendly by joining a campaign, led by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, to expand facilities accepting customers with toddlers or young children. The campaign began last September when the city government started accepting applications from private businesses in the food and beverage industry interested in helping the city's initiative by serving children and their parents.According to the Happy Parenting Division under the government's Women and Family Policy Affairs Office, the campaign w

Jun 27, 2023By Ko Dong-hwan

Child-friendly zones pop up in response to kid-free venues

Yoon participates in language, cultural exchange with Vietnamese students

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a meeting with a group of Vietnamese students and instructors of the Korean language at Vietnam National University in Hanoi, Thursday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooPromoting Korea's language and culture in Vietnam, especially among the youth, was a major topic of discussion as President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee met with a group of Vietnamese students and instructors of the Korean language at Vietnam National University in Hanoi, Thursday.“I heard that the Vietnamese zeal for learning Korean is strong. I see it's no exaggeration,” Yoon said during the meeting. “Earlier, I checked out the metaverse platform for Korean-language learning. Our government will do its best so you can have easy access to Korean language learning programs such as integrating digital technology into education.”Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Bo-gyoon, who also attended the meeting, vowed to strengthen policies such as fostering Korean language instructors and distributing language textbooks to promote friendly relations betwe

Jun 23, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

Yoon participates in language, cultural exchange with Vietnamese students

Goryeo-era transcription of Buddhist text returns home from Japan

Bae Young-il, director of the Seongbo Museum at Magok Temple, points to an illustration inside Vol. 6 of “Saddharmapundarika Sutra,” also known as “The Lotus Sutra,” during a press event held at the National Palace Museum of Korea, Thursday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooA Goryeo-era transcription of a Buddhist sutra written in gold on indigo-dyed paper has been returned to Korea from Japan, the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said Thursday.The manuscript, which is Vol. 6 of “Saddharmapundarika Sutra” ― also known as “The Lotus Sutra,” is made of indigo-dyed paper in a concertina format and its front cover is decorated with a motif of four lotus flowers with vines drawn in gold and silver. The delicate and dense golden lines show that this illuminated manuscript was produced during the latter part of the 918-1392 Goryeo Kingdom, according to the CHA. However, the exact production date and the person who created or hand-copied it remain a mystery. In Korea, the practice of transcribing Buddhist scriptures is referred to as “sagyeong

Jun 15, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

Goryeo-era transcription of Buddhist text returns home from Japan

Home gardening boom inspires plant adoption, specialized care services for leafy companions

Visual artist and “Plant Kindergarten” operator Baik Soo-hye's compact outdoor garden, nestled in Gongdeok-dong, Mapo District in western Seoul, abounds with some 150 potted plants, trees and herbs that were thrown out or left for dead in urban redevelopment zones across Seoul as their former owners were pushed out of their neighborhoods to make way for new apartment complexes. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukHouseplants are more than just decor for young, green-thumbed enthusiastsBy Park Han-solTake a trip through the winding labyrinth of alleyways in a slowly deteriorating section of Gongdeok-dong in Mapo District of western Seoul and you may come across an unexpected sanctuary.Baik Soo-hye's compact outdoor garden abounds with some 150 potted plants, trees and herbs that were once thrown out or left for dead in urban redevelopment zones across Seoul as their former owners were pushed out of their neighborhoods to make way for new apartment complexes.After rescuing the plants in her spare time from heaps of garbage, cracked concrete pavements and community gardens with

Jun 8, 2023By Park Han-sol

Home gardening boom inspires plant adoption, specialized care services for leafy companions

Cheong Wa Dae holds exhibition to celebrate 1st anniversary of public opening

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Bo-gyoon speaks during a press briefing for the special exhibition, “Stories of Our Presidents,” in Main Office Building at Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooA special exhibition that brings visitors closer to all the presidents of Korea and their eras will be held at Cheong Wa Dae, the former presidential office and residence, to celebrate its first anniversary of being open to the public.Titled “Stories of Our Presidents,” the exhibition features documents, photos and the personal belongings of 12 Presidents that epitomize their time at Cheong Wa Dae. It will be held in Cheong Wa Dae's main office building and Chunchugwan, a building formerly used as a press center for journalists covering the presidential office over many decades. “For 74 years (from Aug. 15, 1948, to May 9, 2022), Cheong Wa Dae stood as a symbol of the Presidency, where the country's top leaders ran state affairs,” Culture Minister Park Bo-gyoon said during a press briefing for the exhibition at Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday.

Jun 1, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

Cheong Wa Dae holds exhibition to celebrate 1st anniversary of public opening

Garden inspired by Mount Jiri wins gold at Chelsea Flower Show

Garden designer and environmental artist Hwang Ji-hae welcomes the U.K.'s King Charles III to her garden “A Letter from a Million Years Past” at the Chelsea Flower Show in London, Monday. Courtesy of Ollie DixonBy Kwak Yeon-sooA garden inspired by the landscape and ecosystem of Mount Jiri, Korea's largest national park, won a gold medal in the Chelsea Flower Show in London.“A Letter from a Million Years Past,” designed by Hwang Ji-hae, won the gold medal along with four other gardens in the main competition's Show Garden category on Tuesday. The Best in Show award went to “Horatio's Garden” by Harris Bugg Studio.This is the third time Hwang has grabbed a prize at Chelsea Flower Show, one of the world's most prestigious horticultural events hosted by Britain's Royal Horticultural Society since 1827.In 2011, Hwang won the Best Artisan Award and the Gold Medal at Chelsea Flower Show with “Hae Woo So: Emptying Your Mind: Traditional Korean Toilet.” The following year, she won the President Award and a Gold Medal for exhibiting “Quiet

May 25, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

Garden inspired by Mount Jiri wins gold at Chelsea Flower Show

Yoido Full Gospel Church celebrates 65th anniversary

Yoido Full Gospel Church Senior Pastor Lee Young-hoon speaks during a press conference to celebrate the church's 65th anniversary at Fairmont Ambassador Seoul hotel, Thursday. Courtesy of Yoido Full Gospel ChurchBy Kwak Yeon-sooAs part of activities marking its 65th anniversary, Yoido Full Gospel Church expressed commitment to expand support for the needs of underprivileged people in society.Yoido Full Gospel Church, which started in 1958 by holding services under a makeshift tent in northwestern Seoul, grew to become the world's largest congregation. It now has around 580,000 members. “In the past 65 years, the church has reached out to thousands of people providing relief materials and food for them. Our mission lies in helping marginalized communities,” Lee Young-hoon, senior pastor of the church, said during a press conference held at Fairmont Ambassador Seoul Hotel, Thursday. “I recently became aware of groups that need our assistance. They are North Korean children born to defectors who were sold to Chinese men by traffickers. They have no access to citizenshi

May 18, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

Yoido Full Gospel Church celebrates 65th anniversary

Men's widening income gap new clue behind Korea's declining birthrate

Amount of wage is a clear indicator behind likelihood of Korean men choosing to either get married and have children or stay single, according to a recent study released Sunday. GettyimagesbankBy Ko Dong-hwanHow confident a working male in Korea is with his wallets or bank accounts happens to be a clear boost to their decision to score wedlock, a recent study by a state-run researcher found. In other words, those lacking financial security are more likely to see themselves as better off staying single ― directly resulting in lowered chances for people to meet, get married and have babies.The research outcome released by the Korea Labor Institute on Sunday showed this trend became more pronounced as men got older. The research on the relationship between employment and intention to procreate shows the growing risk of an income gap among Korean men might be a major factor.Despite the steady improvement in working conditions for men compared to the past, the country has been witnessing a declining number of marriages, according to Kwak Eun-hye from the institute who penned the report. S

May 15, 2023By Ko Dong-hwan

Men's widening income gap new clue behind Korea's declining birthrate

From J-pop to animated films, Japanese culture catches on in Korea

Resurgence in popularity signals new phase of cultural exchangeBy Dong Sun-hwaJapan has long been a close but distant neighbor to Korea. The two countries are geographically close, but their relationship is full of twists such as the unresolved legacies of Japan's forced colonial rule of Korea in 1910-45. Political spats between Korea and Japan have had a spillover effect on people's daily lives. When the relationship turned sour, many Koreans avoided traveling to Japan and buying its products. Fans had to hide their love of Japanese films or comics so that they were not seen as being pro-Japanese or unpatriotic.This phenomenon was most visible a few years ago when a plethora of Koreans started the “No Japan” movement, a boycott campaign of Japanese products following Tokyo's export curb on the critical components for the semiconductor and display industries here. The restrictions came shortly after the Korean Supreme Court's 2018 ruling that ordered its firms to compensate surviving Korean victims of wartime forced labor. The boycott dealt a critical blow to several Japa

May 11, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa

From J-pop to animated films, Japanese culture catches on in Korea

Cultural Heritage Administration unveils next plans after introducing free entry at temples

Choi Eung-chon, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, speaks during a press conference held at the Westin Josun hotel in Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said it will closely monitor visitor counts after the government introduced free entry to 65 Buddhist temples nationwide.Having an entry charge for Buddhist temples has been a contentious issue for over six decades, as even hikers who had to simply pass through the temples to enter mountain areas had to pay fees, ranging from 1,000 won ($0.70) to 5,000 won per person. The government recently revised the Cultural Heritage Protection Act to provide financial support in order to allow free admission to temples affiliated with the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. The revised act requires the government to fund free entry at Buddhist temples receiving its support. A total of 42.1 billion won was allocated this year, according to the CHA.“We haven't received any additional requests from the Jogye Order to increase the government funding to make up for the admission fees. We thin

May 10, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

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