Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Spreading makgeolli spirit in US

Carol Pak, founder and CEO of Sool / Courtesy of Carol PakSool CEO aims to introduce creative Korean beverage brand to the worldBy Taeyoung LeeNEW YORK ― Aiming to globalize Korean beverages, it is Carol Pak's sixth year leading the company Sool, a global wholesaler of premium Korean alcoholic beverage brands. Based in New York, Sool has introduced innovative beverages such as Makku and Soku to a diverse audience, selling more than 2.4 million cans since launching in 2019.Her first encounter with “makgeolli,” the traditional Korean alcoholic drink often dubbed rice wine, traces back to her trips to Korea for market research. She first noticed that the Korean makgeolli scene was changing quickly. “New bars were forming in Korea that put a spotlight on craft makgeolli. A new generation of people started to drink makgeolli and the average age of makgeolli brewers was getting younger. I saw that more and more makgeolli brewers, brands and bars were popping up every week,” Pak said.“Looking at the changing landscape, I sensed a movement happening here. Makgeo

May 9, 2023

Virtual company Neet People helps young adults find identity and community

Neet People runs programs to offer work-life experience to those not in education, employment or training, referred to as NEETs. Courtesy of Neet PeopleBy Lee Gyu-leeWorking without a salary in positions without a specific job description, with employers being interviewed by potential employees ― all this might sound very confusing and seem like nonsense. But it makes sense with Neet People, a virtual, mock company for young people in their 20s and 30s, who classify as “NEET” ― an acronym for not in education, employment or training. The company acts as a haven for those who are NEET by providing a platform to find their footing and sense of belonging as members of society and to assist in their journey to identify their roles. “It's not about trying hard to get a good job. But we feel that our current society has lost a sense of community for young people to find belonging and their role in it. And we believe we've created such a platform, a kind of community, where those young adults feel comfortable being themselves. And that's the role we want to keep pursuing,&

Apr 27, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee

Virtual company Neet People helps young adults find identity and community

Joseon-era ritual stage in front of Gwanghwamun to be restored by October

An archaeological survey is carried out at the "woldae" site in front of Gwanghwamun, the main gate of Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe Joseon-era ritual stage in front of Gwanghwamun, which was damaged during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial period, will be restored by this October, the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) said on Tuesday.“Woldae” was the name for a terrace where kings carried out public rituals or ceremonies during the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom. The one in front of Gwanghwamun was damaged as a result of road construction and laying tracks for streetcars during Japan's 35-year occupation. According to “The Daily Record of the Construction of Gyeongbokgung Palace,” an account of the reconstruction process from early April 1865 until its completion in July 1868, Woldae was established in 1866 during the reign of King Gojong. Whether it existed in the early Joseon period before the Imjin War (1592-98) is still unknown, according to CHA officials. The distance from north to south of the original Woldae was 48.7 meters a

Apr 25, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

Joseon-era ritual stage in front of Gwanghwamun to be restored by October

INTERVIEW Man's mission to keep Jeju Island's 'doldam' stone wall tradition alive

Stonemason Jo Hwan-jin poses in front of a “doldam,” or stone wall made from Jeju Island's signature porous basalt rocks, in the island's northwestern town of Hallim, March 30. He has been on a decade-long mission to keep alive the disappearing tradition of stone walls that have embodied Jeju's distinct cultural identity for centuries. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Park Han-solJEJU ISLAND ― Jeju Island goes by a handful of monikers, the most prominent of which, although somewhat well-worn, is “samdado,” or the island of three types of abundance: women, stones and wind.Sure, the list can be expanded to include other ubiquitous things like tangerines, horses and sprawling fields of canola flowers, but the volcanic island will always be synonymous with the hardy “haenyeo,” (female divers), black basalt rocks and gales that are powerful enough to cause frequent flight cancellations at certain times of the year.And of these distinctive features on the island, porous lava rocks and strong winds have given rise to a characteristically Jeju-style arc

Apr 19, 2023By Park Han-sol

[INTERVIEW] Man's mission to keep Jeju Island's 'doldam' stone wall tradition alive

Book-shaped building to revive Busan's fading book street

Scoula di Atene, opened in Busan's Bosu-dong in March, resembles a shelf of books, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Kwak Yeon-sooBy Kwak Yeon-sooBUSAN ― It's 10 a.m. on a sunny April day in Busan's Bosu-dong. Off the main road is the blink-and-you'll-miss-it entrance to Bosu Book Street. The narrow, 200-meter-long passage is lined on both sides with independent bookstores.The bookstore alley in Bosu-dong was formed when a refugee couple from North Hamgyong Province (now North Korea) started selling vintage magazines when Busan became the country's provisional capital during the 1950-53 Korean War. By the 1970s, more than 70 bookstores were established in the area, giving the neighborhood a unique character and spirit. “Bosu Book Street is our beautiful cultural heritage that was born out of the most turbulent time in modern Korean history. Since then, the street has retained its old charms. People overcame despair and healed the wounds of war through books,” Kim Eun-ho, the president of Hangilsa Publishing, writes in his latest book “Into the Forest of Wisdom” (l

Apr 6, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

Book-shaped building to revive Busan's fading book street

Rare Joseon-era map returns home from Japan

Visitors take a look at the unfolded “Daedongyeojido,” a map of the Korean Peninsula from the 19th century, at the National Palace Museum of Korea, central Seoul, Thursday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooA rare map of the Korean Peninsula from the 19th century has been returned to Korea from Japan. The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) on Thursday unveiled “Daedongyeojido,” which was previously owned by a Japanese collector.Officials of the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation flew to the country to check the condition of the relic and negotiate a deal for its return. In March, the Korean government purchased it with lottery funds and brought it back to Korea. Its price was not disclosed, citing confidentiality reasons.“Daedongyeojido,” translated as “territorial map of the Great East,” was first made by cartographer and geographer Kim Jeong-ho in 1861 during the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom. It was republished in 1864 in the form of 22 foldable booklets. The map was significant for its time, as it was one of the first attempts at a com

Mar 30, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

Rare Joseon-era map returns home from Japan

Generation Z entrepreneurs turn oyster shells into trendy dish soap

Oh Soap's newly launched dish soap is made out of oyster shells. Courtesy of Oh SoapUpcycling startup makes use of oyster shell wasteBy Lee Gyu-leeOysters are considered an affordable and wholesome ingredient in Korea, unlike some western countries. Here, they are found in different dishes such as soups, kimchi, and rice and are often eaten deep-fried or raw. Korea has become the second-largest oyster exporter in the world, after China, producing over 300,000 tons of oysters in 2020 alone, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).From left, co-founders of upcycling brand Oh Soap, CEO Lee Yu-jeong, CTO Lee Ji-youn and CMO Kim Ye-jin / Courtesy of Oh SoapBut what happens to all the shells after oysters have been consumed? Often they are simply disregarded. But for the co-founders of upcycling brand Oh Soap, oyster shells are a crucial source for its soap-based product. Three young entrepreneurs ― CEO Lee Yu-jeong, CMO Kim Ye-jin and CTO Lee Ji-youn ― developed a solution to make use of the hundreds of thousands of tons of oyster shells, which are di

Mar 29, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee

Generation Z entrepreneurs turn oyster shells into trendy dish soap

Palaces, Cheong Wa Dae offer cultural events to celebrate arrival of spring

Gyeongbok Palace at night / Courtesy of the Cultural Heritage AdministrationBy Kwak Yeon-sooVarious cultural events are expected to take place at Joseon-era (1392-1910) palaces and Cheong Wa Dae (the former presidential office) in Seoul to celebrate spring's arrival. Flowers are expected to blossom at the end of this month before reaching peak bloom in April, according to the state-run Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) Royal Palaces and Tombs Center.Gyeongbok Palace will offer its spring nighttime tour program from April 5 to May 31, the government agency said Thursday.The night view of Gyeongbok Palace in spring is well-known for its stunningly illuminated cherry blossoms. Up to 2,500 visitors will be admitted per evening. Reservations are required and can be made through the 11Street website. Online reservations will open on March 29 for April admissions and April 26 for May admissions, with each person limited to two tickets. Each day 200 tickets will be set aside for foreigners to purchase at the Gwanghwamun Ticket Office. There are no nighttime tours on Mondays and Tuesdays

Mar 23, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

Palaces, Cheong Wa Dae offer cultural events to celebrate arrival of spring

Ortho-prosthetist hopes to make difference in amputees' quality of life

Kim Jung-hyun, ortho-prosthetist and CEO of Silobionic, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at his office in Seoul, Feb. 17. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-minBy Kwak Yeon-soo, Kim Kang-minAt least 10,000 amputations occur in Korea every year as a result of accidents, infections, or injuries.Kim Jung-hyun has been making prosthetics at Silobionic, a company established 14 years ago that manufactures, designs and customizes prosthetics.His interest was driven by his desire to help people with disabilities and to relieve their discomfort. Korea Times video by Kim Kang-min, Lee Ka-jin“My younger sibling has a disability. Growing up, I have always wanted to do something to help people who had lost a limb, make them feel more able and give them hope. I also love working with my hands so I thought about ways of putting these two things together to help people living with disabilities,” he said during a recent interview with The Korea Times.Kim decided to become an ortho-prosthetist because that seemed like an important job to him. He was also confident about mak

Mar 16, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

Ortho-prosthetist hopes to make difference in amputees' quality of life

Environmental artist to exhibit garden inspired by Mount Jiri at Chelsea Flower Show

Garden designer and environmental artist Hwang Ji-hae / Courtesy of Hwang Ji-haeBy Kwak Yeon-sooAfter an 11-year absence, garden designer and environmental artist Hwang Ji-hae is returning to the Chelsea Flower Show with her entry entitled “Land of Healing: Korean Mountain Light.” 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 Time: DMZ Forbidden Garden.” Established in 1827, Chelsea Flower Show is one of the world's most prestigious horticultural events, hosted by Britain's Royal Horticultural Society.“Chelsea takes a ridiculous amount of energy. Each time I competed in the show, I fought a lonely battle overcoming the language barrier, tight budget and cultural differences,” she said during a recent interview with The Korea Times. “But at the same time, exhibiting a garden at Chelsea was an opportunity to listen to my inner voice and develop