Lifestyle - The Korea Times

INTERVIEW How brewery waste turned into pizza dough, energy bars at RE:harvest

Food upcycling startup RE:harvest's energy bars are made from discarded grain from breweries in Korea. / Courtesy of RE:harvestRE:harvest transforms breweries' leftover grain into sustainable flourBy Park Han-solWheaty scones, juicy slices of pizza and nachos grande garnished with fresh guacamole sound perfect for a spring picnic.But in the eyes of food upcycling startup RE:harvest, these dishes become the playground for the company's signature flour ― made from the tons of grain discarded every day by breweries nationwide.Brewing drinks like beer and “sikhye” (Korean sweet rice punch) requires crushed grain, typically malted barley, which is soaked in hot water to extract its sugar and other carbohydrates. The resulting sugary liquid can be fermented with yeast to produce beer or with rice to create sikhye. But what happens to the used barley that gets left behind?Alex Min, founder and CEO of RE:harvest / Courtesy of RE:harvest“It gets thrown out ― despite its high nutritional value ― with only a fraction reprocessed as compost or animal feed for farms,” Alex

May 24, 2022By Park Han-sol

[INTERVIEW] How brewery waste turned into pizza dough, energy bars at RE:harvest

INTERVIEW Cultural asset restorer who brought 'hanji' into heart of Louvre

One of the prints from the famed Edmond de Rothschild Collection that was donated to the Louvre Museum in France has been restored with traditional Korean “hanji” paper in 2018. Courtesy of Mirae Hanji AssociationKim Min-jung on mission to promote traditional Korean paper's merits for cultural asset restorationBy Park Han-solThe ninth-century Quran manuscript and 18th-century pastel portraits of the Bourbon family, Europe's powerful dynasty that ruled France, Spain, parts of Italy and Luxembourg ― what do these seemingly disparate cultural artifacts have in common?They are invaluable relics from the collection of France's Louvre Museum, which were all restored through traditional Korean paper called “hanji.”It is no exaggeration to say that in the field of conservation and restoration, in regard tocultural property ― including paintings, artifacts and antique documents ― at prominent museums across the world, Japanese paper known as “washi” has dominated the market for decades as the “best” material, due to its apparent strength and dur

May 18, 2022By Park Han-sol

[INTERVIEW] Cultural asset restorer who brought 'hanji' into heart of Louvre

Eva Armisen's newest retrospective continues to celebrate 'trivia' of everyday life

Eva Armisen's “Amor (Love)” (2021) / Courtesy of the artist, DcommunicationBy Park Han-solSpanish artist Eva Armisen has made another triumphant return to Korea, the country that has described her as an “artist who paints happiness,” for a brand-new retrospective. Her works, as always, show that it is not dramatic spectacle, but rather the emotional “trivia” of everyday life that give people a renewed sense of hope and healing.“Eva Armisen, Andando” at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan District, Seoul, brings together more than 200 of the creator's latest paintings, ceramics, installations, drawings and animations ― making this her largest retrospective to date, crowded with pieces that are being unveiled to the world for the first time. “Andando,” meaning “going” in Spanish, visualizes Armisen's decades-long creative journey of cherished memories and emotions as she revels in themes of love, family, nature, togetherness and inspiration.Spanish painter Eva Armisen poses in front of “Florecer (In Bloom)&r

May 15, 2022By Park Han-sol

Eva Armisen's newest retrospective continues to celebrate 'trivia' of everyday life

Investment in small shares of artworks increases in recent 3 yrs

The first-ever auction organized independently by the Galleries Association of Korea was held at the Westin Josun Seoul, Jan. 26. Courtesy of Galleries Association of Korea Total investments into small shares of blue-chip artwork in Korea amounted to nearly 100 billion won ($78.5 million) over the past three-and-a-half years, industry data showed Monday.Four local online art investment platforms, including industry leader ArtnGuide, allow consumers to invest in iconic artwork by buying small ownership stakes, attracting small-sum investors interested in diversifying their portfolios to a field that had been previously only available to the wealthy.According to the data compiled by the four companies, a combined 96.3 billion won worth of such art portfolio investments have been made since the platform was launched in November 2018.The yearly total has been on a sharp rise from 270 million won in the last two months of 2018 to 2.5 billion won in 2019, 5.1 billion won

May 9, 2022

Investment in small shares of artworks increases in recent 3 yrs

Instant noodle makers roll out novelty products to attract foodies

Caguri, a curry edition of Nongshim's Neoguri spicy noodles / Captured from Nongshim's InstagramBy Park Han-solWhen it comes to packaged Korean instant noodle products, it becomes almost impossible to discuss how they taste without the word “spicy” ― whether it be noodles soaked in red beef broth or served stir-fried with hot chicken flavor.However, in recent months, some of Korea's leading instant noodles makers have been infusing their products with novelty flavors ― such as curry and “doenjang jjigae,” or Korean soybean paste stew ― to cater to the niche market of foodies.One such player is Nongshim. In October 2021, the company released the special cup noodle edition of its signature product Neoguri, replacing the standard spicy soup base with a curry-flavored one.Caguri, a portmanteau of the Korean pronunciation for “curry” and Neoguri, is inspired by a recipe which was originally concocted in many 24-hour internet cafes.At these cafes, where a variety of instant foods and snacks are made available to order right off one's screen, users began

May 2, 2022By Park Han-sol

Instant noodle makers roll out novelty products to attract foodies

In-person springtime festivals return nationwide amid eased social distancing

The Lotus Lantern Festival's iconic parade takes place in downtown Seoul, Saturday, after a two-year hiatus, as participants march from Heunginjimun Gate to Jogye Temple to celebrate Buddha's Birthday, which falls on May 8. Yonhap By Park Han-solWith Korea's social distancing measures mostly eased and the outdoor mask mandate to be lifted effective on Monday, in-person religious and cultural festivals are making their return nationwide to celebrate spring.One of the highlights of this weekend was marked by the iconic Lotus Lantern Parade in Seoul on Saturday evening, held after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of the annual festivities ahead of Buddha's Birthday, which falls on May 8 this year.More than 35,000 Buddhists and non-Buddhists were estimated to have taken part in the centuries-old march, illuminating downtown Seoul from Heunginjimun Gate all the way to Jogye Temple with lanterns of various hues, shapes and sizes, according to its or

May 1, 2022By Park Han-sol

In-person springtime festivals return nationwide amid eased social distancing

Royal Culture Festival to open May 10

A visitor dressed up in hanbok tries out a program what Gyeongbok Palace was like in the past, during last year's Royal Culture Festival, May 2, 2021. This year's festival will kick off on May 10. Yonhap Full opening of Cheong Wa Dae compound to enrich this year's eventsBy Kim RahnPerformances, traditional rituals, nighttime tours and virtual events will be offered at five Joseon-era palaces and other royal sites in Seoul in May to showcase the nation's traditional cultural heritage.The Royal Palaces and Tombs Center under the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation said, Wednesday, that they will hold the biannual Royal Culture Festival from May 10 to 22. While the festival has included the five palaces of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom ― Gyeongbok, Changdeok, Deoksu, Changgyeong and Gyeonghui ― as well as the Jongmyo (royal shrine) and Sajikdan (altar

Apr 28, 2022By Kim Rahn

Retro boom sees adults buying nostalgic comic books

A book cover of “Full House” / Courtesy of YES24By Kwak Yeon-sooShortly after the recent craze over Pokemon bread, which had been popular in the past, a new trend revolving around retro-themed comic books seems to be gaining in popularity as evidenced by the sharp increase in sales.In the 1990s and 2000s, popular anime and comic books such as “Sailor Moon,” “Slam Dunk” and “Doraemon” caught on with a generation of children in Korea. Now they are back in time for the country's retro boom, driven by adults who are often nostalgic for things and experiences from their childhood. Sales for the three comic books leaped by 15.4 percent in February compared to the previous month, and another 14.7 percent in March compared to February. About 80 percent of the consumers were in their 30s and 40s ― who generally account for 56.7 percent of all comic book purchases.Sales of the reprint edition of “Full House” (1993-1999), written and illustrated by Won Soo-yon, surged by about 11 times in February compared to the prior month, right aft

Apr 25, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Retro boom sees adults buying nostalgic comic books

Designer Kim Young-jin adds modern twist to hanbok

Designer Kim Young-jin gives a lecture during the Corea Image Communication Institution's (CICI) forum at the Indian ambassador's residence in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of CICI By Dong Sun-hwaThe hanbok pieces, traditional Korean attire, created by Kim Young-jin of Tchai Kim is far from conventional. Kim not only uses a variety of silks to design her outfits but also draws on clothing influences from different countries ― such as France and India ― to add a modern twist.“We are living in a globalized world where we enjoy foods and cultures of various countries, but I felt that hanbok was trapped within a traditional framework,” Kim, the designer behind several hit TV series including “Mr. Sunshine” (2018), said during her lecture on April 19 at the Indian ambassador's residence in Seoul. The lecture was part of the Corea Image Communication Institution's (CICI) Korea CQ Forum which aims to bring together opinion leaders worldwide.“Restoring our tradition was not enou

Apr 21, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa

Designer Kim Young-jin adds modern twist to hanbok

INTERVIEW Equal Table CEO strives to create bridge for refugees settling in Korea

Mun Jun-suk, left, poses with one of the barista trainees at Naeil Coffee cafe in Seoul in this 2015 photo. Courtesy of Equal TableSocial startup head seeks to support refugees and fight climate change through low-carbon coffeeBy Lee Gyu-leeLiving in a foreign country can be tough, especially when one has been forced out of their own country amidst difficult circumstances, and must find a new place to call home as a refugee. To help refugees put down roots in Korea, Mun Jun-suk, the founder and CEO of social startup Equal Table, has been striving to step in and create bridges for refugees to integrate into Korean society. The CEO used to run a cafe called Naeil Coffee to help refugees from Africa pursue careers as baristas here. After running it for about six years, he is set to carry on his purpose under a new startup, Equal Table, while adding on another goal of sustainable coffee consumption.“Our goal is to make a sustainable culture. Refugees are living here with us and if we exclude them from our communities and discriminate against them, it's not going to have a positive

Apr 20, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee

Trends