Lifestyle - The Korea Times

With kimchi classes, late-night patrol programs, Seoul beckons to growing single-person households

gettyimagesbank For Lee Bok-won, a 69-year-old woman who lives alone in western Seoul, stocking up on fresh homemade kimchi during winter has been quite a chore for the past several years. The process, traditionally done by family groups over multiple days, usually involves a painstaking process of soaking a large amount of cabbage with salt water, and later spicing it with a mixture of red pepper power and other seasonings.This winter, however, Lee managed to go through the process with relative ease thanks to the help from her local community office in Seodaemun, which delivered to her pre-salted cabbages and seasonings and offered a one-hour kimchi-making course over Zoom for her and her neighbors."Kimchi making (or procuring) is a must for every household in Korea, but living alone, you often sit it out. People at advanced ages like me find it especially hard to make or procure kimchi," Lee said, recalling her participation in the Zoom event held in early Decemb

Feb 10, 2022

With kimchi classes, late-night patrol programs, Seoul beckons to growing single-person households

As pandemic wipes out gatherings, alcohol industry sets eyes on at-home drinkers

gettyimagesbank With gathering restrictions and business curfews in place nationwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the alcoholic beverage industry, among other hospitality-related sectors, has faced setbacks.But on the back of the shifting drinking culture, such as the growing trend of at-home solo drinking and home parties, and changing demand, the industry is learning to navigate through the pandemic by adapting to new consumer needs.Within the industry, the wine market has outshone others during the crisis, with imports reaching an impressive $506.2 million in the January-November period of 2021, up 76 percent from a year earlier, according to the Korea Customs Service.This was the first time for the country's wine imports to surpass the $500 million level. South Korea's imports had been on a steady rise ― amounting to $244 million in 2018 before rising to $259.3 million in 2019 and $332 million in 2020.Industry watchers attribute the growth to the increase in th

Jan 28, 2022

As pandemic wipes out gatherings, alcohol industry sets eyes on at-home drinkers

Auction of 2 national treasures from Kansong Art Museum fails to attract any bids

Standing Buddha Triad with Inscription of Gyemi Year / NewsisTwo national treasures from the collection of the Kansong Art Museum were put on auction in Seoul on Thursday but failed to attract any bids.The two Buddhist relics ― the Gilt-bronze Standing Buddha Triad with Inscription of Gyemi Year and the Portable Shrine of Gilt-bronze Buddha Triad ― were put up for sale at the headquarters in southern Seoul of South Korea's second-largest auction house K Auction. The bidding prices started at 2.8 billion won ($2.3 million) and 3.2 billion won, respectively, but the auction quickly ended with no offers. The event attracted wide media attention as it was the first time national treasures had been put up for sale.The Gilt-bronze Standing Buddha Triad with Inscription of Gyemi Year is thought to be from the 6th century during the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C.-A.D. 660) judging from the inscription on the back of the mandoria. The Portable Shrine of Gilt-bronze Buddha Triad, a miniature version of a Buddhist shrine inside a temple, is believed to have been made in the 11-12th century during the

Jan 27, 2022

Auction of 2 national treasures from Kansong Art Museum fails to attract any bids

Lunar New Year drawings warding off evil spirits adorn Gwanghwamun

A set of “munbaedo,” or traditional drawings to ward off evil spirits, is hung on Gwanghwamun, the main gate to Gyeongbokgung Palace in central Seoul, Wednesday. YonhapBy Park Han-solDuring the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom, a curious-looking set of drawings would be posted on the main gate of the royal palace every Lunar New Year's Day. They were “munbaedo” ― images of both real-life and fantasy animals, like tigers, dragons, magpies and “haetae” (a lion-like horned creature), as well as golden-armored generals ― placed at the entrance to ward off any evil spirits and bring good luck.In the beginning, such customs were practiced mainly among royalty and elite families, who would commission the “Dohwaseo,” or royal bureau of painting, to complete the official drawings. However, during the late Joseon era, it eventually became a prevalent practice among the common class as well.This traditional custom was reborn on Wednesday at the present-day Gwanghwamun, the main gate to Gyeongbokgung Palace in central Seoul, in celebration of the upcoming

Jan 26, 2022By Park Han-sol

Lunar New Year drawings warding off evil spirits adorn Gwanghwamun

INTERVIEW 1st Indian twin priests ordained in Korea hope to help needy in both countries

Fr. Xavier Sahaya Arul Selvan, left, and Fr. James Sahaya Arul Selvan pose at Seosomun Shrine History Museum in Seoul, Jan. 8. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rinBrothers overcome culture shock, language barrier to follow dream By Park Ji-wonIt is not a simple road to become a Catholic priest in Korea, as it is in many other countries. To be ordained into the priesthood, men need to spend at least a decade in seminary training. Seminarians undertake bachelor's and master's degrees at Catholic universities to learn requisite skills, engage in volunteer activities and also mandatory military service. After the completion of these duties, various facets of the individual such as faith and personality are taken into consideration before ordination.Due to the difficult process, about 30 percent of priestal candidates in Korea reportedly drop out. The country has two cardinals, 40 bishops and 5,538 priests according to 2020 data from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea (CBCK). Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk died on April. 27, last year.Also, there are only 123 foreign priests active i

Jan 20, 2022By Park Ji-won

[INTERVIEW] 1st Indian twin priests ordained in Korea hope to help needy in both countries

Buddhist order goes all-out to criticize government, some monks criticize order

Monks of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism hold a banner calling for the expulsion of Rep. Jung Chung-rae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea near the party's headquarters, Seoul, Dec. 16. Courtesy of the Jogye Order of Korean BuddhismBy Park Ji-wonThe Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the largest Buddhist sect in Korea, has thrown all of its efforts into criticizing what they call the Moon Jae-in administration's “religious bias,” pledging to hold a nationwide rally of monks from around the country at its headquarters in Seoul on Jan. 21 for the first time in 14 years to eradicate the bias and protect the independence of Korean Buddhism. Some monks, however, have fired back at the order-led decision, saying that it is “shameful” for the order to take these actions.“We decided to go over all the religious biases and Buddhist distortions that have occurred since the founding of the country, and to hold the nationwide monks rally,” Ven. Wonhaeng, the president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and the head of a special committee for the rally,

Jan 11, 2022By Park Ji-won

Buddhist order goes all-out to criticize government, some monks criticize order

INTERVIEW Joseon pop's fanbase in the making

Bill Bragin, co-founder and co-drector of the globalFEST world music festival and executive artistic director of the Arts Center at New York University in Abu Dhabi / Photo by Waleed Shah  GlobalFEST co-founder Bill Bragin discusses Korean folk fusion bands and how the world music festival helped them become visible in North AmericaThis article is the third and last in a three-part series on Joseon pop ― ED. By Kang Hyun-kyung Bill Bragin, co-founder and co-director of the globalFEST world music festival held every year in New York, has witnessed some Korean folk fusion bands gaining a foothold in the United States. “I have seen audiences respond with a great deal of enthusiasm, both at festivals like Roskilde where I saw Black String as well as nightclubs in the United States like Joe's Pub, the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center and of course globalFEST, where SsingSsing and ADG7 both had ecstatic receptions,” he told The Korea Times. “We saw how that also translated to video performances on NPR Tiny Desk and elsewhere.”Bragin, also executiv

Jan 4, 2022By Kang Hyun-kyung

[INTERVIEW] Joseon pop's fanbase in the making

INTERVIEW Be prepared for spike in hallyu tourists after pandemic: culture minister

Culture Minister Hwang Hee / Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and TourismCulture Minister Hwang Hee vows to upgrade infrastructure to prepare for post-pandemic tourism boomBy Kwak Yeon-sooCulture Minister Hwang Hee had firsthand experiences of the ever-growing influence of hallyu, or the Korean wave, during a recent trip to France. Some of them were so surreal that he couldn't believe his eyes. Reflecting on his visit to a “Squid Game” pop-up store and meeting with K-pop fans at Kick (“K-pop is for cool kids”) Cafe, a concept cafe in Paris for people who enjoy popular Korean music, he said that what he saw was “jaw-dropping.”“Although it was raining, visitors were waiting in a long queue outside the store that sells Squid Game merchandize. The line of people waiting to get in wrapped around the building at least twice!” the soft-spoken minister said with excitement during a recent interview with The Korea Times. “It's not just the drama that's become a breakthrough hit. When a Korean-language class of 40 students opened at

Jan 3, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] Be prepared for spike in hallyu tourists after pandemic: culture minister

Joseon pop tantalizes US music fans

Shawn Choi, center, poses with Korean folk fusion band ADG7 in Ottawa, Canada in November during the band's North America tour. Courtesy of Shawn Choi SORI Artists' Shawn Choi brings Korean folk fusion musicians to US This article is the second in a three-part series on Joseon pop ― E.D. By Kang Hyun-kyungKorean folk fusion band Ak Dan Gwang Chil's 35-minute concert on the Seattle-based radio station, KEXP, which was released on Nov. 29, offers listeners a unique cultural experience. Created by several different traditional stringed instruments, flutes and percussion, the intense composite sound and the powerful yet restrained vocals of the female singers create a unique sound that is both colorful and highly addictive.Viewers are drawn into their masterful presentation of Korean traditional or folk music with modern twists, as the band, also known by the acronym, ADG7, performs one song after the other. Introducing the Korean band, producer and DJ Darek Mazzone, th

Dec 30, 2021By Kang Hyun-kyung

Joseon pop set to be Korea's next cultural export

Vocalist Lee Hee-moon, third from right, and other members of Korean band SsingSsing that fuses Korean folk music with genres like glam rock, disco and psychedelic rock pose with Bob Boilen, right, host of NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts, and staff of the program in this 2017 photo. SsingSsing was disbanded years later. Courtesy of Shawn ChoiThis article is the first in a three-part series on “Joseon pop.” ― ED.By Kang Hyun-kyungSince the 1960s, there has been a group of concerned musicians who have been serious about finding a breakthrough for gugak, Korea's centuries-old traditional music styles, to make it more appealing to music fans. Their ceaseless efforts to modernize traditional music and to entice listeners in the local music scene, which has been dominated by contemporary music, finally materialized in the mid-2010s, five decades later, with the advent of what is being called “Joseon pop.”“Joseon” is the name of the dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed from 1392 to 1897, when it was replaced by the Korean Empire during the country's turbulent

Dec 27, 2021By Kang Hyun-kyung

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