Lifestyle

Korea Times head elected to lead FNA

Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jinOh Young-jin, the president-publisher of The Korea Times, has been named the seventh chairman of the Foreign Language Newspapers Association of Korea (FNA).The association announced his election at its meeting of executive directors, Friday. Oh will lead the group for a year.Established in July 2015, the FNA carries out joint research and projects for the development of foreign-language newspapers here. Its members are The Korea Times, The Korea Herald, The Korea JoongAng Daily and The Aju Daily, which is Aju Business Daily's Chinese edition. Since joining The Korea Times in 1988, Oh has worked at various desks covering politics, business and social issues as both a reporter and an editor. He served as the managing editor from 2012 to 2015 before becoming a chief editorial writer, then the digital managing editor and the director of content and digitization. He was named president-publisher in April 2020.

DAILY FORTUNE - FEBRUARY 28, 2022

Lee O-young, revered literary critic who served as Korea's first culture minister, dead at 89

Former Culture Minister Lee O-young, one of Korea's most revered literary critics and novelists, died Saturday. He was 89. Korea Times file Former Culture Minister Lee O-young, one of Korea's most revered literary critics and novelists, died of cancer Saturday at the age of 89.Lee, born in 1933 in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, served as the country's first culture minister in 1990-1991 under the Roh Tae-woo administration.With his various literary works, he was respected as one of the most prominent "intellectuals of this era" in Korea.In 1956, Lee caused a stir in the literary critics circle when he criticized veteran writers for their authoritarianism in his iconic piece titled "Destruction of an Idol," published in the Hankook Ilbo newspaper.Lee, a graduate of Seoul National University, worked as an editorial writer in several newspapers between 1960 and 1972.He also taught Korean literature at Ewha Womans University in Seoul and became an honorary professor

Cultural artifact-inspired merchandise gets makeover

Colorful miniatures of the gilt-bronze Pensive Bodhisattva statue produced during the Three Kingdoms period / Courtesy of the National Museum Foundation of Korea By Park Han-solTraditional souvenirs filling the shelves of Korean museum shops have long been stereotyped as items that lack practicality and that often fail to go well with interior decor, due to their faithful yet outdated designs. Once purchased or gifted, it isn't unusual for these products to be tucked away in a corner of a room, slowly forgotten as they gather dust.However, a recent string of makeovers of state-run museums' relic-inspired merchandise have added a feeling of freshness to the shop's vitrines.One piece of merchandise that seems to be gathering attention is a miniature of two gilt-bronze Pensive Bodhisattva statues.Designated as national treasures, the original sculptures were produced in the late sixth and early seventh centuries during the Three Kingdoms period. Back in November, the N

REVIEW Actor Seo Kyung-soo steals scene in musical 'Something Rotten!'

A scene from the musical, “Something Rotten!” / Courtesy of M TheaterBy Dong Sun-hwaSet in 1595 London, musical comedy “Something Rotten!” revolves around the Bottom Brothers, Nick and Nigel, playwrights who are overshadowed by their contemporary, William Shakespeare. Although the two brothers are the main protagonists of the wildly popular theatrical show, in its Korean production, Shakespeare ― played by actor Seo Kyung-soo ― literally steals the scene with his performance, incorporating a dry sense of humor. Penned by John O'Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick, “Something Rotten!” is the 10-time Tony Award-nominated musical that premiered on Broadway in 2015. Its Korean adaptation, which hit the stage for the first time in 2020, has been running at the Universal Arts Center from Dec. 21, 2021. Although the show was temporarily put on a hold after Seo and actor Lee Choong-joo ― who alternates the role of Nick Bottom ― tested positive for COVID-19, it began its run again on Feb. 17, adding two new cast members. Kim Dong-wan, a member of K-pop act Shinhw

DAILY FORTUNE - FEBRUARY 25, 2022

Two Korean picture books honored at renowned Bologna Ragazzi Awards

Authors Lee Su-zy and Choi Deok-kyu / Courtesy of BIR Publishing Co. and YUN EditionBy Park Han-solTwo critically-acclaimed Korean picture books have been honored in this year's prestigious Bologna Ragazzi Awards for children's literature, presented at Italy's Bologna Children's Book Fair.Lee Su-zy's “Summer” and Choi Deok-kyu's “Father's Big Hands” earned special mentions in the fiction and nonfiction categories, respectively.The Bologna Ragazzi Awards, which are awarded to international works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry and comics each year, are celebrated prizes in the world of children's book publishing, along with the Hans Christian Andersen Award and the Biennial of Illustration Bratislava (BIB).Choi's “Father's Big Hands” is a semi-autobiographical story about a son who grew up under his father's care and is now looking after him as an adult. The book's juxtaposition of illustrations of a father and son switching roles ― giving each other a bath and helping each other to get dressed and eat ― has captivated both young and adult readers al

So long YOLO, young Koreans choose 'Godsaeng'

Self-empowerment through day-to-day goals, achievements becoming new trend By Kwak Yeon-sooJung Hye-in, a 32-year-old office worker in Seoul, takes dietary supplements with warm water, does a few yoga poses and reads at least one economic report every morning before starting work. During lunchtime, she takes a TOEFL class or goes for a 30-minute walk. Before going to sleep, she writes a blog about her daily life and her interest in fashion, home decoration, music and books. “I'm naturally a planner, but I started keeping track of my habits more precisely after moving out of my parents' house in 2020. Setting a goal and diligently working toward achieving it is meaningful and fulfilling,” she said.Like Jung, an increasing number of young people in Korea are adopting simple and healthy habits ― things like keeping a tidy and organized living space, drinking 2 liters of water per day, and cutting down on screen time. They do so in order to “lead an industrious and active life” in what they see as uncertain times. Known as “Godsaeng” in Korean ― a port

2 Korean children's books win prizes at Bolgna Ragazzi Awards

Suzy Lee, author of “Summer” / YonhapTwo South Korean children's books have won prizes at this year's Bologna Ragazzi Awards, one of the world's largest honors for kids' books and illustrations."Summer," written and drawn by Suzy Lee, was listed as one of the three Special Mention works in the Fiction category, the organizers of the awards said Wednesday (Korean time) on its website.In the Non-Fiction section, "Father's big hands" by Choi Deok-kyu was also selected as a Special Mention piece."Summer" is a story about children playing in the water during summer based on Lee's memories of listening to "Four Seasons" by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi.It is the second consecutive year Lee's illustrations have won a Ragazzi award following "The Yulu Linen," co-written by China's Cao Wenxuan."Summer" was also nominated for an award at the biannual Hans Christian Andersen Awards.Choi's "Father's big hands" is his semi-autobiographical story about a son in need of a father's care while growing up, who later ends up taking care of his father as an adult. The Bologna Ragazzi Awar

AI translation key to communication in metaverse: Flitto CEO

Simon Lee, CEO of Flitto, gives a lecture during the Corea Image Communication Institution's (CICI) forum at the French ambassador's residence in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of CICIBy Dong Sun-hwaThe role of artificial intelligence (AI) in translation is becoming more important in the metaverse where people across the world can join and communicate, says Simon Lee, CEO of translation service provider, Flitto.But he disagreed with the view that AI may replace human translators.“The role of AI in translating different languages has gotten bigger as more people interact with each other on metaverse without meeting face-to-face,” Lee, whose Korean name is Lee Jung-soo, said during a lecture on Tuesday at the French ambassador's official residence in Seoul. The lecture was part of the Corea Image Communication Institution's (CICI) Korea CQ Forum, which intends to bring together opinion leaders worldwide.“But AI is unlikely to translate all different languages in a virtual world, as it cannot fully process subjective data such as people's thoughts and feelings,” he sai