Lifestyle

Singer-artist Solbi wins top award at Spanish art festival

Solbi poses with a trophy in Spain. Courtesy of MAP CrewBy Kang Hyun-kyungSinger and artist Kwon Ji-an, better known by her stage name Solbi, won the Grand Artist Award at The Premi International d'Art de Barcelona held in Spain, her agency MAP Crew said in a press release on Monday. According to her agency, Solbi showcased 13 of her artworks under the theme of “Piece of Hope” as well as an installation work that was a collaboration with Korean artist Choi Jae-yong, who is based in Germany. “Piece of Hope” is part of the artist's “Just a Cake” series, which was accused of plagiarizing Jeff Koons' sculpture. In an interview held earlier, Solbi denied the allegation.One of the judges of the festival was quoted by MAP Crew as saying that Solbi won the most votes from the committee members because of her works' dynamic and unique portrayals of subjects.Solbi produced her works that were displayed at the festival during her stay in Barcelona to pay tribute to her father and grandmother who passed away recently and the judge said that these meaningful wo

DAILY FORTUNE - DECEMBER 06, 2021

Nighttime eating affects body clock, can lead to glucose intolerance

gettyimagesbank Eating at night may increase a person's risk for glucose intolerance, or prediabetes, a study published Friday by the journal Science Advances found.Confining meals to daytime can help maintain healthy blood glucose levels, allowing the body to more effectively process sugars, the researchers said.After assessing the effects of nighttime eating on night shift workers, it appears that food consumption during the overnight hours causes a misalignment between the body's central and peripheral circadian "clocks," they said.Circadian clocks are the body's natural timekeepers that regulate physical, mental and behavioral changes throughout the day.In addition to applying to night shift workers, the findings could have implications for others who eat meals at atypical times, such as those experiencing jet lag or sleep disorders, or people who tend to sleep late on weekends, the researchers said."Of the participants studied, those with the biggest disruption

Purple Island, Ungok Village designated 'Best Tourism Villages'

Banwol and Bakji Island of Sinan County, South Jeolla Province, known together as the “Purple Island,” have been included in the United Nations World Tourism Organization's “Best Tourism Villages” list, announced Thursday. Korea Times fileBy Kwon Mee-yooTwo Korean tourist sites ― the Purple Island and Ungok Village ― made their way onto the list of “Best Tourism Villages” awarded by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The U.N. agency dealing with tourism announced its inaugural “Best Tourism Villages” list during its 24th General Assembly in Madrid, Spain, Thursday. There, the Purple Island of Sinan County, South Jeolla Province, and Ungok Village in Gochang County, North Jeolla Province, were recognized as outstanding examples of rural tourism destinations.The initiative aims to encourage tourism to rural villages, while safeguarding them and resolving regional imbalances through sustainable development in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals. This year, 44 villages from 32 countries were included in the

Poet Kim Hye-soon wins Swedish literary prize

The Cikada-winning poet, Kim Hye-soon / Yonhap By Park Han-solPoet Kim Hye-soon was named the winner of this year's Cikada Prize, a prestigious Swedish literary award that recognizes East Asian poets, Thursday. The award was first established in 2004 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Harry Martinson (1904-1978), a Swedish writer best known for 1956 epic poem, “Aniara,” and a recipient of the 1974 Nobel Prize for Literature. Its name, meaning “cicada” in English, comes from Martinson's 1953 poetry collection of the same title.It celebrates East Asian artists writing in Korean, Chinese or Japanese, whose works “defend the inviolability of life,” thus bringing into the spotlight achievements made by figures long often marginalized in the global literary system.Before Kim, three other Korean poets ― Ko Un, Shin Kyung-rim and Moon Chung-hee ― have been recipients of the prize.According to the judge's citation, Kim's poems remain faithful to the emotion

Activists find hope in technology to stop animal cruelty in fashion, scientific research

Holding a banner reading, “I Am Not Food,” activists from the animal rights group, CARE, protest against dog meat consumption in Gwanghwamun Square, central Seoul, in this January 2018 file photo. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulCo-authors of 'Animalkind' say humans share Earth with other living beingsBy Kang Hyun-kyung“Animalkind: Remarkable Discoveries About Animals and Revolutionary New Ways to Show Them Compassion” by Ingrid Newkirk and Gene StoneHumans are superior to animals and this superiority is how the former became the master of this planet, enslaving other living beings to serve their needs. This notion of the hierarchical human-animal relationship has remained predominant since the onset of history. The new book about animal rights, titled “Animalkind: Remarkable Discoveries About Animals and Revolutionary New Ways to Show Them Compassion” (hereafter “Animalkind”), written by Ingrid Newkirk and Gene Stone, critically reviews the human-centered worldview that has propagated the indiscriminate exploitation of animals to fu

INTERVIEW Kim Whanki drawing found not on canvas, but on earthen plate

Hahn Ki-hoh, owner of the ceramic drawing presumed to have been created by the abstract master, Kim Whanki, speaks during an interview at The Korea Times office in Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul By Park Han-solKorea's pioneering abstract master, Kim Whanki (1913-1974), is best known for his artistic focus on East Asian cultural motifs like moon jars, as well as his later transition into paintings, featuring an abstract constellation of dots.In recent years, Kim's name has made headlines in the art circle once again, as the value of his works has continued to increase. It was in November 2019, when his 1971 diptych, “Universe 5-IV-71 #200,” fetched 13.2 billion won (HK$88 million) at Christie's Hong Kong, making history as the most expensive Korean art piece ever auctioned, to this day.But what many may not know is that during the early 1960s, after his return from Paris to Seoul in 1959, the artist also experimented with different media beyond r

International Sculpture Festa 2021 brings spotlight to sculpture

A view of the International Sculpture Festa 2021, held at the Seoul Arts Center's Hangaram Art Museum in southern Seoul / YonhapBy Park Han-solThe International Sculpture Festa 2021 (ISF 2021), the nation's largest exhibition focused on the genre of sculpture, is showing the works of more than 140 artists from here and abroad during this year's edition at the Seoul Arts Center's Hangaram Art Museum, in southern Seoul.The show, which kicked off Tuesday, is hosted by the Korean Sculptor's Association, to serve as a platform for rising and established sculptors ― a field that has been considered relatively non-mainstream among more painting-focused, local art events ― since its launch back in 2011.As a result, it remains one of the few, large-scale events dedicated to the art genre in the country, along with the Plastic Art Seoul (PLAS) fair, which was founded in 2016. Held last May, PLAS Seoul was one of many fairs this year that saw record sales and turnout.Under the theme of “Change & Chance, Art is Industry,” the 10th edition of ISF runs through Dec. 7. It brings an

DAILY FORTUNE - DECEMBER 03, 2021

MZ Generation flexing muscles behind booming luxury brand market

gettyimagesbankPersonal luxury goods market continues to expand despite pandemic By Lee Gyu-leeWhile COVID-19 has dealt a blow to almost every industry worldwide, bringing chaos and economic recession, the personal luxury goods market in Korea has shown an unusual pattern. Unfazed by the pandemic, it has set itself apart from the general economic slump with steady growth.According to the global research firm, Euromonitor International, the country's personal luxury goods market has managed to weather the pandemic-caused economic crisis, with its value reaching $12.5 billion in 2020, showing little change from the previous year's $12.52 billion. The figure was $12.24 billion in 2018. This situation is in stark contrast to the fact that the global personal luxury goods market value suffered a 23-percent drop during the same period ― from $318.6 billion in 2019 to $246 billion in 2020 ― which saw Korea taking up an even greater portion of the market.Buoyed by these booming luxury goods sales, Korea's online channels for luxury brand shopping have also seen a boost, with new platforms em