South Korea - The Korea Times

Gothy shoegaze band Lucy Valentine has you in its sights

Lucy Valentine performs in Phillies, Dec. 9. / Korea Times photo by Jon DunbarBy Jon DunbarThe talented guitarist Jenn has been popping up more frequently all over Seoul's underground music scene lately. She plays guitar for the bands Sour Mango and Oily Rag, but her own project, Lucy Valentine, is also gaining a lot of attention.Named after the gore director Lucifer Valentine who made the film “Slaughtered Vomit Dolls,” Lucy Valentine the band puts on otherworldly, atmospheric shows. Jenn wails and channels her guitar through a multitude of effects pedals, accompanied by a drummer and bassist, but let's face it, everyone's eyes are on her. Some of her male fans have admitted they're terrified of her gaze, as there's something murky and possibly malevolent back there. “Hunter (of Oily Rag and Incestrul Lust) is constantly asking people how they can make eye contact with me, and I get lots of comments about it at shows,” Jenn said. “I told Yeawon (Rumkicks) and Christmas (18Fevers) about it, and they told me they thought I looked like a baby the firs

Dec 27, 2022By Jon Dunbar

Gothy shoegaze band Lucy Valentine has you in its sights

Korea set to introduce anti-abuse rules to better protect asylum-seekers

This June 2021 file photo shows a Moroccan man with his wrists and ankles bound behind his back at a detention facility for foreign nationals in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. Korea is set to introduce a set of new rules on March 6 to better protect inmates at government detention facilities for foreign nationals. Courtesy of Duroo Association for Public Interest LawMoroccan asylum-seeker files damage suit after 'torturous' treatmentBy Jung Min-hoKorea is set to introduce a set of new rules on March 6 to better protect asylum-seekers and others at government detention facilities for foreign nationals, a year after the country drew international criticism for the inhumane treatment of a detained Moroccan who sought asylum.In a statement sent to The Korea Times, the Ministry of Justice said it will improve the legal and administrative systems at such facilities nationwide to prevent human rights violations, such as the one criticized by many activists last year as torture-like treatment.What tools may be used to control defiant behavior will be codified more specifically under the revise

Dec 25, 2022By Jung Min-ho

Korea set to introduce anti-abuse rules to better protect asylum-seekers

Hong Kong, Mexican, Korean artists, DJs confront colonialism's continuities, unearth diverse local cultures

From left to right, artists Carmen Serra and Martina Manterola of Colectivo Amasijo, Anunta Intra-Aksorn, Michael Leung and artist-curator Park Eun-seon give artist talks on the opening day of the “Disturbants of land, breath, sound: Aesthetics of Post-colonial culture” exhibition at Coreana Museum of Art space*c, Dec. 3. / Courtesy of Charyeong Lee, Listen to the CityBy Elise YounWhen we think about the meaning of colonialism from the perspective of Korea, the first thing that comes to mind is the Japanese colonial era (1910-45), which ended with Japan's defeat in World War II and the Korean Peninsula's liberation. What we know as the “post-colonial” era then follows, encompassing the peninsula's division into the North and South, their occupation by the U.S. and USSR, the Korean War, the rise of communist and capitalist authoritarian regimes in the North and South, and the industrial and urban development, democratization and globalization of the South. But what if we reconsider the meaning of colonialism as a broader, ongoing phenomenon, as a majoritarian c

Dec 23, 2022

Hong Kong, Mexican, Korean artists, DJs confront colonialism's continuities, unearth diverse local cultures

Interview Santa enjoys spreading festive cheer in Korea

Santa Claus / Courtesy of the Salvation ArmyBy Rory KellyThe subject of this article needs no introduction, although you will, at best, have only met him once a year. Santa Claus, a man with his hands full this month, was generous enough to agree to an interview with The Korea Times.The first question that comes to mind is what would he like for Christmas? “A job well done is enough for Santa,” he says with a grin. Of course, we all envy a man who seemingly only works one day a year, but Santa assures that the rest of his year is busy too. He starts checking the Naughty and Nice Lists during the summer, to make sure that everyone is behaving well. And what of those fabled lists? What advice does he have for children hoping to be on the list that yields presents, rather than the one which gives only coal? Santa rewards children who listen to their parents, but is not so fond of kids who fight, use bad language and misbehave. Meeting the nice children is Santa's favorite part of the season, he insists. “People would assume it is delivering the presents,” he says

Dec 21, 2022By Jon Dunbar

[Interview] Santa enjoys spreading festive cheer in Korea

Canadians offer advice on enduring Korea's winters

People walk through central Seoul's Myeong-dong as heavy snowfall hit the nation, Dec. 15. / YonhapBy Jon DunbarMost parts of Korea have mild, short winters, at least according to most Canadians here. But that doesn't mean that we don't feel the cold the same as everyone else. We've had a lot of experience with worse weather and know how to cope ― although sometimes we can be surprised living in a country like Korea, which isn't as winterized as our hometowns. Canadians living in Korea were solicited for their advice on winter living here.“There's no such thing as bad weather, just soft people,” university professor Beau Leveille told The Korea Times, quoting Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman. He also recommended, “Take vitamin D to keep the sad away!”An Australian stands outside amid heavy snowfall, January 2017. Not a single Canadian who responded mentioned using umbrellas in winter. / Korea Times photo by Jon DunbarWhat to wearThe most common advice was to dress in layers. Layers make it easier to avoid overheating, because you can strip off a few items if you'

Dec 20, 2022By Jon Dunbar

Canadians offer advice on enduring Korea's winters

Snow to continue into afternoon

Number of immigrants in Korea down 2% in 2022

Former first lady Kim Jung-sook, 5th from right, claps during a meeting with a group of foreign Korea.net honorary reporters at the presidential office in Seoul in this May 20, 2019 file photo. Korea Times fileThe number of immigrants, including naturalized citizens, in Korea fell around 2 percent on-year in 2022 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the government data showed Tuesday.The number of immigrants here reached 1.35 million as of May 2022, down from 1.38 million tallied a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.Foreign nationals accounted for 1.3 million, down 2.2 percent on-year, with naturalized citizens taking up 52,000, up 5.6 percent over the period, the data showed.Among foreign nationals, those from China, including ethnic Koreans, accounted for 46.8 percent, trailed by Vietnam with 13 percent. Other Asian countries accounted for 30.1 percent.The data showed 64.8 percent of foreign nationals residing in Korea had jobs in 2022, up 0.6 percentage point from a year earlier. Naturalized citizens held a comparable figure of 65.3 percent, also up 1.7 percen

Dec 20, 2022

Number of immigrants in Korea down 2% in 2022

Temple Adventures Jesus' message at a Korean Buddhist temple

Rows of Nahan statues at Seonji Temple in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province / Courtesy of Dale QuarringtonBy Dale QuarringtonWhat would Christmas be like without eggnog, some turkey, Santa Claus and Jesus? And more pressingly, what does this all have to do with a Korean Buddhist temple? Well Seonji Temple in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, is the answer to this little riddle. But while the temple has no relation to eggnog, turkey or Jolly Old Saint Nick, it most certainly does with Jesus.Seonji Temple is a Buddhist temple located in the western part of Gimhae, in the foothills of diminutive Mount Gyeongun (377.2 meters). Seonji Temple is a modern temple, having been officially registered with the Korean government in 2007. Its name is in reference to the local village of Seonji, and it's also the name of a local pond, as well. Purportedly, there used to be a temple that once existed on the land that Seonji Temple now occupies until it fell into disrepair and disappeared altogether, but this is nothing more than speculation by some. For nearly 30 years, the current Seonji Temple wa

Dec 20, 2022By Jon Dunbar

[Temple Adventures] Jesus' message at a Korean Buddhist temple

Korea's residents of foreign nationality react to World Cup

Football fans cheer at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group H match between South Korea and Uruguay at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Nov. 24. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Ellie GoodwinFollowers of the Qatar World Cup have been treated to some dramatic and suspense-filled games these past few weeks. However, like all global sporting events, the possibility of good-natured rivalry coexists with that of hostility and potential xenophobia. The experiences of many foreign nationals in Korea show it to be a safe and inclusive surrogate country for those supporting their home teams while living abroad. Based on their experiences, British citizens George and Jennifer think that Korea has been far more foreigner-friendly than their own country. “If there's a big league game (in England), or a Euros game or the World Cup, then it's often followed up with news about how badly behaved the fans have been,” George said in an interview with The Korea Times. “I have friends in England who aren't English, and most of them have been on the receiving end of some verba

Dec 13, 2022

Korea's residents of foreign nationality react to World Cup

'Tis the season: Where to find the best sweets, treats and takeout this Christmas

By Hana CrispFor foreign residents living abroad, the holidays can be a lonely time. In Korea, even though Christmas is typically for couples rather than families, it can be hard for expats not to compare their local experience to past celebrations surrounded by loved ones.But seasonal treats, like a tender sugar cookie, a golden-crusted apple pie or a richly spiced mulled wine, can provide a little familiar comfort and festive cheer.This winter, forget about tracking down baking ingredients or paying a premium for butter ― for those who miss home (or the taste of home), here's a loving selection of local food and drinks that highlights Seoul's growing international culinary scene. These seasonal offerings make the perfect additions to your holiday table as well as excellent Christmas gifts.Sugar and spice and a little DIYFor many, Christmas means cookies, but this year, make it eco-conscious and sustainable. Plant Restaurant and Bakery's Christmas Cookie Tin features nine different types, including snowflake sugar cookies, tree-shaped thin mints and chocolate-covered pretzels ― and

Dec 13, 2022By Jon Dunbar

'Tis the season: Where to find the best sweets, treats and takeout this Christmas

SPECIAL REPORT Revealing dark side of Korea's entertainment industry, foreign actors seek protection of artists' rights

Actor Kenneth Fibbe speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at a studio in Los Angeles, Nov. 16. Korea Times photo by Kim Kang-minThis is the fourth and last piece in a four-part series of stories on 'artist and entertainer' visa holders in Korea supported by the Korea Press Foundation. This interactive digital journalism project features articles, photography and short documentary films that expose the systematic loopholes in Korea's E-6 visa management practices that are easily used to exploit foreign artists who come to the country with hopes to be part of the nation's arts and entertainment scene.'Even if I get to the top, I'd never be protected or respected'By Dong Sun-hwaLOS ANGELES, DENVER ― Since he arrived in Seoul in 2011, Kentucky-born actor Kenneth Fibbe had actively pursued his acting career with an E-6-1 visa ― a special permit for foreigners seeking to engage in profitable activities in the field of music, acting and the arts, among others. Fibbe appeared in a plethora of hit series like “Descendants of the Sun” (2016), starring A-list actors Song J

Dec 12, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa

Global Community