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All-rounder Jennifer Lee takes pride in her multicultural background

Jennifer Lee, grand prize winner of the 11th Multicultural Youth Awards, demonstrates a figure skating pose in her classroom at Sangtap Elementary School in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Nov. 28. The sixth grader loves doing sports such as figure skating, swimming and running. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulGrand Prize winner of The Korea Times' 11th Multicultural Youth AwardsBy Lee Hyo-jin Jennifer Lee, a sixth grader at Sangtap Elementary School in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, is a multi-talented student who excels in her studies as well as extracurricular activities.Born to a Mexican mother and a Korean father, she naturally speaks Spanish and Korean. She also speaks German and English, both of which she has learned since her early childhood in Mexico.Lee was born in Korea in 2010. At the age of two, her family moved to Queretaro, a city in central Mexico, and lived there until she was nine. After they came back to Korea in 2019, Lee began her school life here from the third grade of elementary school.“To be honest, it was quite difficult to adapt to classes at first, bec

Korean gov't hints at depriving non-citizens of right to vote

gettyimagesbankJustice minister vows to reform system based on principle of reciprocityBy Jung Min-hoThe Ministry of Justice is mulling over revising Korea's voting system, possibly taking away the voting rights of non-citizens in local elections, according to Minister Han Dong-hoon. Only two weeks prior to the June 1 local elections, Kim Eun-hye, then the Gyeonggi gubernatorial candidate of the ruling People Power Party, said giving non-citizens the right to vote is unfair as most Koreans living overseas do not enjoy the same right. Her message was aimed at then rival candidate Kim Dong-yeon, who was campaigning at an event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Korea-China diplomatic relations in front of many Chinese F-5 visa (permanent residency) holders in Suwon. She lost by just 8,900 votes in the election for the post that governs more than 13.5 million residents. That was far fewer than the 50,000 votes of permanent residents of foreign nationality, mostly Chinese, in the province.The result can be seen as an example of F-5 permanent resident visa holders possibly swinging the

Migrant rights groups call for investigation into sudden death of Nepalese worker

Migrant workers hold a rally near Seoul Station, Aug. 21, calling for better working conditions. YonhapBy Lee Hyo-jin Local migrants' rights groups are calling for a thorough investigation into the recent death of a Nepalese worker at a meat factory, as they view that the death could be related to harsh working conditions. Birendra Tamang, 25, who was working in a meat factory in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, was found dead in his dormitory on Nov. 27, according to the police. His death occurred some five months after he was hired to work there.While the police are yet to disclose the autopsy results, migrant rights activists are demanding a full investigation into possible health issues related to harsh labor conditions and long working hours.The Nepali worker entered Korea in early July with an E-9 work visa, which guarantees a stay of up to four years and 10 months under the Employment Permit System (EPS). The employment scheme, operated by the Ministry of Labor and Employment, brings in migrant laborers from 16 countries, mostly in Southeast Asia, to fill quotas needed in i

Author Jeffrey Miller's 'No Way Out' evokes 1990s expat experience in Korea

The cover of "No Way Out" by Jeffrey Miller / Courtesy of Jeffrey MillerBy Luke Doyle When asked to review Jeffrey Miller's “No Way Out” ― a soon-to-be-released crime fiction novel set against the backdrop of Seoul in the 1990s ― the old expat in me formed expectations from the get-go of how the writer would present a Korea of the past through the eyes of a foreign national.Miller has lived in Korea for over three decades and has a bibliography of at least 10 books, a number of which have centrally Korean themes. “No Way Out,” published by Winding Road Stories, is this reviewer's first experience with his work. In “No Way Out,” from the first sentence, the tone is set explicitly as the protagonist, Robert, wakes up from a boozy night in an unfamiliar bed next to a corpse and begins a descent into his very own expat nightmare ― one in which he will battle for his freedom and ultimately his own life.Rewind, Robert, a 32-year-old American with an MA in English, is leading an unsatisfying life until he sees a possibility for something new, when he land

Indie musician Stella Donnelly rejects activist label

Stella Donnelly / Courtesy of Olivia SeniorBy Jamie FinnSince emerging onto the indie-pop scene in 2017, Stella Donnelly's songs have become symbols for social change. Many people first heard of her when the song “Boys Will Be Boys” became an anthem for the #MeToo movement. Yet the Australian never intended to be the voice of a movement. Ahead of her show in Seoul on Dec. 6, she told The Korea Times why.Donnelly's music is deceptively personal. Her lyrics explore her experiences of the world ― in particular, her experiences with men. And even more particularly, her experiences with terrible men. This led one critic to describe her first full-length album, “Beware of the Dogs,” as "a musical encyclopedia of male assholes." Yet, even though she writes from what she describes as "a very personal place," her songs often touch on near-universal themes. "Music for me is always about whatever is going on in my life at the moment of writing a song," she said in an interview. "Sometimes I am experiencing something that many other people can relate to, which I guess mak

Temple Adventures Mysterious legends surround Gwanchok Temple's 'Future Buddha' statue

The massive Eunjin Mireuk-bul statue at Gwanchok Temple in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province / Courtesy of Dale Quarrington By Dale QuarringtonYou might not know the name of the statue. And you might not know the name of the temple where the statue is housed. In fact, you might not even know the city or the province where you might find this historic national treasure. However, once your eyes meet the “Stone Standing Maitreya Bodhisattva of Gwanchoksa Temple” you can't help but feel its peaceful paradoxical peculiarity. The “Stone Standing Maitreya Bodhisattva of Gwanchoksa Temple,” which is also known as the “Eunjin Mireuk-bul” [Future Buddha], is located at Gwanchok Temple in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province. The Eunjin Mireuk-bul statue stands an impressive 18.12 meters in height, and it was first made from 968 to 1006 A.D. Additionally, it's the largest historic stone Buddha in all of Korea. The Eunjin Mireuk-bul has an oblong head with two piercing cat-like

Korea's struggle with institutionalized mental healthcare

SPECIAL REPORT 'I was falsely accused of theft': foreign entertainer recalls painful memories of bullying by Korean agency

Seoul-based model/actress Renee Simone speaks during a recent interview with The Korea Times at a studio in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukThis is the third 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.US-born model lays bare how Korea's E-6 visa system can be abusedBy Dong Sun-hwaSeoul-based model/actress Renee Simone was spending time with her family at her home in New Jersey when she received a shocking message from her friend in Korea. According to the message, she had been accused of theft by her Korean management company.“Unbeknownst to me, the agency reported me to the police and requested damages and fees, claiming I had stolen money from them

From party house to tea party: JustBe Temple offers new paths to Zen Buddhism

An altar is set up in JustBe. / Courtesy of Hana Crisp By Hana Crisphanaleecrisp@gmail.comBop Yo Sunim, a Zen Buddhist nun from Japan, was only planning to stay overnight at JustBe Temple ― a newly opened guesthouse and meditation center not far from Hongik University. “I just came for one day,” she told The Korea Times, pouring hot water into a small pot of black pearl tea. “And then one day became two days, one week became two weeks and one month will become two months.” When June Han Sunim (sunim is the Korean title for a Buddhist nun or monk) invited her to stay longer, she initially hesitated because she didn't know what she had to offer. “But he said, 'No, it doesn't matter ― please, just be with us!' And these words really melted something inside of me,” she recounted. “Everywhere you go, you have to be somebody. Here, they allow you to be yourself, just be. It's not just a concept.”June Han Sunim, 45, and Baek Dham Sunim, 48, first conceived of the idea for

Variety show offers comedy, music, magic to help overcome tragedy in Itaewon

A poster for the "11.18 for 10.29" event being held this Friday to raise funds to help bereaved families who lost their loved ones in the Oct. 29 crowd disaster in Itaewon / Courtesy of Kristen PimleyBy Rory KellyMany cultural events in Seoul were canceled following the tragedy in Itaewon on Oct. 29, as a sign of respect for those lost and to give the populace time to mourn. However, cultural events can also have the capacity to heal and one event, titled “11.18 for 10.29,” is intended to do just that. All proceeds from the show, to be held at The Studio HBC this Friday, will be put towards helping the families who lost their loved ones in the crowd disaster. A variety show, it features two bands, a magician and four comedians. Organizers promised that no jokes will be made about the Halloween tragedy. Seeking to give people solace but also to show the families of those affected that “there is a community who are ready to support them,” Kris James, one of the show's organizers, thinks that art “can help people cope.” James stresses that he didn't h