South Korea - The Korea Times

Refugees, adoptees call for more tolerance in Korea

People portrayed in the documentary “Belonging” speak during a preview event organized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Seoul office at The Plaza Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Jung Da-minBy Jung Da-minA sense of belonging is often taken for granted by many people. But for those who are adopted by families from other countries or who have been forced to leave their homeland due to war or other political reasons, becoming refugees, a sense of belonging becomes something that needs to be acquired. The process of acquiring a new sense of belonging in a new country is highly challenging mainly due to prejudice and discrimination they can face, which often stems from their different looks or religions.To tell stories of those seeking to acquire this new sense of belonging, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representation in the Republic of Korea has presented a documentary film, “Belonging.” The UNHCR's Seoul office held a preview event for the film at The Plaza Seoul, Monday.Directed by Paul Wu, who has been

Dec 14, 2021

Refugees, adoptees call for more tolerance in Korea

Advocacy group launched to improve labor conditions for Cambodian migrant workers

Foreign workers of Cambodian and other nationalities harvest lettuce in a greenhouse at a farm in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, in this Jan. 2 photo. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-hoBy Lee Hae-rinIn December last year, a Cambodian migrant worker in her 30s was found dead inside a greenhouse that was being used as accommodation for foreign workers at a farm in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province. The death shed light on the poor working and housing conditions of migrant workers here. A year has passed, but foreign employees in the agricultural sector still face long working hours despite government measures to improve labor conditions.To protect their rights, the South Gyeongsang Province Branch of the Korea Metal Workers' Union (KMWU) and 10 human rights organizations launched the “119 for Cambodian migrant workers” project in September. The KMWU branch joined the project as part of its commitment to solidarity with migrant workers.The initiative is aimed at providing nationwide administrative, legal and educational support for Cambodian migrant workers who face difficulties

Dec 14, 2021By Lee Hae-rin

Advocacy group launched to improve labor conditions for Cambodian migrant workers

French photographer visits same mountain 100 times

Romain poses with his camera and makeshift tripod on the slope of Mount Samseong, in the spot where he has been making his "Pines on cliff" photo series. / Courtesy of RomainBy Jon DunbarFrench photographer Romain found inspiration high up the slope of Mount Samseong, a 481-meter mountain standing in southwestern Seoul and Anyang, Gyeonggi Province. His muse? Two pine trees growing out of a rocky cliff, viewable from a vantage point about 20 meters off a not very well traveled path. They're the subject of his “Pines on cliff” photo exhibition, now being held at Donum Solis Winehouse near Hoegi Station in northeastern Seoul until Jan. 30. Five images from Romain's "Pines on cliff" photo series / Courtesy of RomainThe project started back in June 2020. “I was in Mount Samseong during a heavy summer rain, looking for compositions,” Romain, who had previously made a name for himself photographing cityscapes from high-up rooftops, told The Korea Times. “I was stepping off the trail every opportunity I got hoping to find gold. I found myself on a super windy r

Dec 14, 2021By Jon Dunbar

French photographer visits same mountain 100 times

RAS Korea RAS Korea digitizes art historian Jon Carter Covell's 2,000 photos

A cozy pavilion overlooks a body of water, from Jon Carter Covell's collection now being archived. / Courtesy of RAS Korea By Steven L. ShieldsBefore there was a “K” anything, Dr. Jon Carter Covell was Korea's biggest “K-fan.” Royal Asiatic Society (RAS) Korea has digitized her massive collection of more than 2,000 color slides, taken from the late 1970s to mid-1980s. So far, the project has been ongoing for almost one full year, thanks to Ms. Pak Ji-young volunteering to do the work by coming in one day a week. The project has required meticulous work since the slides were not adequately labeled nor well-organized. RAS Korea's volunteers will be consulting with several experts to finalize the categorization. Seoul City Hall in the late 1970s or early 1980s, from Jon Carter Covell's collection now being archived. / Courtesy of RAS Korea Several mor

Dec 7, 2021By Jon Dunbar

The Collective hosts 3rd annual Stories From Below art festival

Vocalist Ira Sullivan / Courtesy of Mallory DowdBy Chantal TerblancheThis weekend, The Collective will host the holiday edition of its Stories From Below arts festival, featuring a day of standup comedy, theater, drag performances, spoken word, live original music, a DJ, craft and visual art (which will be available for purchase) and more.This is the third such event from The Collective, a performance arts and production company, which has been hosting the Stories From Below festivals since 2019.“These events give us the opportunity to showcase musicians, spoken word talent, drag performers etc. while we fundraise to secure performance rights and venue space for upcoming full-stage productions,” the organizers told The Korea Times, adding that this year's event is also meant to bring a much-needed safe space for healing after what has been a very difficult period of downtime for so many in the creative arts scene.The Collective was born out of the desire to highlight artistic expression from underrepresented communities in a variety of creative platforms, with an emphasis

Dec 7, 2021

Korea Encounters 'Traitorous' translators tread carefully in Korean literature

English versions of Korean short stories, published in The Korea Times April 20, 1969. / Korea Times ArchiveBy Matt VanVolkenburgWhile the global success of Korean popular culture obviously owes a great deal to its creators, the popularity of the TV series “Squid Game,” Bong Joon-ho's Best Picture Oscar for “Parasite” and the winning of the Booker International Prize by Han Kang for her novel “The Vegetarian,” all owe a great deal to their translators. Having such a large pool of translators is a relatively new development, however, and in decades past, translation of Korean literature was considered less-than-stellar in both quality and quantity.In the 1960s Korean fiction was not well known outside the country, though classical stories had been translated by missionaries Homer Hulbert and James Gale in the 1900s. Gale, in particular, had published his translation of “Kim Man-jung's 17th-century novel “Cloud Dream of the Nine” in 1922. Though in 1968 missionary and translator Richard Rutt described this translation as a tremendou

Dec 7, 2021

South African singer-songwriter in Gwangju forges unique art event

A previous Creative Social event / Courtesy of Hillel KimLizz Kalo's 'Creative Social' brings music, poetry and a market for artists of all typesBy Daniel J. SpringerFor most weekend punters, the going out and “clubbing” experience can be rather predictable. Go to a bar, get a few drinks and some snacks, maybe play pool or some darts. Head out to a club, get down to some beats played by the DJ ― and generally pay a premium for it.However, there is a monthly event called Creative Social going on in Gwangju the first Saturday of every month curated by South African singer-songwriter Lizz Kalo that truly does break this mold in significant ways.Kalo, explaining the concept behind Creative Social, told The Korea Times that it “is a creative market that brings all kinds of people together, a platform to showcase art in all its forms,” including anything from music to poetry to dance to works of art for sale.Kalo, who originally hails from South Africa's Johannesburg, was concerned when moving to Gwangju two years ago and whether she could find an inclusive communit

Nov 30, 2021By Jon Dunbar

Punk label launches latest 'World Domination' plans at Club SHARP

The cover of "World Domination Vol. 4" / Courtesy of WDI KoreaBy Jon DunbarClub SHARP, one of Seoul's main punk venues in recent years, is opening its doors once again this Saturday for a show by World Domination, Inc. (WDI), Korea's hardest-working punk label. “Club SHARP is part of a trio of what most people consider the most important clubs in the local scene: SHARP, Hippytokki and GBN,” said Jeff Moses, co-founder of WDI and also lead singer of the punk band …Whatever That Means (WTM). “We're just happy to be able to play at one of our favorite venues and help them make a little money to keep the lights on. Hopefully, things will continue to open more and more, and they can get back to having shows more regularly.”WTM will be headlining the show, which is the release party for “World Domination Vol. 4,” the latest in a unique compilation series put out by the label. Each “World Domination” album, which is released on 7” vinyl and digital formats, features four bands from four countries playing one song each. The songs a

Nov 30, 2021By Jon Dunbar

Punk label launches latest 'World Domination' plans at Club SHARP

Photographer's dirty secret: flash is your friend

Sometimes just a tiny fleck of flash can make the subject pop without a harsh shadow, especially if there's nothing immediately behind them. / Courtesy of Michael HurtBy Michael HurtI've met so many “natural light photographers” who are convinced that “flash is so harsh and unnatural.” I've heard many a photographer ― especially after Seoul Fashion Week has swelled the ranks of street fashion photographers shooting outdoors ― say things like “I only like to shoot in natural light. It looks so much better.” This is just about as wrong as “I prefer the look of film because it has a warmer, more engaging feel.”This misunderstanding of flash is understandable, since although flash is technically easy to learn, it is hard to feel in control of as a photographer. Flash brightness is easily and subtly controllable by three easily adjustable things:Aperture: The aperture ring (measured by the f-stop) affects half of an exposure (in conjunction with shutter speed), depth-of-field and flash brightness. Open up to f5.6 and the flash appears bright

Nov 23, 2021

Photographer's dirty secret: flash is your friend

US indie artist recalls childhood in 1980s Korea

Griffith James / Courtesy of Griffith James By Daniel J. SpringerTo describe a debut album as “a lifetime in the making,” is a level of cliche that will usually induce emphatic eye rolls and loud sighs from just about everyone. However, in the case of “Comfortably High,” by Griffith James, such a statement is indeed true on multiple levels.For one, there's his upbringing within the International Church of Christ (ICC). Then there's his years of living as a mistrustful homeless youth in Seattle and San Francisco. There were 10 years of collecting the pixels bit by bit of the album, “wandering” and “putting many disparate pieces under the same roof,” experiencing the life of the teenage transient and busking street musician, amongst other things.And finally, you have “Comfortably High,” released Sept. 17, which only started with the idea of the artist recording maybe a couple singles with Denver-based indie darlings, Tennis, who went on to produce this album. It all a

Nov 23, 2021By Jon Dunbar

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