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Where to learn about traditional Indian yoga

The yoga studio Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center in Seoul / Courtesy of Swami Vivekananda Culture CenterBy Kim Ji-sooYoga and pilates are becoming highly popular in Korea, in addition to the ubiquitous aerobic and gym classes that exist in every neighborhood. The Yoga “population” in Korea has grown to about 2 million in recent years and there are even hopeful predictions that the number of yoga buffs will increase to 5 million creating a large market valued at 4 trillion won.Yoga enthusiasts mostly tend to be woman, with a few men in the classes, who also like to sign up for both national and international yoga retreats. While international retreats are infrequent, word of mouth among yoga lovers is that Bali is the place to go for a non-stop yoga holiday, an idea that nation's leading tourist companies are seizing on.But having experienced yoga in Mumbai, in Korea and from American teachers, there was always this curiosity on this reporter's mind about the yoga class offered at the Indian cultural center in Hannam-dong, Seoul. The upside to this center may be that one

Feb 18, 2020By Kim Ji-soo

Where to learn about traditional Indian yoga

SpoonMe brings back vegan cuisine after year-long hiatus

Karen Sylvana prepares vegan meals in the kitchen./Robert Michael EvansBy Hallie BradleyEating healthy isn't just a diet ― it's a lifestyle that SpoonMe's founder Karen Sylvana wants to provide to everyone through satisfying fresh meals.After a year-long hiatus, SpoonMe is back with pop-ups and private catering. Canadian entrepreneur Sylvana started SpoonMe in 2016 to showcase her passion for food and to educate people on delicious, healthy vegan meal options. After a few pop-ups in 2016, the company quickly garnered a following among Seoulites both local and foreign, and launched a weekly meal service through Shuttle, a popular local delivery service. The company continued to expand its reach by partnering with catering company Crave, to launch four vegan bowls that became available on Market Kurly, an online grocery delivery platform. Suddenly the one-woman kitchen was a full production business running six days a week and delivering food nationwide. “A highlight of that first year in operation was landing a contract with NBC during the 2018 Olympics and stocking their grab-

Feb 18, 2020

SpoonMe brings back vegan cuisine after year-long hiatus

What foreign patients should know about being admitted to Korean hospitals

Employees screening for possible symptoms of fever related to new coronavirus at Severance Hospital in Seoul. Korea Times photo by Jon DunbarBy Jon DunbarA hospital stay is by nature an unpleasant and burdensome experience. Being admitted to a hospital in Korea is perhaps more pleasant than in many other countries, but there are still many cultural peculiarities a foreign patient should be aware of.The following recommendations are written based on two extended hospital stays at one of the country's top hospitals, both of which were serious enough that my mobility was limited. Experiences may vary at other hospitals.By the time I was discharged, I was glad to escape, but sad to say goodbye to the nurses who cared for me for three weeks.Which hospitalsIn an emergency you may not have the option, but some hospitals are better than others and it is best to get into a reputable one. Reputation goes a long way toward measuring the quality of healthcare you'll receive. The top five, all in or near Seoul, are Samsung Medical Center, Asan Medical Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Y

Feb 18, 2020By Jon Dunbar

What foreign patients should know about being admitted to Korean hospitals

South Korea reports 15 more cases of novel coronavirus, total at 46

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Museum explores 1950s Korean cinema The Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch (RASKB) offers a special guided tour of the exhibit “1950s Korean Film, Moving into a New Epoch” at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History tonight (Feb. 19).The exhibit looks at the mid to late 1950s in Korean film, a time of rapid growth during the reconstruction period following the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. It was in this period that Chungmuro became the center of Korean cinema, and filmmakers experimented with genres, making vivid films portraying the rapid societal changes happening in the country.Following the guided tour, Korea Times movie columnist Jason Bechervaise will give a special presentation on Korean filmmaking history.Participation is free but space is limited. Visit raskb.com for more information or to RSVP.AMCHAM lunch with Mark KnapperMark Knapper served as the charge d'affaires and deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, before becoming acting ambassador for that long period after Donald Trump's election until Ambassador Harry Harris was appointed. Knapper is

Feb 18, 2020By Kim Ji-soo

Foreign population in Korea tops 2.5 million

The nation's foreign population exceeded 1 million in August 2007 and 2 million in June 2016.The number of foreigners staying in South Korea increased nearly 7 percent last year, topping 2.5 million for the first time, government data showed Monday.According to data released by the Ministry of Justice, 2,524,656 foreigners were residing in the country as of the end of 2019, marking a rise of 6.6 percent from a year earlier and a 3.7 percent on-month increase.The nation's foreign population exceeded 1 million in August 2007 and 2 million in June 2016.The foreign population of over 2.5 million accounts for 4.9 percent of the nation's total population, which was 51.64 million as of 2018.The academic world usually classifies a nation as a multicultural society, if its percentage of foreigners is in excess of 5 percent. By the criteria, South Korea now appears to be on the threshold of becoming a multicultural society.The ministry noted 68.6 percent, or 1,731,803, of the foreign residents are long-term stayers registered with authorities, with the remaining 31.4 percent short-term stayers

Feb 17, 2020

Foreign population in Korea tops 2.5 million

5 things to Do this Valentine's Day in Seoul

By Hallie BradleyValentine's Day is just the first of a few romantic holidays on the calendar in Korea. It is celebrated traditionally with women gifting their beaus chocolates and other goodies to show their admiration and adoration. Not to worry though; on March 14, or White Day, it's up to the men to shower women with gifts in return. Though this has been true for some time, in recent years both Valentine's Day and White Day have been the target of a pretty heavy onslaught of retail marketing to promote both days in order to drum up more business. For the consumer it means there will be plenty to do, buy and enjoy for Valentine's Day, and beyond really. It's not difficult to find little gifts of chocolates and flowers in various romantic shapes and sizes in every convenience store on the block. Many restaurants will cater to the holiday by preparing special settings where all of the tables will be placed with just two chairs with the romantic couple in mind. Here are five ideas for things to do if you want to get out and about and celebrate your love in style.Seoul Sky & Dinne

Feb 11, 2020

5 things to Do this Valentine's Day in Seoul

Korean spatial designer creates installation for global human rights

The installation tells the stories of six young activists who have been arrested and detained for advocating human rights. / Courtesy of Amnesty InternationalBy Celeste KrielThe latest Amnesty International letter-writing campaign, “Write for Rights,” focuses on young activists around the world that have been unjustly detained for their efforts in fighting against human rights abuses. Amnesty International approached Korean furniture and spatial designer You Hye-mi to design an installation that would shed light on each of the individual activist's stories in an interactive campaign, and encourage people to write letters in support of the activists to pressure their governments into releasing the detainees. You, who is an expert in storytelling through spatial design and carpentry, expresses her love for design and stories through her brand smallstudiosemi. All You's designs tell a story, whether she's designing a space for an exhibition or furniture for a client. Artist You Hye-mi“The furniture I make tells the story of whoever is using it. For example, a long time

Feb 4, 2020

Korean spatial designer creates installation for global human rights

Companies team up to bridge aesthetic gap in cosmetic surgery industry

A multitude of billboards for cosmetic surgery clinics line a street in Apgujeong, southern Seoul in this 2012 file photo. / Korea Times fileBy Celeste KrielBanobagi Plastic Surgery and Aesthetics have teamed up with medical concierge company Seoul Cosmetic Surgery to assist in bridging the Korean cosmetic surgery industry and the unique medical and aesthetic needs of expats in Korea, as well as tourists coming to Korea specifically for cosmetic treatments and surgeries. They have recently been hosting events specifically for foreigners in Korea to educate them on safe practices within the industry. With “K-everything” (K-pop, K-drama, K-beauty) becoming a ubiquitous rising trend in many facets of culture around the world, the Korean beauty industry has been making a name for itself in various facets including makeup, skincare and cosmetic surgery, while Seoul has become one of the most desired destinations for plastic surgery because of its highly experienced doctors, and advanced techniques and technology. While social media has influenced the normalization of cosmetic

Jan 30, 2020

Companies team up to bridge aesthetic gap in cosmetic surgery industry

Korean universities' virus fear as Chinese students return for new semester

A student looks at a notice of temporary closure of a lecture building at Yonsei University's campus in Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapFears over the new Wuhan coronavirus appear to be spreading to university campuses in South Korea as a large number of Chinese students return from winter vacation.Amid growing concern about the new virus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, South Korean university students, particularly those with Chinese roommates, are growing restless as their Chinese fellows return to campus ahead of the spring semester.According to Statistics Korea, the number of foreign students studying in South Korea as of last April last was 160,165. Of them, nearly half ― 71,067 ― were Chinese.A student of Ewha Womans University urged authorities at her school to take appropriate quarantine measures, while a Seoul National University (SNU) student living in a campus dormitory stressed that face masks and hand sanitizer should be supplied to the dormitory."My dormitory has a shared bathroom and shower,” the student said. “The school needs to thoroughly question

Jan 29, 2020

Korean universities' virus fear as Chinese students return for new semester

Chinese art-rock band Guiguisuisui returns to Korea

Guiguisuisui By Jon DunbarTwo-piece art theater performance project Guiguisuisui is returning to Korea for the first time since 2014 ― and it will be member Dann Gaymer's third tour here since he left Korea in 2011. The band's name is quite a mouthful, but Gaymer says the simplest translation is “sneaky.” “But the characters are related to ghosts as the supernatural, so it's kind of like you're sneaky due to supernatural powers or something beyond this mortal realm, which ties in with the aesthetic of transcendent rituals and oblique HP Lovecraft references,” he told The Korea Times. “The choice of this name came from the fact that my dad has been performing with various lineups under the name Sneaky for over 30 years so as an ode to him I chose to be Sneaky in Chinese.”Gaymer started Guiguisuisui as a fairly standard foreign rock act, but after adding his wife as his musical partner, the group has undergone a complete transformation.“It happened very organically,” he said. The band used to be a solo project and was very much cente

Jan 21, 2020By Jon Dunbar

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