South Korea - The Korea Times

Movie screening stresses need for bicycles

Bicycles are parked at a bike rack in downtown Seoul in this 2018 file photo. / Korea Times photo by Jon DunbarBy Jon DunbarWhat does it mean to cycle in a city like Seoul flooded by cars? Can Seoul become a bike-friendly city like Copenhagen?A free screening will be held at Seoul Global Cultural Center in Myeong-dong this Saturday of the award-winning documentary “Bikes vs. Cars” by Swedish filmmaker Fredrik Gertten. The film looks at the challenges facing cyclists in Sao Paulo, Los Angeles and Copenhagen, but Seoul-based viewers can take some key lessons from it. “The most important lesson shown in the documentary is that there is a need for bicycle infrastructure,” said Nikola Medimorec, a German green transport expert based in Seoul who will be leading a discussion session after the screening. “We can all clearly see that cities and decision-makers prioritize cars on our streets and in urban planning. Car driving is highly subsidized and the vast majority of cities are built around car use. It can be seen how the human scale is greatly ignored and hu

Apr 16, 2019By Jon Dunbar

Movie screening stresses need for bicycles

There's gold in them thar hills

From left: Fred Dustin, unidentified Canadian, Herb Gidney, Lou Nonini (Koryo's mining engineer), Roland Tims and Gladys Caughran. Circa July 1969. / Robert Neff CollectionBy Steven L. ShieldsGold mining is not and has never been one of Korea's major industries. Nonetheless, there was a lot of mining done during the 20th century. Millions and millions of “dollars” worth of gold were mined by British, American and Japanese concerns. Gold mining on the Korean Peninsula may have been done as early as 1100 BC. There are many grave goods ― gold crowns and the like ― that testify to the availability of the precious mineral.Edwin W. Mills, who was connected with mining operations in Korea for over 10 years prior, gave a comprehensive paper to the Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch (RASKB), published 1916. In the paper, he collated information from mining company officials, government data and historical records, dating to the 1880s. Mills told his listeners that Korea's geology was favorable to gold deposits, because of recent volcanic rock intruding into more ancient geological

Apr 16, 2019By Jon Dunbar

RASKB lecture examines changing gender dynamics of cooking in Korea

Image courtesy of RASKB By Jon DunbarIt's no secret that cooking is a heavily gendered activity, both here in Korea and around the world. Jennifer Flinn, an anthropologist working as an assistant professor at Kyung Hee University, will give a lecture next Tuesday for the Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch (RASKB) introducing how changes in demographics, family structures and even kitchens themselves are changing how food is made.“Gender is in everything, so of course it gets played out in cookbooks!” she told The Korea Times. “Like a lot of gendered labor, both women and men cook... but when women do it, it's viewed as something they should be doing because it's their role. When men cook for their own families, people often view it as strange or a bonus thing they do in their own homes instead of just normal household work.”She will share her collection of cookbooks that present unique and new perspectives of gender. “Right now we see a lot of books that continue to

Apr 9, 2019By Jon Dunbar

RASKB lecture examines changing gender dynamics of cooking in Korea

Joseon Images Korea's first foreign hotels in 1880s Jemulpo

Jemulpo in the late 1880s or early 1890s. Daibuts Hotel is the large multi-storied building in the center. / Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffIn the 1880s, Jemulpo (part of modern Incheon) was a thriving port bustling with merchants, a few curious tourists from steamships and large numbers of sailors from foreign warships which visited frequently. The warship commanders would often allow their sailors to go ashore, explore and, generally, become quite drunk with the expectation they would return to the ship the following morning sober and on time. The sailors mostly behaved but the naval log books reveal there were some who ran afoul of the rules. Most were charged with insubordination, drunkenness, fighting with sailors from other warships or being absent without leave. Their punishments were usually confinement in double irons for a couple days with a diet of bread and water and, in severe cases, demotions.One of the sailors' most popular drinking spots, found in the General Foreign Settlement, was at the “spacious but somewhat barn-like structure bearing the imposing titl

Apr 9, 2019

[Joseon Images] Korea's first foreign hotels in 1880s Jemulpo

Pro Wrestling Society set to bodyslam Seoul

Wrestlers pose in a poster for Pro Wrestling Society's upcoming event in Seoul on Sunday, April 14. Courtesy of Pro Wrestling SocietyBy Jon DunbarIt was a little less than a year ago that Pro Wrestling Society (PWS) began promoting its events here in Korea. It has held a handful of monthly pro wrestling events at its gym in a remote location in Pyeongtaek, and things have been going so well that the men and women of PWS are bringing their show to Seoul this Sunday.Shiho, one of PWS' wrestlers and trainers, attributes the success to the community it has formed.“Lots of hard work of members of PWS ― great matches of our wrestlers, media team, management team and our sponsor ― made it possible,” he told The Korea Times. “It will be the watershed for us to prove that pro wrestling is a very fun culture for anybody regardless of age or gender. We are very hyped up to show people what we have.”One impressive factor in this community has been the stability of members, with few leaving and only more talent coming in.“We have been maintaining a stable roster whic

Apr 9, 2019By Jon Dunbar

Pro Wrestling Society set to bodyslam Seoul

S. Korea emerges as most favorite destination for Vietnamese women: survey

South Korea emerged as the most favorite destination among Vietnamese women, according to a survey released Monday.The survey, conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City-based market research firm Q&Me in March with 1,200 adults, showed that 20 percent of the respondents chose South Korea as their favorite country to visit, with Japan topping the list of favorite countries at 24 percent.In the survey, however, 23 percent of all the female respondents said they prefer to visit South Korea, making the East Asian country their most favorite destination. Nineteen percent of the female respondents opted for Japan, which came in second place.Among the male respondents, Japan was the top destination at 32 percent, compared with South Korea at 15 percent, the survey said.It also revealed the choice of tourist destinations by Vietnamese people are influenced by landscape at 48 percent, culture at 43 percent, food at 25 percent and entertainment at 15 percent.Vietnamese people got information on the places they want to visit mostly through friends, Facebook and websites.Citing a report by global ma

Apr 8, 2019

S. Korea emerges as most favorite destination for Vietnamese women: survey

Mr. Woo: Woodstock, Itaewon

By David TizzardLate Woo Il-sungWoodstock in Itaewon had one of the fabulous quirks of fate where the person most synonymous with the venue had a name that was remarkably similar. The man, the legend, the keeper of live music in the town: Mr. Woo. Mr. Woo (Woo Il-sung) sadly passed away this week. His departure from the mortal coil was a shock to many and immediately resulted in a tangible outpouring of grief. Messages were sent from far and wide. People in various continents relayed what news they had heard and consoled each other. But then something remarkable happened. Something that spoke of who he was better than this article might ever hope.Facebook was flooded with tributes, stories, pictures, and memories of Mr. Woo. Politics and bickering were left aside and the community came together to pay homage to him. And everyone had a story to tell because both Woodstock and Mr. Woo had left an indubitable mark on their lives and experiences here in South Korea. You could never be quite sure what would happen when you walked into Woodstock. It would range from anywhere in between bei

Apr 5, 2019By David A. Tizzard

Busan receives foreign students' applications for W1 million scholarship

By Park Si-sooBusan City and the Busan Foundation for International Cooperation (BFIC) are receiving applications from foreign students for a state scholarship worth up to 1 million won ($881). They will receive applications until April 17 and beneficiaries (up to 22 people) will be selected based on undisclosed standards. Applicants have to be in an undergraduate or graduate course at a Busan university, hold a D-2 visa, have more than a year left to graduate, have TOPIK level 3 or higher, and be registered with the “1365 Volunteer Portal.” Further details are available on BFIC's website.Selected foreign students will have to partake in volunteer activities hosted by the city and the BFIC in exchange for receiving the scholarship.

Apr 3, 2019

Busan receives foreign students' applications for W1 million scholarship

Foreign Line

FAME hosts networking partyThis Friday at 8 p.m., Blackmarket in Itaewon and the FAME Creators Network host their first networking party for creators. To be held the first Friday of each month, the event is dedicated to facilitate networking and to support creative professionals in fashion, art, music and entertainment.The event also offers performances, including by singer Elliott and magician Jay, as well as an art exhibition by King Scribbler and a music video premiere by Saulo Aroca.Tickets cost 11,000 won in advance or 15,000 won at the door. Visit?fb.com/famecreatorsnetwork?for more informationRASKB tours Yonsei's Underwood historyInternationally, the name Underwood was synonymous with typewriters. But in Korea, Underwood represents one of the longest-lasting Western families in Korea. Horace G. Underwood was one of the earliest missionaries to Korea, a confidant to King Gojong and the founder of Yonsei University, as well as a founding member of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch (RASKB) in 1900. His great-grandson Peter Underwood, still a member of today's RASKB living in

Apr 2, 2019By Kim Ji-soo

Korea Encounters Arbor Day and the reforestation of Korea

By Matt VanVolkenburgUpon liberation from Japan in 1945, Korea's landscape was less than picturesque. Decades of timber exploitation by the Japanese and use of firewood by Koreans to heat homes had depleted Korea's forests and left most of its mountains barren.To deal with this pressing problem, the first Arbor Day was proclaimed in 1946. April 5 soon became a “holiday” during which officials, students, soldiers and regular citizens were marshalled to take part in tree-planting activities. American officials and soldiers also donated trees and labor.By 1957, 358 million saplings were being planted annually. The government exhorted citizens to plant by urging them to “regain their ancient aura of beauty of the land and to recapture our past remembrance of mild, warm and kind humanity prevalent among our people,” and had them sing the “Reforestation Song.”A lack of budget and commitment from the Syngman Rhee government, however, led to less-than-stellar results. This began to change after the military coup led