South Korea - The Korea Times

Kontrast creates art, collaboration, community

Loren Hutchison and Scott Fuzion, co-founders of Kontrast / Courtesy of KontrastBy Celeste Kriel Kontrast, an interactive experience featuring fashion, music and art connecting professional and aspiring creatives, made its debut on Dec. 15 at Paper Street Cafe in Jung-gu, central Seoul, and will be presenting its second episode Saturday, Jan. 26.The creative content collaboration event kicked off episode one featuring a lookbook party, with a photoshoot set up on the first and second floors of the three-story art and cafe space, DJs and an art pop-up showcase on the third floor, with partygoers jamming all around.All three floors were buzzing with creative energy all day and well into the night with music pumping from the speakers on each floor, people mingling, a dance party on the third floor and models posing and cameras clicking in the middle of it all. It was a chance for attendees to immerse themselves in music, fashion and art. The first episode featured popular DJs on the Seoul music scene such as MONIKA and Ligrye, and special guest artist HootnAnnie who showcased her limite

Jan 2, 2019

Sexy Seoul chefs pose for pin-up calendar

The 2019 Seoul Sexy Chef Calendar shows (from left) Cha Du-ri of Just BLT; Robbie Nguyen, Philip Abowd and Bobby Kim of Southside Parlor; and Chuck Chun of California Kitchen & Craft Pub. / Courtesy of Joe McPherson Sexy Seoul chefs pose for pin-up calendarBy Jon DunbarIt's 2019, which means time to open up a new calendar. Twelve months of Seoul chefs in pinup poses sounds like the unlikeliest of calendars, but it's printed and ready.Based on a poll in the Facebook group Restaurant Buzz Seoul, owners of 12 restaurants, bars and food producers were selected to pose. This includes Linus Kim of Linus' Bama Style Barbecue, Wendell Louie of Mix & Malt and Pussyfoot Saloon and Becca Baldwin of Lumi Kombucha. According to calendar co-producer Dan Suh, the idea for the calendar came from a conversation between himself and The Sool Company co-founder Julia Mellor. They thought up a calendar that could benefit three parties: for a charity, for the participating businesses and

Jan 1, 2019By Jon Dunbar

Inside and outside the gates of Yongsan Garrison

Marsha Altvater explores an old neighborhood near where she grew up in Samgakji, on a visit during last Chuseok. / Courtesy of Yongsan Legacy By Marsha AltvaterWhen I arrived in Korea, they were celebrating Chuseok. I found it ironic that my return coincided with the celebration of Koreans returning to their hometowns to pay respects to their ancestors. I had returned to my ancestral home, Yongsan. In my own personal way I paid homage to my Korean ancestors, too. I was in Yongsan in mid-September last year to participate in a tour for military retirees by Dragon Hill Lodge, after leaving 54 years ago as a child. I thought I would be emotional when I finally arrived in Seoul, but I did not feel any different than I normally do when I go on a tour. I shocked myself. I realized it was unfamiliar, like many places I explore and learn about during my travels. What would I find inside and outside the gates around my childhood home? Would there be anything left that I reme

Jan 1, 2019By Jon Dunbar

Yongsan Legacy Returning to Yongsan, in search of long-lost family

Filipino Xmas festivities mark cash remitter's expansion in Seoul

Members of the Seoul Filipino Catholic Community sing carols in front of GME Remittance's new Hyehwa Branch in Hyehwa-dong area in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Dec. 23. Photos courtesy of GME RemittanceBy Ko Dong-hwanThe joy of Filipinos celebrating Christmas in Korea highlighted the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the sixth branch of a Seoul-based multinational money remittance service.The celebration marking the expansion of Global Money Express Remittance took place at Hyehwa Rotary in Seoul's Jongno-gu District on Dec. 23. Dozens of Filipino community members, business officials and people from other foreign communities joined in the traditional Filipino Christmas prayers and blessings, entitled “Paskong Kay Saya.”Father Jude, a Catholic Filipino community priest active in Gyeonggi Province districts, including the city of Cheonan, led the prayers, blessing GME's CEO John Sung, the company's director Mr. Subash and chief finance officer Mr. Choi. The Filipinos told The Korea Times that religion was “the strongest binder of the community.”Filipino staff from GME Remittanc

Dec 30, 2018By Ko Dong-hwan

Filipino Xmas festivities mark cash remitter's expansion in Seoul

Cityscapes Celebrating Christmas in Seoul's underground river

An urban explorer dressed as Santa Claus shoots fireworks in the Bone Tunnel underneath Seoul's streets. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun By Ron BandunIt's Christmas again, and Santa Claus is somewhere deep beneath Seoul, knee-deep in benzene-polluted water, armed with fireworks and firing bolts of fire at shadows moving in the dark.Every Christmas, I put on a Santa suit and visit the underground river where the 2006 film “The Host” was set. In the movie, a monster ― mutated by formaldehyde poured into a drain on Yongsan Garrison ― attacks Yeouido, killing and abducting people back to its subterranean lair north of the river. The family members of one girl follow the monster in, and so every Christmas a small group of urban explorers traces their courageous steps.This ritualistic walk started in 2009, after I learned of the location from an internationally famous urban explorer known for her nude photography. She told me when she visited in the summer, it smelled awful and

Dec 25, 2018

[Cityscapes] Celebrating Christmas in Seoul's underground river

Cityscapes Saying farewell to Yongsan Pochachon…again

Korean-British band Wooze launches Korea tour

Theo Spark, left, and Jamie Shie of the Korean-British band Wooze, visit Seoul earlier this year for the filming of the music video for their song "Party Without Ya." / Courtesy of Hijinkx By Jon DunbarTheo Spark and Jamie Shie are intimately familiar with Korean culture. Now it is Korea's turn to get to know a lot more about the pair, who make up the genre-bending Korean-British musical duo Wooze.The two played together previously in indie-pop band Screaming Peaches. They decided to form Wooze so they could have a house band at Muddy Yard, the art collective where they both live in London. In forming Wooze last November, Theo ― whose Korean name is Tay-ho ― has been drawing on his Korean heritage for inspiration for this band.“Being Korean is something he didn't really mention before in previous bands as it didn't seem to be very relevant but it does now for Wooze as it is a part of our band's identity,” the band members told The Korea Times in an email interview.

Dec 25, 2018By Jon Dunbar

Korean-British band Wooze launches Korea tour

S. Korea grants refugee status to Chinese broker for N. Korean defectors

Jeju Immigration Service. From YonhapThe immigration office on South Korea's southernmost island of Jeju said Saturday it has granted refugee status to a Chinese smuggler who helped hundreds of North Koreans defect to the South.The office under the Ministry of Justice said that an F-2 permit was issued to Tu Airong, 55, on Friday.It is the third case of refugee approval by the Jeju immigration authority following the cases of two Yemeni asylum seekers last week.A refugee in South Korea is entitled to basic social benefits that are provided to ordinary Koreans in the low-income bracket and their children will be able to attend school. They are not entitled to vote.The Chinese national obtained refugee status after winning a lawsuit against the government in an appeal here, the immigration office said.According to court documents, Tu was sentenced to a suspended prison term in China in 2009, after being convicted of helping North Koreans defect to neighboring countries, like Laos.He had to leave China himself that year as he became wanted again by the Chinese authorities. He mostly sta

Dec 22, 2018

S. Korea grants refugee status to Chinese broker for N. Korean defectors

Koo, Park named 'Asians of the Year'

Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Koo Bon-moo, Magdi Habib Yacoub, and Park Hang-seo in clockwise./ Korea Times fileBy Jung Hae-myoung Two Koreans have been selected as “Asians of the Year” for 2018 by the Asia Journalist Association (AJA).The association selected Koo Bon-moo, the late former chairman of LG Group, in the economic category. Koo, who died in May, received the award for leading the conglomerate to make rapid growth and become a global company. The group also set up an award to recognize people who have sacrificed themselves for social justice.Park Hang-seo, the Korean coach of the Vietnam national football team, was selected for the society and culture category, as he led the Vietnamese team to consecutive victories. With humble leadership, he contributed to Vietnamese people's unity and improving their recognition of Korea.Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the president of Uzbekistan, was named for the politics category, as he tried to settle peace and continue interaction between countries in central Asia. Since he became president in December 2016, he has reformed pol

Dec 20, 2018

INTERVIEW 'Korea does not have a true LCC'

An image of Air Asia's A320 flight. Courtesy of Air AsiaBy Kim Hyun-bin Korea does not truly have a low-cost carrier (LCC), only airlines disguised as such, said Tony Fernandes, CEO and founder of Air Asia Group. “Korea needs one really true low-cost airline. Korean Air and Asiana (operating their own LCCs) just block other airlines from entering the market. They are full-service airlines,” Fernandes said in an interview with The Korea Times during his visit to Seoul last week.Fernandes came to Korea for the Korean-version publication of his autobiography “Flying High.”In Korea, two full-service carriers (FSC) are operating, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, as well as six budget carriers, Jeju Air, Jin Air, T'way Air, Eastar Jet, Air Busan and Air Seoul.However, half of the LCCs are operated by the two FSCs ― Jin Air is affiliated with Korean Air, while Air Busan and Air Seoul are with Asiana Airlines.Fernandes believes the most important factor of a budget carrier is low prices, which he claims the local LCCs do not provide. Tony Fernandes, CEO of Air Asia Gro

Dec 19, 2018By Kim Hyun-bin

[INTERVIEW] 'Korea does not have a true LCC'

Number of naturalized Koreans nears 190,000 over last 70 years

(From left) Ali Mudassar, Song Ji-yun, Justice Minister Park Sang-ki, Lee Dong-bin and Kim Na-young pose with finger heart gestures at the Gwacheon Government Complex, Wednesday. The four naturalized South Koreans were recognized by the ministry as exemplary citizens in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the enactment of the Nationality Act in Korea. Photos courtesy of the Ministry of JusticeNearly 190,000 foreign nationals have become naturalized South Korean citizens over the past seven decades, government data showed Wednesday.The Ministry of Justice said the number of people naturalized here since the enactment of the Nationality Act on Dec. 20, 1948, reached 189,193 as of the end of November.The nation's first naturalization occurred on Feb. 8, 1957, when a then Taiwanese citizen who changed his name to Son Il-seung acquired South Korean nationality.The cumulative number of naturalized South Korean citizens topped 100,000 in January 2011, when an Indian national, who is now serving as a professor at a Busan university, became South Korean.The Justice Minister Park Sang-ki, l

Dec 19, 2018

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