South Korea - The Korea Times

Giant squid caught in East Sea

/ YonhapFishermen working off the coast of Ulsan pulled in a gigantic squid, Monday, when the creature latched onto their net. The body of the squid was measured to be almost two meters in length with a 1.1 meter circumference. It’s legs were measured to be some six meters.According to the Coast Guard’s safety office, the creature was caught two kilometers east of Ilsan Port by the 1.94-ton Jinyang fishing boat.The captain of the boat, surnamed Lee, was quoted as saying, “The suckers of the octopus caught onto the net. The weight was enormous as we pulled it towards us.”This octopus was reported to have been sold at an auction at an agricultural and marine products market in Ulsan for 210,000 won ($188.63).

Jan 5, 2015

Actor-actress couple to tie knot

Kim Mu-yeol, left, and Yoon Seung-ah / Yonhap  Actor Kim Mu-yeol will tie the knot with actress Yoon Seung-ah in April, their management companies said on Monday.The two celebrities started dating at the end of 2011, and went public with their relationship the following year.“I am now leaving a message not as an actor, but a man…I will take the first step of my love with my loving bride on Apr. 4,” Kim said on his official fan site. His agency, Prain TPC, released an official statement shortly after.Fantasio, the agency representing Yoon, said in a statement that the couple would wed at an undisclosed location outside Seoul.Kim, 33, made his debut as a musical actor in 2002.  He made a splash on the big screen in 2012, landing a major role in Jung Ji-woo's critically-acclaimed “A Muse (Eungyo).” In the movie, he played a disciple of a respected poet.He also made headlines that year over allegations that he dodged his compulsory military service.Yoon, 32, debuted in 2006 with an appearance in a music video. She recently finished filming th

Jan 5, 2015

In 2015, 'lambs' get more bang for buck

/ AP-YonhapBy Lee Ji-hye Though New Year’s Day has come and gone, it looks like people born in the “Year of the Lamb” will be celebrating well into 2015. Businesses are offering up discounts to people born under the lamb, which is the eighth animal in the Chinese Zodiac. This sign is said to represent creativity, purity, gentleness, mercy and peace. In myths, babies born in the Year of the Lamb are blessed with good fortune. Many businesses, it appears, are looking to capitalize on the fortuitous animal as well.   Here are some deals being offered to all the lambs out there ― people born in years including 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991 and 2003. YogerPresso, a franchise coffee store, has a special deal for “lamb” customers. Throughout the month of January, all customers that prove their birth year with their personal identification cards get a free size upgrade.  Bulgogi Brothers, the barbecued beef restaurant franchise, is offering a free menu item for those born in the Year of the Lamb. More information

Jan 5, 2015

'Hatai employee siphoned off Honey Butter Chips'

Haitai Confectionery, the maker of the hugely-popular snack product Honey Butter Chip, is apparently investigating allegations that an employee siphoned off bags of the chips for his own profit.    News channel YTN reported on the scam on Monday, citing a supplier who allegedly bought the chips from the employee, and then sold the bags for an inflated price. “I earned 15 million won per month. Once I posted (an alert) in the morning, I’d get 40 calls by noon. It was very profitable,” said the unnamed supplier, who sold the product online.The product became hugely popular last year; shortages of the product fanned further demand. Amid the furor, the product began selling for almost four times the original price online.A Haitai manager told YTN that if an internal investigation showed any foul play, a police investigation would be requested.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65cIbFeL8iE (YouTube Link from YTN News)

Jan 5, 2015

'Hatai employee siphoned off Honey Butter Chips'

Hermes Birkin bags: Korea's latest status symbol

/Courtesy of YouTubeBy Rachel LeeHermes Birkin bags are at the top of many Korean women’s fashion wish lists and are increasingly seen as a must-have status symbol.The fervor for the high-end bags reached new heights last week when Daesang Group heiress Lim Se-ryeong was spotted carrying three models, each of which sell for some 25 million won ($22,500).Products by the French bag maker retail anywhere from five million to more than 30 million won. Owning a Birkin has become a status symbol for some Koreans since the maker gained a reputation for making the best bags on the market. Fueling the hype, the bag is known as being difficult to find here, and for long waiting lists for prospective customers.Lim has been a factor in popularizing the items in Korea. When she seen with a Birkin while out with her boyfriend, actor Lee Jung-jae, the item became known as the “Lim Se-ryong bag.” Other local celebrities Lee Young-ae and Ko So-young have also generated buzz for the bag. The Birkin's design was inspired by actress Jane Birkin. In 1981, Hermes Chief Executive Jean-Lou

Jan 5, 2015

Hermes Birkin bags: Korea's latest status symbol

Nanta hits 10 million in ticket sales

"Nanta," the popular cooking-themed percussive performance, has surpassed the 10 million mark in ticket sales, a first for a Korean performance. / Yonhap “Nanta,” the popular cooking-themed percussive performance, has surpassed the 10 million mark in ticket sales, a first for a Korean performance, its production company said.Nanta, first staged in October 1997 in Seoul, is a non-verbal performance based on the rhythms of samulnori, a traditional Korean style of percussive performance involving four musicians. Some 10,085,000 had viewed the performance in Korea and abroad, PMC Production said on Friday.Nanta portrays four chefs preparing food for a traditional wedding ceremony. The stars of the show appear to use their “cooking tools” as percussive instruments. The 10,000,000th person to view the performance was a Chinese tourist at Chungjeongno Nanta Theater in Seoul on Dec. 29. The person will be invited to receive a gift at a special commemoration event on Jan. 26.A publication event for a book compiling the 17-year history of Nanta will also be he

Jan 5, 2015By Kim Bo-eun

Roll-your-own tobacco gets popular after price hike

/Courtesy of YouTubeBy Rachel LeeUse of hand-rolled tobacco appears to be on the rise, as smokers look for cheaper options following a price hike on cigarettes that took effect on Jan. 1.The government raised cigarette prices from an average of 2,500 won per pack to 4,500 won starting this month in an attempt to curb the country’s high smoking rate.Roll-your-own cigarettes, also called “rollies” and “roll-ups,” refer to cigarettes made from loose tobacco and rolling paper. The tobacco is sold in pouches that also include rolling papers or cigarette tubes. The products are favored by young people and low-income groups because they are cheaper than factory-made cigarettes, which are sometimes referred to as “straights.”“I like (rolling cigarettes) because it’s cheaper, and also young people who smoke roll-ups kind of see themselves as a different kind of smoker,” Kim Dong-hwan, a 27-year-old office worker, told The Korea Times. Rolling tobacco has become increasingly popular in Europe. In the United Kingdom, for example, use o

Jan 5, 2015

Roll-your-own tobacco gets popular after price hike

Ice wall climbing

Mountaineers climb an ice cliff at an artificial ice wall climbing center in Yeongdong County, North Chungcheong Province, Sunday./ Yonhap

Jan 4, 2015

Up in smoke

A smoker buys a cigarette for 300 won ($0.27) instead of purchasing apack from a vendor in Jongno, central Seoul, Sunday. The average priceof a pack rose from 2,000 won to 4,500 won starting this year. Some vendors are selling individual cigarettes to people who cannot afford to pay the increased cost, although such sale is illegal. / Yonhap

Jan 4, 2015

Check mission

A South Korean response team including Kwon Ki-hwan, deputy director-general of the Overseas Koreans and Consular Affairs Bureau of the Foreign Ministry, are about to board a flight to Indonesia at Incheon International Airport, Saturday. The team is set to check on a search mission for victims of the crashed AirAsia flight. / Yonhap

Jan 4, 2015

Others

Others

Giant squid caught in East Sea

Actor-actress couple to tie knot

In 2015, 'lambs' get more bang for buck

'Hatai employee siphoned off Honey Butter Chips'

Hermes Birkin bags: Korea's latest status symbol

Nanta hits 10 million in ticket sales

Roll-your-own tobacco gets popular after price hike

Ice wall climbing

Up in smoke

Check mission

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