Showing posts with label Life in Korea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life in Korea. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Wednesday, February 02, 2011
Seolnal설날 2011 ,새해복많이받으세요!
This week, celebrate the Lunar New Year. Seollal is a major holiday in South Korea where most people go to their ancestral towns and visit relatives. It is a good chance to enjoy a family celebration while eating lots of delicious food such as Teokguk (rice cake soup). If you are a child, then it is even better because you will likely receive money from your elders. Although this all sounds great, Seollal is also a season when many people stress out. Just few days before Seollal, everybody rushes into supermarkets and department stores to buy gifts for their relatives and lots of food for the ancestral rituals. Although it is a great time for retailers, the same can’t be said for the shoppers. People often push each other out of the way to get to products high in demand. Also, bus terminals and stations become packed with people. If you were not able to reserve a ticket and don’t even own a car, then you might as well just give up. Families make travel preparations ahead of time in order to avoid the traffic, but it ends up being futile. On the highway, sometimes cars won’t move for hours, so you are basically stuck there until God knows when. In other words, it is a crazy time that will leave you exhausted. But, despite all this, in the end, it’s all worth it. If you survive the travel, then you get to spend quality time with relatives you haven’t seen for a long time and stuff yourself with food.
Sadly, not everybody has an opportunity to travel for several different reasons. For those who are not going to their hometowns, this holiday season might make you feel lonely. I’m also one of those who won’t get out of the city. Regardless, I try to see the positive side of it. One of the reasons to enjoy Seollal alone is to have the whole city to yourself. It is refreshing to see Seoul almost empty. There is a great chance that you might get a seat in the subway, and you can walk around comfortably without bumping into people. Since most places in South Korea are open 364 days a year, you’ll have many options. This is a great chance to get together with friends who are also not traveling and explore the city.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
The Fascinating World of Hangul Calligraphy
Are you familiar with calligraphy?
There is a growing interest for hangul (the Korean alphabet) not only as a set of alphabets but also as an artistic theme. Known for its highly scientific and pragmatic nature, now hangul is being re-discovered as calligraphy (the art of fancy lettering) as well as
In calligraphy, letters transform into something unique, one-of-a kind, and creative that reflects the emotions of the particular theme that the words denote. Used in the poster for “Festival” (a film directed by Gwon-Taek Lim), hangul calligraphy is now used everywhere, far and wide, from movie posters, book jackets, record covers, to product advertisements etc.
Calligraphy on the Web
Calligraphy is gaining popularity in the online world as well. Breaking away from the uniform Microsoft fonts, web users are now turning to more original letterings and do not hesitate to make a purchase for calligraphies to use for their blogs and homepages. It is estimated that annual volume of font purchase is over KRW 10 billion.
Cyworld, the widespread web site that offers mini homepages, sell 20,000 fonts daily, and introduces new fonts everyday that are customized to meet users particular wants and demands. Fonts that apply the handwritings of celebrities such as Yuna Kim are particularly appealing to the customers.
People Love Hangul-themed Fashion
"Ceramics designed with the theme of Hanguel"
Lie Sang-Bong is one of the most well-known Korean fashion designers who is especially acclaimed and recognized for his hangul-themed works. His range of work includes not only clothes, but accessories, electronics, and home appliances as well. Lie incorporates hangul usually written vertically, aptly conveying traditional Korean flavor at the same time as keeping it modern and suave.
Hangul-themed design is gaining further vitality with the efforts of Dong-Eui University in Busan, which established “Han Fashion Center” in 2006 with the support from the Ministry of Knowledge Economy.
The Han Fashion Center launched its own brand called “Hooga” and undertakes various activities such as exporting design carpets abroad and supporting some 130 local companies that lack design capacities. The center aims to create design products that capture the characteristic beauty of hangul – the harmony between its lineal and curved lines.
Hangul, created by King Sejong, is now being re-created in the hands of designers.
As you may have noticed, last October 9 was Hangul Day in Korea. It was a day for us to ponder the value and beauty of the great Korean alphabet, especially in these times where there is an unbridled deluge of foreign languages, ugly slangs and obscure jargons in our everyday communication.
applied as a fashion component.
In calligraphy, letters transform into something unique, one-of-a kind, and creative that reflects the emotions of the particular theme that the words denote. Used in the poster for “Festival” (a film directed by Gwon-Taek Lim), hangul calligraphy is now used everywhere, far and wide, from movie posters, book jackets, record covers, to product advertisements etc.
Calligraphy on the Web
Calligraphy is gaining popularity in the online world as well. Breaking away from the uniform Microsoft fonts, web users are now turning to more original letterings and do not hesitate to make a purchase for calligraphies to use for their blogs and homepages. It is estimated that annual volume of font purchase is over KRW 10 billion.
Cyworld, the widespread web site that offers mini homepages, sell 20,000 fonts daily, and introduces new fonts everyday that are customized to meet users particular wants and demands. Fonts that apply the handwritings of celebrities such as Yuna Kim are particularly appealing to the customers.
People Love Hangul-themed Fashion
"Lie Sang-Bong, a fashion designer known for his hanguel-theme works"
"Ceramics designed with the theme of Hanguel"Lie Sang-Bong is one of the most well-known Korean fashion designers who is especially acclaimed and recognized for his hangul-themed works. His range of work includes not only clothes, but accessories, electronics, and home appliances as well. Lie incorporates hangul usually written vertically, aptly conveying traditional Korean flavor at the same time as keeping it modern and suave.
Hangul-themed design is gaining further vitality with the efforts of Dong-Eui University in Busan, which established “Han Fashion Center” in 2006 with the support from the Ministry of Knowledge Economy.
The Han Fashion Center launched its own brand called “Hooga” and undertakes various activities such as exporting design carpets abroad and supporting some 130 local companies that lack design capacities. The center aims to create design products that capture the characteristic beauty of hangul – the harmony between its lineal and curved lines.
Hangul, created by King Sejong, is now being re-created in the hands of designers.
As you may have noticed, last October 9 was Hangul Day in Korea. It was a day for us to ponder the value and beauty of the great Korean alphabet, especially in these times where there is an unbridled deluge of foreign languages, ugly slangs and obscure jargons in our everyday communication.
Major events http://eventdaum.daum.net/ribbonevent_20100915/
Benefits of Red Ginseng
Autumn is here now in full swing. As the saying goes, you can see “the sky getting higher and horses getting plump.”
In these crisp, pleasant days, are you one of those people who feel always sleepy and somewhat lethargic, dozing in the bus and missing your stop?
If you are, then I’d like to introduce you to a certain health food: Red ginseng.
"A study found out that red ginseng helps boost your immune system"
Red Ginseng Prevents Swine Flu
When the H1N1 swine flu virus swept the nation last year, the sales of ginseng and red ginseng skyrocketed as well. People believed there is nothing more effective than Korean ginseng in increasing immunity against flus. Not totally ungrounded, but still there hadn’t been sufficient scientific study to back up such an argument.
An experiment was conducted with 227 participants at three medical offices in Milan, Italy. Half of them were given ginseng at a dosage of 100mg daily, the other half placebo. The results showed a significant decline in the frequency of colds and flus in the treated group compared to the placebo group (15 versus 42 cases).
Red Ginseng Also Reduces Fatigue and Prevents Cancer
Other benefits of red ginseng include reducing fatigue, improving blood circulation, and getting rid of fat and cholesterol.
Red ginseng also helps quench thirst, especially for diabetics who urinate a lot to get rid of the extra sugar in their blood. Also, red ginseng is good for enhancing your stamina in general. Those who often catch cold and never have enough energy might as well give it a try!
The size of the domestic red ginseng market, currently, is about KRW 1 trillion. And with the increasing consumer demand, it is expected to further grow, as much as six-folds within a few years. In addition, as an increasing number of foreigners are taking interest in the benefits of red ginseng, there is to be a lot more export and branching out into global markets.
Well, it seems like red ginseng is all that is good! Why not brace up ourselves against the vicious seasonal flus with some help from red ginseng? ;)
In these crisp, pleasant days, are you one of those people who feel always sleepy and somewhat lethargic, dozing in the bus and missing your stop?
If you are, then I’d like to introduce you to a certain health food: Red ginseng.
"A study found out that red ginseng helps boost your immune system"Red Ginseng Prevents Swine Flu
When the H1N1 swine flu virus swept the nation last year, the sales of ginseng and red ginseng skyrocketed as well. People believed there is nothing more effective than Korean ginseng in increasing immunity against flus. Not totally ungrounded, but still there hadn’t been sufficient scientific study to back up such an argument.
Now, more about ginseng has been unveiled at the 10th International Symposium on Ginseng held on September 15. The results of a research on the effectiveness of ginseng in preventing H1N1 were announced. According to the study, the group who took ginseng along with vaccination had a 40% higher survival rate than the group who took only vaccination. Red ginseng, in particular, was found to boost up defense against not only H1N1 but seasonal flus as well.
An experiment was conducted with 227 participants at three medical offices in Milan, Italy. Half of them were given ginseng at a dosage of 100mg daily, the other half placebo. The results showed a significant decline in the frequency of colds and flus in the treated group compared to the placebo group (15 versus 42 cases).
Red Ginseng Also Reduces Fatigue and Prevents Cancer
Other benefits of red ginseng include reducing fatigue, improving blood circulation, and getting rid of fat and cholesterol.
Red ginseng also helps quench thirst, especially for diabetics who urinate a lot to get rid of the extra sugar in their blood. Also, red ginseng is good for enhancing your stamina in general. Those who often catch cold and never have enough energy might as well give it a try!
The size of the domestic red ginseng market, currently, is about KRW 1 trillion. And with the increasing consumer demand, it is expected to further grow, as much as six-folds within a few years. In addition, as an increasing number of foreigners are taking interest in the benefits of red ginseng, there is to be a lot more export and branching out into global markets.
Well, it seems like red ginseng is all that is good! Why not brace up ourselves against the vicious seasonal flus with some help from red ginseng? ;)
Major events http://eventdaum.daum.net/ribbonevent_20100915/
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Introduce Yourself in Korean
As you know, the most popular forums is Make Friends in blog,facebook,twitter, worknplay,ect However, I did not see a foreigner who introduce him or her self in Korean. (If you did, sorry, I did not read allㅋㅋ)
If you learn it, you can give a good impression to your new Korean friends.
안녕하세요, 나는 ____(Kimchi)______ 입니다 ㅎㅎ. (Annyung-hasaeyo, Naneun _____________ Im-nida.)
Hello, my name is _____________
안녕 (Annyung) is Hi so you can use it for your friend.
Please feel free to write your questions under my posting. :)
Have a nice day!!!^^
If you learn it, you can give a good impression to your new Korean friends.
안녕하세요, 나는 ____(Kimchi)______ 입니다 ㅎㅎ. (Annyung-hasaeyo, Naneun _____________ Im-nida.)Hello, my name is _____________
안녕 (Annyung) is Hi so you can use it for your friend.
Please feel free to write your questions under my posting. :)
Have a nice day!!!^^
Saturday, July 10, 2010
International Development Cooperation Camp
EndPoverty2015,KOICA,UN Millennium Campaign,ODAwatch,IDC(International Development Cooperation),(Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)had a global civic sharing and to made a campaign about Timor Leste on 7-9 of July at National Youth Center of Korea in Cheonan,So,They're invite all of Timorese students in South Korea to take part in these activities, http://gcs.or.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=press&wr_id=16
http://picasaweb.google.co.kr/Jaimito.theboss/InternationalDevelopmentCooperationCampAtNationalYouthCenterOfKorea#
안녕!!!동티모르! ^^*
;D
Myung Shin KIM(Korean National Commision for UNESCO)
http://picasaweb.google.co.kr/Jaimito.theboss/InternationalDevelopmentCooperationCampAtNationalYouthCenterOfKorea#
Through this Program they concerning over our Lovely♥ Country and increase 100 University student's understanding and support for Timor-Leste!
Stand Up,Take Action, EndPoverty Now!
안녕!!!동티모르! ^^*
;D
Myung Shin KIM(Korean National Commision for UNESCO)
Have some refreshments and make friends^_^
Promote opportunities among participants for discussion,problem solving and future planning for MDGs in Timor-Leste^^*
Promote opportunities among participants for discussion,problem solving and future planning for MDGs in Timor-Leste^^*
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Euh Yoon-Dae Chairman of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding Will Head KB Financial
Prof.Euh Yoon-dae, Chairman of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding, was selected as the final candidate for the chairman of KB Financial Group, Tuesday, after the recommendation committee conducted a 90-minute interview with him and two other candidates ― Lee Hwa-eon, former CEO of Daegu Bank, and Lee Chul-hwi, CEO of KAMCO.
The committee said that his outstanding leadership and driving force were already proved while working at the Presidential council.
Prof.Euh Yoon-Dae with WSK"World Students in Korea"
The selection is subject to approval by an emergency shareholders' meeting next month. If He earns the final nod, He will be inaugurated as the head of the nation's largest financial holding company for a three-year term.
The Former Korea University President, who is a close aide to President Lee Myung-bak, has lectured on international finance, and worked as a member of the Bank of Korea Monetary Policy Committee in the late 1980s..
Prof.Euh Yoo-Dae with Notable Bloggers from Indonesia,East Timor,China,France,Pakistan and Philipine.
While some suspect that he has little experience in managing financial firms, Euh is confident he can handle the job well.
"I have been involved in the management of three banks as an outside director," he told reporters on Friday A native of Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province, Euh, 65, has been involved in the financial sector, including the Korea Center for International Finance.
The nation's largest holding company underwent a turbulent nine-month management vacancy after former Chairman Hwang Young-key quit last September after the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) blamed him for investment losses at Woori Bank, where he previously worked. Current Kookmin Bank CEO Kang Chung-won withdrew from the candidacy after tough audits conducted by the FSS in December.
Credits:Korea Times,,
Monday, May 17, 2010
I coulda been a star!!!!!
It was sorta like "Mausoko Bulak ida"ㅗ getting discovered at a drug store soda fountain at Hollywood and Vine. Except I was having a brew at Goldfish in Itaewon as I am won't to do when killing time. As mentioned before, this is a “open air” Bar that is ideal for people watching. I hadn’t considered that some of the lookees might be looking back.
Anyway, My solitude was interrupted when a 30ish Korean woman came in off the street and politely inquired in near perfect English if she might bother me with a questionsㅎㅎ. Well, I was fully expecting that she was going to do the “do you know Jesus” thing, but being nice to a fault I responded “sure”. She thanked me and said she would only take a minute of my time. I nodded and then she layed it on me–would you like to appear in a commercial?
I was momentarily taken aback because it seemed out of the blue. But my instinctive reaction was to say no, and so I told her “NO”. She asked me to reconsider and said the photo shoot would only take one day. I again responded “NO THANK YOU, just not interested”. She thanked me again for my time and left.
ㅋㅋI don’t know why I said no without really thinking about it. But upon reflection, I knew it was the right call. There was no mention of money, but I’m doing all right in that regard anyway. I guess,I just didn’t see why they would want a fat old white Guys in their commercial unless it was for the purpose of mocking me. After all, I’ve not seen many waeguks외국 portrayed favorably in Korean media. And it likely would have been in violation of my visa status as well.
So,opportunity knocked and I said get the hell outta here.ㅎㅎㅎㅎ
Anyway, My solitude was interrupted when a 30ish Korean woman came in off the street and politely inquired in near perfect English if she might bother me with a questionsㅎㅎ. Well, I was fully expecting that she was going to do the “do you know Jesus” thing, but being nice to a fault I responded “sure”. She thanked me and said she would only take a minute of my time. I nodded and then she layed it on me–would you like to appear in a commercial?
I was momentarily taken aback because it seemed out of the blue. But my instinctive reaction was to say no, and so I told her “NO”. She asked me to reconsider and said the photo shoot would only take one day. I again responded “NO THANK YOU, just not interested”. She thanked me again for my time and left.
ㅋㅋI don’t know why I said no without really thinking about it. But upon reflection, I knew it was the right call. There was no mention of money, but I’m doing all right in that regard anyway. I guess,I just didn’t see why they would want a fat old white Guys in their commercial unless it was for the purpose of mocking me. After all, I’ve not seen many waeguks외국 portrayed favorably in Korean media. And it likely would have been in violation of my visa status as well.
So,opportunity knocked and I said get the hell outta here.ㅎㅎㅎㅎ
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