Star-studded soaps vie for Wed.-Thurs. slots

Two television dramas kick off simultaneously tonight, seeking to dominate the Wednesday-Thursday night scene with the end of Ko Hyun-jung’s “Daemul,” which won the grand prize at the 2010 SBS Drama Award.
“Sign” on SBS and “My Princess” on MBC are totally different in concept. While “Sign” is a medical crime investigation drama, “My Princess” is a romantic comedy featuring Korean royalty.

Medical thrills in ‘Sign’

Kim Ah-jung, left, and Park Shin-yang from the new SBS medical crime drama “Sign”

Set with the backdrop of the National Forensic Service (NFS), the 16-episode drama will have one main case, running parallel with three to four smaller ones.

Movie director Jang Hang-joon has turned to the small screen and said having 16 separate episodes for each installment will be an adventure in Korea, as viewers can download them one by one.

Actor Park Shin-yang plays Yun Ji-hun, a talented forensic doctor who teams up with newcomer Go Da-gyeong (Kim Ah-joong) and confronts Lee Myeong-han (Chun Kwang-yol), the chief of the NFS.

Park returns to television two years after appearing in “The Painter of Wind” (2008). He was in a dispute with the Corea Drama Production Association for his overly high payment in the 2007 drama “War of Money” and was slow to return.

Park said “Sign” is a drama with straightforward direction — seeking to uncover the truth through dead bodies.

“I have seen a lot of dead bodies prepared for this drama from two months ago,” Park said at a press conference Monday. “I was up all night conducting an autopsy on a dead body on Jan. 1.”

It is the first time for Kim to play such a hot-tempered character and she even interviewed real medical legal experts to understand the character better.

“They were very positive and cheerful people despite their heavy workload. I want to portray such humane aspects,” Kim said.

“Sign” is different from the famous “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” series aired on CBS in the United States.

“Unlike the ‘CSI’ series equipped with state-of-the-art gear in large labs, we will show the reality of the Korean NFS, where some 40 forensic examiners perform autopsies on thousands of corpses,” Jang the director said. “Only the deceased can tell the secrets of death and the forensic scientists are the only people who can read the ‘signs’ on the body. I want to raise awareness that these medical examiners are neglected.”

Romancing ‘My Princess’

Kim Tae-hee, left, and Song Seung-hun from the MBC royal romance “My Princess”

“My Princess” brings every woman’s childhood dream onto the small screen — becoming a real princess.

The drama starts with a movement to rebuild the royal household of Korea, assuming that King Sunjong, the last king of the Korean Empire, had a legitimate son.

Actress Kim Tae-hee plays Lee Seol, the real princess of Korea. She is an ordinary archaeology student who turns out to be a descendant of the Korean royal family.

Kim seeks to change her image from “Eom-chin-ttal,” or “mother’s friend’s daughter,” a term used to describe a prodigious child who can do no wrong, in “My Princess.” In the trailer, she even dances to Girls’ Generation’s new song “Hoot.”

“At first, I could not imagine myself taking on the role of a character like Lee Seol, but I am slowly adapting to acting like an impudent hussy,” Kim said at a press conference Monday.

Heartthrob Song Seung-hun plays her love interest Park Hae-young, a diplomat and son of the owner of a major Korean company. His character is chosen to be the tutor of the tomboy princess.

This is the first time for them to act together, but the pairing of the beautiful Kim and hallyu (Korean wave) star Song has already raised high expectations.

Song, who played masculine characters in the 2009 drama “East of Eden” and movies “Fate” (2007) and “A Better Tomorrow” (2010) is facing a challenge in a romantic comedy, in which he has not found success so far.

“Though Park’s character might seem perfect, it is full of holes. He is stubborn, snobby and reckless. He has many similar aspects as I have and it is comfortable to work with Park,” Song said.

Director Kwon Seok-jang of 2010 hit drama “Pasta” and scriptwriter Jang Young-shil who assisted on the scripts of “On Air” (2008) and “Lovers” (2006) will enliven the two sweethearts of the royal family.
(The Korea Times)

At 29, hurdler Lee Yeon-kyoung targets bigger goal

Lee Yeon-kyoung of South Korea celebrates her victory in this file photo taken on Nov. 25, 2010 after winning the women’s 100-meter hurdles in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. / Korea Times file

For Lee Yeon-kyoung, the 29-year-old Korean women’s 100-meter hurdler, age is nothing but another obstacle she needs to jump over, as she did with her Asiad triumph last year.

The nation’s first-ever Asian Games gold medalist in a sprint event appears poised to improve her own records ahead of the World Championships Daegu 2011 in August.

“I wanted to show nothing is impossible,” she said in an interview with The Korea Times last Tuesday. “I kept breaking my own records last year and eventually ruled at the Asiad at the age of 29.”

“By becoming Korea’s first-ever sprint champion, I wanted to prove all the speculation around me was wrong,” she added.

The oldest hurdler on the women’s national team has set new national records in the 100-meter hurdles since 2004, including the latest one of 13.00 seconds last year.

She, however, was viewed in a negative way since the 2006 Asian Games in Doha where she won bronze in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, and such skepticism peaked at the beginning of the last year as she turned 30 in Korean age.

“Many people said my peak was in 2006, though I continued to run faster,” she said. Lee thanked three men — Oh Dong-jin, president of the Korea Association of Athletics Federations (KAAF), Sergei Tivasof, a Russian coach, and Lee Jung-joon, a men’s 110-meter hurdler and also her boyfriend — for helping her to surpass the negative expectations of her.

Oh encouraged Lee to reach this far with incentives, including a promise of a trip around the world if she won at the Asiad, which she did. Although Lee has yet to enjoy her reward due to a busy schedule of training and interviews, she appreciates Oh’s motivation.

Lee also appreciated the great help from her Russian coach who has trained her since last May.

“While I continued to develop myself, I admit coach Tivasof boosted me to discover my strengths and become this successful,” Lee said.

The Russian led her to improve her speed and power.

“The hurdles in the women’s event are lower than those in the men’s, and speed and power are the deciding factors in our event,” Lee explained.

“By training with the Russian coach, I began to build up my know-how in taking the appropriate steps in hurdling and running,” she said.

Lee also appreciates her boyfriend, a member of the national team. Lee Jung-joon, 26, helped her with hurdling skills and gave her advice on ways to overcome the possible obstacles she could face with age. He also introduced her to Brigitte Foster-Hylton of Jamaica, the 2009 World Championships women’s 100-meter hurdles champion last August.

“While I was overseas training early last year in Jamaica, my boyfriend introduced me to Foster-Hylton,” Lee said.

“I told her that I was worried about my age, and Foster-Hylton encouraged me by saying ‘age is nothing but a petty obstacle,’ which she proved in action by winning the world championships months later in Berlin.”

“Her triumph inspired me to keep a positive mind and led to what I am now,” she explained.

Lee is confident that she will advance to the world championships to be held at home soil on her own by setting a time of 12.96, the qualifying standard set by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The record which she focuses on with Tivasof is only a part of Lee’s ambition in Daegu, as she aims to break the 12.96-second mark in the competition.

“Not only do I want to participate on the world stage on my own, but also I am looking forward to setting another national record by breaking the 12.96 mark in the competition,” Lee said.

She apparently feels a burden from local fans and the media anticipation for her to win the race among the world-class competitors. Lee admitted she has many things left to do to reach that level.

“What we should look at is the fact the national athletes have gradually but persistently grown to this level,” she said.

“The fans and the media may be disappointed if I don’t win the race, but considering that I am also aiming for the London 2012 Olympics, the world championships is just one stopover that lies in my path to reach the ultimate goal,” she explained.
(The Korea Times)

Cuisine

Dolsot Bibimbab

Korean cuisine is probably best known for kimchi, a side dish which uses a distinctive fermentation process of preserving vegetables, most commonly cabbage. Kimchi is said to relieve the pores on the skin, thereby reducing wrinkles and providing nutrients to the skin naturally.[citation needed] It is also healthy, as it provides necessary vitamins and nutrients. Gochujang (Korean traditional sauce made of red pepper) is also commonly used, often as pepper (chilli) paste, earning the cuisine a reputation for being spicy.

Bulgogi (roasted marinated meat, usually beef), galbi (marinated grilled short ribs), and samgyeopsal (pork belly) are popular meat entrees. Fish is also a popular commodity, as it is the traditional meat that Koreans eat. Meals are usually accompanied by a soup or stew, such as galbitang (stewed ribs) and doenjang jjigae (fermented bean paste soup). The center of the table is filled with a shared collection of sidedishes called banchan.

Other popular dishes include bibimbap which literally means "mixed rice" (rice mixed with meat, vegetables, and red pepper paste) and naengmyeon (cold noodles). A common snack in Korea is kimbab, which is rice mixed with vegetables and meat wrapped with seaweed. While an increasingly wide variety of ingredients are used in kimbap, fish in either raw or cooked form is rarely used, perhaps due to kimbap's origin as a portable, packable snack and fish could quickly spoil if unrefrigerated.

Instant noodles are also a very popular snack food. Koreans also enjoy food from pojangmachas (street vendors), where one can buy tteokbokki (rice cake and fish cake with a spicy gochujang sauce), fried squid and glazed sweet potato. Soondae, a sausage made of cellophane noodles and pork blood, is widely eaten.

Additionally, some of other common snacks includes "chocopie", shrimp cracker, "bbungtigi" (fried rice cracker), and "nu lung ji" (slightly burnt rice). Nu lung ji can be eaten as it is or boiled with water to make a soup. Nu lung ji can be eaten as a snack or a dessert.
(Wikipedia)

New Year Party on January 1st

Cambodian friends and other foreign students got together on January 1st in order to celebrate New Year Party. We ate buffet at Itaewon together. It is my favorite buffet restaurant. After finishing our buffet, we went to sing at Norebang. It's my time again. Hahaha!!! Bang Sovann and I had only 9 minutes left before our dormitory's gate was closed. We nearly missed entering our dormitory. However, it's nothing strange because running to the dormitory from Seoul already became our habit whenever we go to Seoul.

Christmas Party

We went to have Christmas Party with Korean friends and other international friends. Unlike last year, we ate pizza instead of the food cooked by ourselves. Each group from each country presented their own songs, dances or whatever which represent their own country. In case of our Cambodian team, we danced Madison for the 1st round. For the last round, it's Cambodian team again. A brother here and I sang while others danced Ram vong. At the end of the party, we exchanged gifts, then it's time to come back home. Think over about it; it was such a happy time in fact.

Religion, Korea

Amitabha and Eight Great Bodhisattvas, Goryeo scroll from the 1300s

Confucian tradition has dominated Korean thought, along with contributions by Buddhism, Taoism, and Korean Shamanism. Since the middle of the 20th century, however, Christianity has competed with Buddhism in South Korea, while religious practice has been suppressed in North Korea. Throughout Korean history and culture, regardless of separation; the influence of traditional beliefs of Korean Shamanism, Mahayana Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism have remained an underlying religion of the Korean people as well as a vital aspect of their culture; all these traditions have coexisted peacefully for hundreds of years up to today despite strong Westernisation from Christian missionary conversions in the South[46][47][48] or the pressure from Communism's Juche government in the North.[49][50]

According to 2005 statistics compiled by the South Korean government, about 46% of citizens profess to follow no particular religion. Christians account for 29.2% of the population (of which are Protestants 18.3% and Catholics 10.9%) and Buddhists 22.8%.

Islam in South Korea is practiced by about 45,000 natives (about 0.09% of the population) in addition to some 100,000 foreign workers from Muslim countries.
(Wikipedia)

'Smart' evolution to continue in New Year

“Smart” is becoming an overused buzzword, as Internet connectivity extends beyond personal computers and phones to virtually every type of digital product, including televisions, cameras and household appliances.

In 2011, the concept of “smart” is expected to have greater influence, continuing to shape and define the personal technology experience in 2011.

This growth, irrespective of whether it is defined as evolution or revolution, is facing challenges that are stronger in intensity.

Whether these challenges are adequately met with responses will affect the future narrative in smart evolution.

For instance, the government’s attempt to limit online anonymity by requiring Internet users to register with verifiable real names when leaving comments on websites, which the authorities claimed was unavoidable to curb “cyber-bullying,” is now close to being rendered irrelevant.

Controlling content posted from smartphones is proving to be trickier than it was with PCs, and an increasing number of websites are enabling users to skip the log-in process entirely and post comments through their Facebook (www.facebook.com) and Twitter (www.twitter.com) accounts.

The country’s pre-release censoring of video games looks outdated as Apple and Google are pumping out a wave of games through their mobile content platforms every day.

“It’s inevitable that mobile computing will become the mainstream medium for connecting to the Internet, and the business strategies of companies and policies of the government should be attentive to that. There are still a number of regulations the government should ease to enable the growth of futuristic services,” said Kang Jung-soo, a professor of business management at Yonsei University.

This next stage in “smart evolution” explosiveness can only be fathomed by what happened last year.

According to figures from Korea’s three mobile-phone carriers — SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus, the country’s number of smartphone users reached the 7 million mark at the end of 2010.

It’s hard to believe that the smartphone population was just 700,000 at the end of 2009, or barely over 300,000 entering November that year, when KT finally brought the highly-anticipated Apple iPhone to Korean shores. And the rest, as they say, is mobile history.

Industry observers believe the rocketing in smartphone sales will extend into 2011, fuelled by the public’s insatiable appetite for social networking services and price falls in handsets.

Apple and Samsung Electronics, whose Galaxy S has emerged as the top-selling Android handset here, have been providing most of the sparks in the smartphone market. LG Electronics has been working feverishly to overcome its sluggish start in smartphones and is beginning to generate serious noise with its Optimus line of handsets, which are making Android phones more affordable for cost-conscious consumers.

KT has garnered around 850,000 users for Apple’s iPhone 3G smartphones and the number of its iPhone 4 subscribers is over 700,000 and counting. Samsung has managed to sell around 2 million Galaxy S handsets since releasing them last summer, while Pantech, LG and HTC have been enjoying a boost in their premium model sales as well.
(The Korea Times)