Boseong Green Tea Festival begins May 4th

Boseong Green Tea Festival is the largest green tea festival in Korea. The 37th Boseong Green Tea Festival will commence on May 4th in Boseong, Jeollanam-do under the theme of ‘The Green Tea Feast! Tranquility of Life.’ Visitors to the event will get a chance to make and sample green tea, pick tea leaves, learn the traditional tea drinking etiquette, and make green tea snacks. In addition, the green tea photo contest, a golf tournament and an arm-wrestling championship will also be held at the festival.

More info

☞ Period & Venue
May 4, 2011 – May 8, 2011 / Korean Tea and Sori Cultural Park and Boseong Green Tea Field
☞ Admission Fees: Free admission during the festival period
☞ 1330 tt call center: +82-61-1330 (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese)
☞ Inquiries: +82-61-850-5885 (Korean), +82-61-853-0058 (Korean)
☞ Boseong Green Tea Festival
☞ Related Column:The Scent of Green Tea
Link:http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1255373

Incheon: Best Airport in the World 6 Years Running

Incheon International Airport (IIAC) has been named the ‘Best Airport Worldwide’ by the Airports Council International (ACI) at the annual Airport Service Quality (ASQ) awards for 2010 held in New Delhi, India. The recipient is selected based on the survey of 34 fields – 7 in services and 27 in facilities and operation – conducted by ACI through 1-on-1 interviews with 250,000 airport users worldwide. This is the sixth straight year since 2005 that Incheon International Airport has won the award, also known as the Nobel Prize in the field of airport services. Dubai International Airport of UAE is the only other airport that has won this award more than once; it won three times in a row. Incheon International Airport also topped the list in two other categories: ‘Best Airport in Asia-Pacific’ and ‘Best Airport with 25-40 Million Annual Passenger Capacity.’

Meanwhile, Gimpo International Airport earned a top spot in the ‘Best Airport with 15-25 Million Annual Passenger Capacity’ category. Gimpo International Airport, which joined the annual ACI evaluation only last year, ranked 6th in the ‘Best Airport Worldwide’ category after Incheon, Singapore Changi International Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport. ACI, an airport service advisory group with over 1,700 member airports, requires participation in the ASQ Survey for four quarters of a year to be eligible for the annual ASQ awards.
More info

☞ 1330 tt call center: +82-32-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
☞ Related Columns: Guide to Incheon International Airport for Transit Passengers
☞ Related Information: Airports in Korea
Link:http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1255686

ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១១ មេសា ជប៉ុន​គោរព​វិញ្ញាណក្ខន្ធ​​អ្នក​ដែល​បានស្លាប់​​ក្នុង​គ្រោះ​រលក​យក្ស​ស៊ូណាមី

នៅ ​ថ្ងៃ​ចន្ទ នេះ ថ្ងៃ​ទី ១១​មេសា គឺ​គម្រប់​មួយខែ​គត់ ក្រោយ​គ្រោះរញ្ជួយដី ដែល​បង្ក​ជា​រលកយក្ស​ស៊ូណាមី ប្រជាជន​ជប៉ុន​ទូទាំង​ប្រទេស​​បាន​ឈរ​ស្ងៀមស្ងាត់ មួយ​នាទី ដើម្បី គោរពវិញ្ញាណក្ខន្ធ​របស់​អ្នកដែល​បាន​​បាត់បង់​ជីវិត។ នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្រ្តី​ជប៉ុន លោកណាអូតូ កាន ​បាន​ធ្វើ​ដំណើរ​ទៅ​ខេត្ត​Fukushima នៅថ្ងៃ​នេះ និង​បាន​សន្យា​ថា ប្រជាជន​ជប៉ុន​នឹង​មិន​ត្រូវ​គេ​បោះបង់​ចោលទេ។ នៅចំថ្ងៃ​កាន់ទុក្ខ គ្រោះរញ្ជួយដី​ថ្មី កម្រិត ៦,៦​មាត្រដ្ឋាន​រិចទែរ​បាន​សម្លាប់​បុរសម្នាក់ នៅភាគឦសាន​ជប៉ុន។

នៅ​គម្រប់​ មួយខែ​ក្រោយ​គ្រោះរញ្ជួយដីកម្រិត ៩ មាត្រដ្ឋាន​រិចទែរ ទាំង​ប្រមុខ​ដឹកនាំ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ជប៉ុន និងក្រុមហ៊ុន Tepco ម្ចាស់​រោងចក្រ​នុយក្លេអ៊ែរ Fukushima បាន​លេចមុខ នៅ​កន្លែង​ជួបគ្រោះថ្នាក់ នៅ​ខេត្ត Fukushima។ ក្នុង​ដំណើរ​ទស្សនកិច្ច​លើកទីពីរ​របស់ខ្លួន ទៅ​Fukushima នាយករដ្ឋមន្រ្តី ជប៉ុន លោក​ណាអូតូ កាន​បាន​លើកទឹកចិត្ត​ប្រជាជនឲ្យ​តស៊ូ ជំនះ​វិបត្តិ​លើកនេះ ដែល​លោក​ធ្លាប់​បាន​ចាត់ទុក​ថា ជា​គ្រោះ​មហន្តរាយជាតិ ធំបំផុត ចាប់តាំងពី​សង្រ្គាម​លោក​លើក​ទីពីរ។

គ្រោះថ្នាក់​រញ្ជួយដី បានធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​មនុស្ស​ស្លាប់ និង​បាត់ខ្លួន​ជិត​បីម៉ឺននាក់។ ទាហាន​ជប៉ុន និង​អាមេរិកាំង​ជាង ពីរម៉ឺននាក់ នៅបន្តរុករក​អ្នកដែល​អាច​រួចរស់ជីវិត ឬ​សាកសព​ដែល​អាច​កប់ក្រោម​ផ្ទះរលំបាក់បែក។ មនុស្ស​ជាង ១សែន​នាក់ពេលនេះ​កំពុង​រស់ គ្មាន​ជម្រក និង​អាច​ប្រឈមមុខ​នឹង​ការរងធាតុ​វិទ្យុសកម្ម ដែល​សាយភាយ​ចេញ​ពី​ម៉ាស៊ីន​ប្រតិកម្ម​មាន​បញ្ហា របស់​រោងចក្រ​Fukushima។

ក្នុង​ការបូកសរុប​ព្រឹត្តិការណ៍​មួយខែ​ក្រោយ គ្រោះរលកយក្ស​ស៊ូណាមី អ្នកនាំពាក្យ រដ្ឋាភិបាល​បញ្ជាក់​តាម​កញ្ចក់ទូរទស្សន៍​ជាតិ​ថា លទ្ធភាព​កើតមាន​គ្រោះថ្នាក់​នុយក្លេអ៊ែរនៅរោងចក្រ​Fukushima អាច​តិចតួច​ប៉ុណ្ណោះ ព្រោះថា ពេលនេះ គេ​អាច​គ្រប់គ្រង​ស្ថានភាព​បាន នៅម៉ាស៊ីន​ប្រតិកម្ម​ទាំងប្រាំមួយ​របស់​Fukushima។ គេ​បាន​ជួសជុល ម៉ាស៊ីន​បូមទឹកត្រជាក់​ដែល​មាន​បញ្ហា ដើម្បី​រក្សា​កំដៅ​ស្នូល​ម៉ាស៊ីន​ប្រតិកម្ម​ពីទីមួយ ដល់​ទី ៣។ ការអះអាងរបស់​អ្នកនាំ​ពាក្យ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ វា​សឹងតែ​ផ្ទុយ​ពីប៉ុន្មាន​ថ្ងៃ​មុន នៅពេល​ដែល​អ្នកនាំពាក្យ​ដដែល​បាន​និយាយ​ថា ម៉ាស៊ីន​ប្រតិកម្ម​នៅ​មិន​ទាន់​មាន​ស្ថានភាព​នឹងន នៅឡើយ។

ទោះជា​គ្រោះថ្នាក់​នុយក្លេអ៊ែរ​កាត់បន្ថយ ប៉ុន្តែ រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ក៏​បាន​សម្រេច​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​នេះ ពង្រីក​តំបន់​គ្រោះថ្នាក់​ជុំវិញ រោងចក្រ Fukushima ពី​២០ គីឡូម៉ែត្រ ទៅ ៣០ គីឡូម៉ែត្រ បន្ទាប់ពី​អ្នកជំនាញ​នុយក្លេអ៊ែរ​រកឃើញ​ថា ធាតុ​វិទ្យុសកម្ម បាន​សាយភាយ និង​មាន​កម្រិត​កាន់តែ​ខ្ពស់ នៅ​ជុំវិញ​រោងចក្រ។

អង្គការ​បរិស្ថាន Green Peace ធ្លាប់​បាន​ស្នើឲ្យ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ពង្រីក​តំបន់ ជម្លៀស​ប្រជាជន ឲ្យ​ច្រើន​ជាង ២០​គីឡូម៉ែត្រ ហើយ គេ​ត្រូវ​បិទ​តំបន់​ហាមឃាត់​ទាំងស្រុង​កុំ​ឲ្យ​ប្រជាជន​ត្រលប់​ចូលទៅ​ផ្ទះសម្បែង​របស់ខ្លួន ដូចពេលនេះទេ។ ប៉ុន្តែ កន្លងមក រដ្ឋាភិបាល​បាន​បដិសេធ​មិនចេញ​បញ្ជា​ឲ្យ​ជម្លៀស​ប្រជាជន ច្រើន​ជាង ២០​គីឡូម៉ែត្រ​ពី​រោងចក្រ​Fukushima​ទេ ព្រោះថា ការពង្រីក​តំបន់​មិន​ឲ្យ​ប្រជាជន​រស់នៅ ត្រឹម​២០គីឡូម៉ែត្រ នឹង​ធ្វើ​​ឲ្យ​ប្រជាជន​ជាង ១សែននាក់ បាត់បង់ជំរក ក្នុងពេល​ដែល​បច្ចុប្បន្ននេះ មាន​ប្រជាជន​ជាង ៧ម៉ឺន​នាក់​រួចទៅហើយ ដែលត្រូវ​បង្ខំចិត្ត​ចាកចេញ​ពី​ផ្ទះសម្បែង​ដោយ​ខ្លាច​រងធាតុវិទ្យុសកម្ម។ ទាំងប្រជាជន​ជម្លៀស ដោយ​ធាតុវិទ្យុសកម្ម និង​ប្រជាជន​ដែល​មាន​ផ្ទះសម្បែង​បាក់បែក​ដោយ​គ្រោះរញ្ជួយដី កំពុង​ រស់នៅ ក្នុង​អគារ​សាលារៀន និង​ជួប​ប្រទះ​ការខ្វះខាតសព្វគ្រប់ ​ទាំង​ចំណី​អាហារ និង​ថ្នាំពេទ្យ។

រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ជប៉ុន ​បាន​បង្ហាញ​ថា ទំហំ​ខូចខាត​ដោយ​គ្រោះមហន្តរាយ​លើកនេះ មាន​តម្លៃ​ជាង​១០០​ពាន់​លានដុល្លារ ហើយ គេ​ត្រូវការ​ថវិកា​ជាង ៣០៩​ពាន់​លាន​ដុល្លារ ដើម្បី​អាច​ស្រោចស្រង់​ប្រទេស​ឡើងវិញ។ ហើយ​ បើតាម​ធនាគារ​ពិភពលោក គេ​ត្រូវការ​ពេល​ដល់​ទៅ​៥​ឆ្នាំ ដើម្បី​កសាង​តំបន់​ខាងជើង​ជប៉ុន​ឡើងវិញ។

យោងតាម រដ្ឋាភិបាល ការខូចខាត​ហេដ្ឋា​រចនាសម្ព័ន្ធ និង​ការពង្រីកតំបន់​គ្រោះថ្នាក់ដោយ​ធាតុវិទ្យុសកម្ម​រឹតតែ​គំរាម​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច​ជប៉ុន​ដែល​កំពុង​ផុយស្រួយ តាំងពី​មុន​គ្រោះរញ្ជួយដី​ទៅទៀត។ សេដ្ឋកិច្ច​ជប៉ុន​ពឹងផ្អែក​ខ្លាំង​ទៅ​លើ​ការនាំចេញ​ផលិតផល​បច្ចេកវិទ្យា។ ដូច្នេះ បើផលិតកម្ម​គ្រឿង​អេឡិចត្រូនិក និង​រថយន្ត​ត្រូវ​ជាប់គាំង​ដោយ​អន្លើ ដោយខ្វះ​ថាមពល​អគ្គិសនី គេ​រំពឹង​ថា ប្រទេស​ជប៉ុន នឹង​រង​វិបត្តិសេដ្ឋកិច្ច​ធ្ងន់ធ្ងរ និង​យូរពេល​ជាង កាល​ដែល​ខេត្ត​Kobe ធ្លាប់​ជួប​គ្រោះរញ្ជួយដី កាលពី​១៦ ឆ្នាំ មុនទៅទៀត៕

Stress ជា​អ្វី ?

ពី​មួយ​ថ្ងៃ​ទៅ​មួយ​ថ្ងៃ បរិមាណ​នៃ​មនុស្ស​មាន​កង្វល់​ចិត្ត មាន​ភាព​រកាំ​ចិត្ត ឬ Stress បាន​កើន​ឡើង​កាន់​តែ​ច្រើន​ជា​រៀង​រាល់​ថ្ងៃ។ ការ​ព្រួយ​រកាំ​ចិត្ត​ជា​ប្រចាំ​អាច​ជា​បុព្វហេតុ​នាំ​ឱ្យ​ធ្លាក់​ ខ្លួន​មាន​ជំងឺ​ ផ្លូវចិត្ត។ តើ​ភាព រកាំ​ចិត្ត ឬ Stress នេះ បណ្តាល​មក​ពី​យើង​មាន​មហិច្ឆតា​ជ្រុលហួស​ហេតុ​ឬ យ៉ាងណា ហើយ​តើ​ត្រូវ​ធ្វើ​ដូចម្តេច​ទើប​អាច​កាត់​បន្ថយ Stress បាន​ខ្លះ ?
Link: http://www.khmer.rfi.fr/cambodia/20100609-stress

Cannes-winning film “Poetry” receives more awards

Poetry, which won Best Screenplay at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, has received the spotlight for the second consecutive year at international film festivals, winning four more awards in March alone. More recently on April 5, the heroine of the movie, Yun Jung-hee was awarded a French cultural order in recognition of her lifelong contribution to the film.

Korean films continue to shine abroad

The lasting tide of the Korean Wave, culminated by Poetry, continues to reach the broad global culture scene across Asia and Europe.

Novelist-turned-film-director Lee Chang-dong’s fifth work, Poetry, was named best picture, winning the top prize Le Regard d’or (Golden Gaze) on the last day of the 25th Fribourg International Film Festival that took place from March 19 to 26. In 2008, the festival had already honored the legendary Korean director with a tribute.

Winner of the award for Best Screenplay, Poetry director Lee Chang-dong (right) poses with actress Yun Jung-hee (left) during a photo opportunity after the awards ceremony on May 23 at the 63rd International Film Festival in Cannes (Photo: Yonhap News, AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
Poetry, which competed with 11 feature films that reflect a diversity of genres and subject matters, also won the prestigious FIRPRESCI Award (Prix de la FIPRESCI) from the International Federation of Film Critics. As a result, Poetry received a total of 17 domestic and international film awards, which is rare for a single movie.

At the Fribourg Festival, another Korean director Kim Tae-yong’s Late Autumn, starring Korean actor Hyun Bin and Chinese actress Tang Wei, picked up the Ex-Change award, a prize accredited by a special youth jury. The movie also won the Special Mention of the Jury of the International Federation of Film Societies.

Poetry (left) directed by Lee Chang-dong and Late Autumn (right) directed by Kim Tae-yong (Photo courtesy of FineHouse Film and the Korean Film Council)

Meanwhile, Poetry shone at the 5th Asian Film Awards ceremony held on March 21, in conjunction with Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF). It added two more awards to its “awardography” with the Best Director and Best Screenplay Awards.

Also worth noting, Korean actor Ha Jung-woo won the Best Actor for his starring role in The Yellow Sea while Yoon Yeo-jeong claimed the trophy of Best Supporting Actress in The Housemaid at the Asian Film Awards.

Heroine of "Poetry" Yun Jung-hee received the prestigious French cultural order “Officier”

On April 5, the French Government bestowed the honor of "Officier dans l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters)" on Yun Jung-hee in recognition of her significant contributions in the field of film. The award confirms the ardent response from audiences to her impassioned performance in Poetry, which was released in France last August.

Stills from Poetry (Photo courtesy of FineHouse Film)


Originally, the French Ministry of Culture and Communication was set to grant her Chevalier dans l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters). The French Culture Ministry said that the French Culture and Communications Minister Frédéric Mitterrand acknowledged her lifelong career in the realm of cinema expressing his great respect through the decision to award her the higher order of Officier.

It is significant that Yun and her husband, the renowned pianist Paik Kun-woo, have become the first Korean couple to be so honored by the French Government. Paik was named Chevalier dans l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2001.

At the ceremony, Yun expressed gratitude saying that she was delighted with the recognition of French audiences. She added that she would continue to devote her energies to film.

Yun Jung-hee (right) poses with her pianist husband and awardee of Chevalier dans l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Paik Kun-woo (left), and the French Culture and Communications Minister Frédéric Mitterrand after she received the French cultural order on Tuesday (Photo: Yonhap News)

Yun Jung-hee is widely known to Korean audiences, having taken leading roles from the very beginning of her acting career in 1966. The veteran Korean actress has since starred in over 300 films and is considered a member of the undisputed troika of Korean cinema of the ’60s.

Yun received dozens of awards for Best Actress both at home and overseas and has served on the jury at a number of international film festivals, including the Deauville Asian Film Festival and the World Film Festival in Montreal. Returning to the screen with Poetry after a 16 year-hiatus, she won the Best Actress at last year’s Grand Bell Awards, one of the most prestigious film awards in Korea.
Link:http://www.korea.net/news.do?mode=detail&guid=54328

Jeonju International Film Festival kicks off April 28th

The 12th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) will be held for 9 days from April 28th to May 6th, running under the theme of ‘Freedom, Independence, and Communication.’

During the festival, a total of 190 films hailing from 38 different countries (including Korea, Portual, Mexcio, and Iran) will be screened. The 131 feature films (with a running time of 60min or more) and 59 short films will be divided into six different categories: ‘Competition,’ ‘JIFF Project,’ ‘Cinemascape,’ ‘Stranger than Cinema,’ ‘Cinemafest,’ and ‘Focus On.’

The film festival will open with ‘Nader and Simin: A Separation’ (by Iranian director Asghar Farhadi), a film that won the Golden Bear Award at the Berlin International Film Festival. The plotline follows the characters from different families as their lives intertwine and they are each met with different ethical and psychological dilemmas. The festival will close with the movie named the winner of the Korean Feature Films Competition.

This year’s festival highlights a greater number of documentary films than in the previous years. A total of 24 (12 international, 12 domestic) documentaries will be screened in the ‘International Competition’ section and a selection of films and documentaries will make their appearance in the ‘Cinemascape’ category, providing commentary on worldwide cinema trends.

In the ‘Stranger than Cinema’ category, an array of interesting experimental films will be introduced including ‘K.364: A Journey by Train,’ (a film from the U.K. narrating Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante K.364) and ‘The Nine Muses’ (a U.K. film exploring the history of mass migration to post-war Britain using Greek mythology as a narrative reference). Other special programs will be running as well, including the ‘Jeonju Project Market’ (featuring unique and promising film projects) and the ‘Phone Film Festival,’ (exploring the diverse methods of film-making using mobile phone devices).

Visa and MasterCard cardholders, as well as residents of Korea, may make reservations online at the official JIFF website. Tickets may also be purchased onsite from the box offices before and during the festival. The official festival screening schedule will be announced on the JIFF webpage on April 5th.

More info

☞ Festival Period & Venue
April 28 – May 6, 2011 / Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do (130435), Cinema District in Gosa-dong and surrounding areas

☞ Ticket Reservation Dates & Location


Opening / Closing Ceremony: April 12 (from 2pm) & May 5
General Screenings: April 14 (from 10am) - May 5
** Reservations may be made at JIFF official webpage: http://jiff.or.kr/index.asp (Korean, English)


Pre-festival Box Office: April 14 – April 28 (11am–7pm)
** Location: Cafe ZIP&JIFF (located in the Cinema District of Gosa-dong)
Festival Box Office: April 29 – May 6 (9:30am – 30min. before last screening of the day)
** Location: Cafe ZIP&JIFF, Dongjin Parking Lot, Culture Square, Jeonbuk Univ. main gate

☞ Reservation Inquiries: jiff_ticket@jiff.or.kr
☞ 1330 tt call center: +82-63-1330 (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese)
☞ Inquiries: +82-63-288-5433 (Korean, English)
☞ Related Column: Jeonju: Hanok and Bibimbap Aplenty in Korea's Cultural Heartland
Link:http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1252993

Work of Paik Nam-June Displayed on the Wall of Seoul Square

The work of Late Paik Nam-June (1932-2006), who is considered to be the first to incorporate video in the art genres, will be featured on Media Canvas on the façade of the Seoul Square building. The show includes ‘Fashion from Suite 212,’ one of 30 ‘Suite 212’ pieces that aired in 1975 on America’s Channel 13 after the scheduled programs were over. The three-minute video clip is based on the colorization method, connecting diverse photos of the New York streets, Chinatown merchants, fashion models, cosmetic advertisement and other scenes from the Big Apple.

In addition, works of four German media artists will also go on display on Media Canvas. They include Corinna Schnitt’s work featuring repetitive handwriting of words or sentences, as well as Heike Baranowsky’s depiction of the Moon traveling all over the canvas like a searchlight.

More info
☞ Event Period & Time:
Apr. 15th - Apr. 30th / 8 pm, 9 pm, 10 pm of every Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun (Show length: 20 min.)
☞ 1330 tt call center: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
Link:http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FU/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=1253033