Han Asia Times

Han   Something like the persimmon tree? Ripening in the sad evening glow, The tree where the fruits of my heart’s love Ripen. With room to spread in the next world only, Still it looms behind the one I was thinking of, Falling down from above her head. It may yet become the fruit  Of her overwhelming grief That she wished to plant In the yard of her house. Or would she understand  If I said it was all my sorrow, All my hope from a previous life, The color of that fruit? Or did that person too Live in sorrow through this world? That I do not know, I do not know. From Pak Chae-sam’s 1960 collection of poems, “Chunhyang’s Mind”  Poet Pak Chae-sam (1933-1997) has been credited with putting a wide range of human emotions into his poems, using creative, succinct and emotional words.  His collection of poems, “Enough to Say It’s Far,” recently published in English, is the one collection of his that compiles into poetic words all the realizations and sympathy that on...

인도서 'K팝 교류대사' 나선 돈스파이크 (뉴델리=연합뉴스) 나확진 특파원 = 26일(현지시간) 인도 뉴델리에서 작곡가 돈스파이크가 한국과 인도 음악인의 교류에 대한 생각을 말하고 있다. 2014.7.27 << 국제부 기사 참조 >>  rao@yna.co.kr '코리아-인디아 퓨전 뮤직콘서트' 등 다양한 활동 (뉴델리=연합뉴스) 나확진 특파원 = "이제는 케이팝(K-POP)이 일방적으로 다가가기만 하는 것을 넘어 각국 음악인과 협업해 더 깊이 있는 결과물을 내놓을 때라고 생각합니다." 가수 김범수와 나얼 등의 음반 작업에 참여한 작곡가 겸 프로듀서 돈스파이크(본명 김민수·37)는 26일(현지시간) 연합뉴스 특파원과 만나 '전파가 아닌 교류'를 강조했다. 그는 프로젝트팀 'A.S.K.'(Asian Sing Korean Soul)를 꾸려 외교부 '국민 모두가 공공 외교관' 사업에 지원, 지난 18일 인도 뉴델리에 도착했다. 바로 현지 음악인들과 접촉을 시작한 그는 25일 뉴델리에서 '코리아-인디아 퓨전 뮤직 콘서트'를 열어 재즈 색소폰 연주자 신현필, 인도 기타 연주자 아디티야 발라니 등과 함께 '사랑하기 때문에', '친구여', '섬집아기' 등 한국 곡과 인도 음악을 선사했다. 인도 라디오에 출연한 돈스파이크 (뉴델리=연합뉴스) 25일(현지시간) 인도 뉴델리에서 현지 라디오 방송에 출연한 작곡가 돈스파이크. 뒤 왼쪽부터 시계방향으로 돈스파이크, 색소포니스트 신현필, A.S.K. 기획담당 육숙희, HIT95 라디오 진행자 사르타크 카우시크. 2014.7.27 << 국제부 기사 참조, A.S.K. 제공 >>  rao@yna.co.kr 또 현지 케이팝 팬들을 대상으로 오디션을 개최하고 인도 FM 라디오 HIT95에도 출연해 한국 음...

Observer Research Foundation chairman Sudheendra Kulkarni said the “tight equation between a degree certificate and education has created several distortions, both in society and in the system of education itself”. (TOI file photo by K Sunil Prasad) MUMBAI: A report by a thinktank shows India's investment in science has lagged behind that of neighbouring China, the US and South Korea, resulting in these countries staying ahead when it comes to research. While India invested 0.88 per cent of its GDP in science research, the US invested 7-8 per cent, and South Korea 3-4 per cent. The Observer Research Foundation (ORF) report titled " Whither Science Education in Indian Colleges?" shows that India, with one of the lowest R&D spend-to-GDP ratios, is also expending resources on areas that have a weak connection to industry, thereby missing out on opportunities for economic growth. "More than a quarter of (India's) R&D investment goes towards ...

President Park Geun-hye nominated Kim Jong-deok, a visual design professor at Hongik University, as the new culture minister, officials said Sunday. Along with Kim, Park appointed Kim Young-seok, presidential secretary for maritime and fisheries, vice maritime minister.  The announcement was made nearly three weeks after Chung Sung-keun, a former TV news anchor, withdrew his nomination for the culture minister post. He was accused of having a drunk driving record and other ethical misdeeds. Kim Jong-deok The nomination put an end to the Cabinet reshuffle that started in June in efforts to tighten Park’s grip on state management, which was affected by the ferry disaster in April. Park launched her new Cabinet last month without naming a new nominee for the culture minister post to prevent further delay in her reform drive. Kim, 57 and an award-winning graphic designer, served as president of the Korean Society of Design Science between 2010 and 2011.  “Kim was ...

Passengers watch their smart devices as they wait for the train a subway station in Seoul, Tuesday. / Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul Web-based cartoons, dramas dominate digital users' pastime By Baek Byung-yeul To respond to the needs of busy digital users on the go, media content providers are releasing more cartoons, dramas and novels short enough to be viewed in under 10 minutes on mobile devices. The local press calls this phenomenon "snack culture," a Konglish term referring to media content that are as accessible and fast as your regular snacks. "My smartphone helps me endure the tedious commute as I can enjoy a wide range of media content," said Kim, who declined to give his full name, on a train headed to City Hall Station in Seoul, Tuesday. Kim commutes to work by subway, and it usually takes about 70 minutes door-to-door. Among the different kinds of media content, Kim is addicted to "webtoons" or free online comic strips. ...

The National Museum of Korea (NMK) in Yongsan, Seoul, has recently renovated its permanent display of items from the Unified Silla Kingdom (676-935). Adding new artifacts and reflecting the results of recent academic research, the renovated exhibition now focuses on the two main cultural pillars of Silla times: noble Buddhism and regional influence. Unified Silla was founded in 676 when the two kingdoms of Goguryeo and Baekje lost in battle to Silla. The kingdom maintained its power for more than 200 years until the foundation of the Goryeo Dynasty in 918. The unification of the three kingdoms is a significant moment in Korean history, in that all three different languages, cultures, life styles and customs existent on the peninsula were brought together, integrated and came under the control of a single system. Formed by the integration of the Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla kingdoms, the Unified Silla kingdom consisted of nine ju , or provinces. The Iron Buddha f...

Steps to making traditional Korean pottery Usually, the kiln will be fired for two to three days, or about 45 hours. For the first 15 hours, the fire slowly heats up the kiln and dries any moisture that's inside. The temperature is then increased to about 1,200 degrees Celsius, the melting point of the glaze, and continues thus for about 30 additional hours. The pine logs, changsol , are used to fuel the fire. (Left) Dissolve the clay in water in order to remove any foreign objects; (right) Mix the clay in water to remove any contaminants. Treatment of the Clay The most important element in the production of pottery or earthenware is the clay itself. This is called jeomto or jil in Korean. High-quality clay has a brownish tint because of the high iron content and is also very sticky. The first step in making pottery is to treat the clay. Drench the newly dug up clay and allow it to get wet evenly. Second, rinse the clay in water to remove any foreign substan...