Mercades World of Korean Culture
Korean News
I will upload different types of new from Korea each week. I think this is a good way for us to see what is news to them. What they see as important. It is good to hear about news from different places in the world.
Hot Stars Lee Min-ho, Suzy in Relationship
Actor Lee Min-ho and girl group miss A member Suzy have admitted they are in a relationship. Their agencies confirmed Monday that the two have been seeing each other for a month.
The admission came after entertainment news outlet Dispatch reported that the two were seen on a date in London.
Lee became one of the hottest actors after a series of successes with "Boys over Flowers", "City Hunter", and "The Heirs" and is one of the most popular Korean stars in China.
Suzy has managed to successfully expand into acting, starring in the 2012 film "Architecture 101".
The two never worked together but were reportedly introduced by a mutual friend.
WorkCited:
"The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - Hot Stars Lee Min-ho, Su-zy in Relationship." The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - Hot Stars Lee Min-ho, Su-zy in Relationship. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.
Lee Young-ae Celebrates Iranian New Year
Lee Young-ae has become the first Korean actor to be invited to Iranian New Year celebrations at the Iranian Embassy in Seoul on Sunday.
Lee starred in the worldwide hit MBC TV series "Jewel in the Palace," which was hugely popular in Iran with ratings of over 50 percent.
The celebration of Nowruz, which marks the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar and the first day of spring, was held in a banquet hall in southern Seoul.
Ambassador Hassan Taherian and some 500 Iranian residents in Korea attended the event. The event was slightly delayed as crowds gathered to get a glimpse of the actress.
The ambassador said, "Lee is the most beloved Korean star in Iran and she has been a cultural ambassador for the two countries."
Lee pointed out that there is a Tehran street in Seoul, and a Seoul street in Tehran, "and these reflect the friendship and mutual understanding between the two countries. I hope they will deepen and strengthen.
WorkCited:
"The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - Lee Young-ae Celebrates Iranian New Year." The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - Lee Young-ae Celebrates Iranian New Year. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.
How Korean New Year Traditions Differ from Neighbors'
Korea, China and Japan share some traditions, but each has also each developed its own distinctive traditions for the Lunar New Year.
People in Korea and China prepare food for an ancestral memorial service, and uniquely in Korea children perform a ceremonial bow to their elders and often get a cash gift in return.
Koreans also celebrate the day by sharing a meal of tteokguk or rice cake soup with their family. Pheasants were once thought best ingredient to make the soup, but since they are hard to get hold of, many had to use chicken instead. These days, poultry has been replaced by beef.
Seasonal customs include making bokjori or rice strainers, or flying a kite, and a board game played by tossing four sticks (yut-nori). Bokjori are believed to bring prosperity while driving away evil spirits if hung at an entrance of the house when the New Year starts.
In China, the Lunar New Year is officially a weeklong holiday, but some firms allow their employees to have 15 to 30 days off so as they can visit their ancestral hometowns, which can take days to reach.
Like Koreans, Chinese also pay homage to their ancestors and exchange the New Year's greetings. Red envelopes with money are given to children because the color is thought to bring good fortune.
Also, families gather to make dumplings and insert a coin in some of them. It is said that those who find a coin in their dumpling will make big money in the new year.
Japan is different from its two neighboring countries as it observes the solar New Year. Only Jan. 1 is an official holiday but most firms extend it to three days. On the first day of the new year, the Japanese visit a shrine in their neighborhood to make a new year's wish.
They also celebrate the day with a soup with rice cake and other ingredients.
WorkCited:
"The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - How Korean New Year Traditions Differ from Neighbors'" The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - How Korean New Year Traditions Differ from Neighbors' N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.
Korean Husbands Least Likely to Help Out at Home
Korean husbands spend less time helping out at home than their counterparts in other OECD countries, a recent survey shows.
According to the survey of 29 member countries released to coincide with International Women's Day on Saturday, Korean men spend just 45 minutes a day doing the housework and taking care of their children, less than one third of the OECD average of 141 minutes.
Their Chinese counterparts spend 91 minutes doing the same, while Japanese and Indian men spend 62 minutes and 52 minutes, respectively.
Korean men help out with household chores for 21 minutes, the second shortest amount of time following their Indian counterparts (19 minutes). They devote just 10 minutes to taking care of their children, putting them third from bottom after men in Portugal (6 minutes) and Japan (7 minutes).
They also spend an average of 6 minutes shopping for daily necessities, the least among the countries surveyed. On the other hand, they spend 422 minutes at their workplace and 314 minutes on leisure activities.
Danish men are the most helpful husbands in the world, devoting 186 minutes to household chores and childcare, trailing Norwegians (184 minutes) and Australians (172 minutes).
WorkCited:
"The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - Korean Husbands Least Likely to Help Out at Home." The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - Korean Husbands Least Likely to Help Out at Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2015.