Latest news with #Koreans'
Time of India
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
‘Trigger' lead Kim Nam Gil talks about the string in the show; says 'it's about people, not guns' - Find out what he said
Kim Nma Gil has taken on the lead role in the ongoing drama series 'Trigger'. The actor recently opened up about taking on the main role of Lee Do. He also delved into what the drama is all about and how the idea of a South Korea that has been overtaken by guns came to fruition. Kim Nam Gil reflects on the recent gun violence news During his interview with The Korea Times, the actor first reflected on the recent events where a man had created a homemade gun in order to end his son's life. He shared that, "I only learned about the incident through the news, and since I don't know the full circumstances, it's hard to say anything definitive. However, I was surprised that such an incident occurred in our country. I thought this only happened in other countries'. The actor talks about the show and the importance it holds by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Brain tumor has left my son feeling miserable; please help! Donate For Health Donate Now Undo While talking about his character, Nam Gil described Lee Do as "a soldier who fought in conflict zones, but no longer wants to carry a gun'. His character is a military sniper who left his profession to lead a peaceful life as a police officer. However, as gun violence runs rampant in the country, he takes up his rifle again to fight bullets with bullets. While explaining the importance of the series and how he carefully took up the project, he shared, "Roughly half our population is capable of handling firearms [due to mandatory military service]. I wanted to ensure that international viewers would understand Koreans' professional gun proficiency, rather than just pulling a trigger, to lower any potential barriers to acceptance'. About 'Trigger' 'Trigger' is an ongoing drama series released on popular OTT platforms that depicts a new normal in South Korea. The fictitious piece of work shares an outlook on a society where guns and other kinds of weapons and arms have overtaken the country. The drama plays in direct contrast to the actual situation of South Korea, where possession of guns is outlawed. In light of recent news of gun violence in the country, many promotional events of the show were cancelled out of respect.
The Sun
20-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Japan Open: Seung Jae-Won Ho foil Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin's bid to retain title
PROFESSIONAL men's doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani were denied back-to-back Japan Open titles after falling to South Korea's Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae in the 2025 edition final in Tokyo today. Playing at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, the world number one Malaysians were outgunned in the opening game, losing 16-21, as they struggled to cope with the Koreans' aggressive pace and sharp attacks. Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin then responded strongly in the early stage of the second game, taking a 4-1 lead. However, their rhythm faltered after the interval, allowing the world number three to claw back and level at 14-14 before slipping behind for the first time at 14-15. From there, Won Ho-Seung Jae never looked back, sealing victory at 21-17 to claim their fifth title of the year in just 38 minutes. Won Ho-Seung Jae took home USD70,300 (about RM298,000) as champions while Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin earned USD33,250 (around RM141,000) as the runners-up. Earlier, Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah stumbled in their bid to become the first Malaysian women's doubles pair to land the Japan Open title, going down to world number one Liu Sheng Shu-Tan Ning of China, 21-15, 21-14 - BERNAMA
Barnama
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Barnama
Japan Open: Seung Jae-Won Ho Foil Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin's Bid To Retain Title
KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 (Bernama) -- Professional men's doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani were denied back-to-back Japan Open titles after falling to South Korea's Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae in the 2025 edition final in Tokyo today. Playing at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, the world number one Malaysians were outgunned in the opening game, losing 16-21, as they struggled to cope with the Koreans' aggressive pace and sharp attacks. Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin then responded strongly in the early stage of the second game, taking a 4-1 lead.
Korea Herald
19-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Korea Herald
'Aboha': Koreans who opt for a life less extraordinary
Desire for 'very ordinary day' signals shift in conversation around happiness, experts say Every evening, 31-year-old office worker Choe Sung-ha used to scroll through social media platforms and browse online portals, looking for something to fill her after-work hours. 'I wanted to do something that made me look put-together,' Choe told The Korea Herald. 'Something that would make me look cool and on top of my game, like going to book club meetings, trying CrossFit when I'm far from being athletic and so on.' Over time, Choe added that those activities left her 'more drained than fulfilled.' 'I realized these activities weren't really what I wanted to do — I was consistently working myself to do something instead of resting, even after work,' said Choe. Choe's experience reflects a growing shift among South Koreans who are turning away from high-energy, performative hobbies in favor of slower, chill routines. In recent months, this trend has been represented by the keyword 'aboha' — a Korean portmandeu of "aju bontong-eui haru" that translates into 'a very ordinary day.' The term has emerged as one of this year's defining lifestyle trends, capturing Koreans' desire to find comfort in uneventful, unpolished moments rather than curated productivity. From simple arts and crafts projects to evening walks and decorating their homes, many South Koreans are embracing quiet, ordinary routines that help them unwind without pressure. Among such hobbies, knitting — previously an activity mostly enjoyed by the older generation — has seen a surprising rise in popularity, especially among young Koreans wishing to adopt the aboha lifestyle. For Kim, 26, a recent graduate preparing for a Ph.D. program, knitting became more than a hobby; it is a form of quiet self-affirmation. 'There are days when I work hard but feel like I have nothing to show for it, and that leaves me feeling empty,' Kim, who wished to only be identified by her last name, told The Korea Herald. 'But with knitting, I can actually see something forming from my own hands. When I repeatedly knit something of the same pattern over and over again, my hands move on their own and that repetition helps me empty my head. I focus only on what my hands are doing and I feel a quiet kind of satisfaction.' Others are finding similar comfort through different, low-pressure rituals. 'Every Wednesday and Friday of the week, I give myself an hour to take a walk during sundown or at night. I don't listen to music or track my workout — I just walk to help me slow down and reset,' said Choe. 'I'm not taking these walks for the purpose of losing weight or working out, but to just relax. I feel like Korean society pressures me to constantly do something and to be busy — but these quiet walks help me to step away from the pressure and give space for me to pause and zone out from reality a bit.' Other than knitting and nighttime walks, home decor for slow enjoyment and origami to enhance focus are some of the more popular aboha activities. Some also say that lying at home while watching TV shows on streaming platforms and YouTube is their own form of aboha. Sociologists say the popularity of aboha reflects a growing desire among Koreans to 'detach from the pressures that come from a busy society that values hyperproductivity' and instead 'find value in stillness.' 'In Korean society, we'd often find people being pressured into doing something meaningful all the time, even using hobbies to perform productivity,' sociology professor Koo Jeong-woo of Sungkyunkwan University told The Korea Herald. 'Even rest has been monetized or stylized to look desirable and fancy, for example, through curated social media posts and videos.' Koo added that the recent rise in the aboha lifestyle could also be due to a rising number of Koreans 'being mentally exhausted' due to high pressure work culture. According to the National Center for Mental Health, 7 out of 10 Koreans experienced mental health issues such as stress and depression — with more than 40 percent of the respondents indicating that they had experienced severe forms of stress and depression. Sociology professor Jeon Sang-jin from Sogang University also told The Korea Herald that the aboha trend signals a 'cultural shift.' 'Korean society previously saw lifestyle trends revolving around 'sohwakhaeng,' focused on attainable pleasure,' said Jeon. "Sohwakhaeng" is a Korean phrase that translates into small but certain happiness. 'However, this later turned into a competition for small luxuries meant to show off their pleasures to others. Aboha, on the other hand, stands for self-contentment.' Jeon added that aboha also indicates a shift in Korea's discourse around happiness. 'People are moving away from the obsession of achieving grand accomplishments and the pressure to be constantly happy and to do something meaningful,' Jeon mentioned. 'Instead, they're embracing an attitude that sees peaceful, uneventful days as meaningful, too.'
Korea Herald
16-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
[Editorial] Knotty trade issue
US said to demand Korea further open agricultural, livestock markets Further opening of the Korean agricultural and livestock markets has emerged as a major issue in Korea's tariff and trade negotiations with the US. Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo said that trade negotiations on the agricultural sector always come with pain, but that there are some parts in which the country can make strategic decisions for a broader trade deal. He made the remark Monday during a meeting held with reporters to brief them on the progress of tariff negotiations he had during his visit to the US. Washington is said to demand that Seoul increase rice imports from the US; import American beef from cattle aged 30 months or older and living modified organism potatoes, a genetically modified crop; and ease quarantine on US apples. The Korean government is expected to finalize its proposals this week for tariff negotiations with the Donald Trump administration. Increasing the imports of rice and beef, among others, is a socially and politically sensitive matter for Korea. It is directly related to the foundation of the country's agricultural industry, its food sovereignty, the existence of its farm villages and regional economy Opposition from farmers is already strong. For these reasons, Korea has not fully opened its rice market. It obligatorily imports 408,700 metric tons of rice each year from five countries, including the US, at a low tariff rate of 5 percent. The figure amounts to about 11 percent of the 3.7 million tons that Korea produces at home annually. The US quota of some 132,000 tons takes up about 32 percent of Korea's rice imports. Korea imposes a 513 percent tariff on imports in excess of the quota, effectively banning imports of rice that go beyond the obligatory minimum. Unlike Japan, Korea has not experienced a shortage of rice. Rather, there is a surplus. Arguments for an increase in rice imports are less convincing here. Korea has only imported US beef from cattle younger than 30 months since fear of mad cow disease sparked nationwide protests against US beef imports in 2008. Despite these restrictions, Korea is still the largest importer of American beef in the world. Nearly half of the beef that Korea imported last year was American. The US does not appear likely to make a great profit from the additional opening of the Korean beef market. Yet, it has pointed to Korea's restriction on US beef imports as a typical non-tariff trade barrier. Koreans' aversion to US beef appears to have dropped remarkably, but US beef from cattle aged 30 months or older is likely to revive fears of mad cow disease and memories of protests. US-grown LMO potatoes were assessed as safe by the Rural Development Administration in March. Justification for the import ban on LMO potatoes has weakened. Importing apples is expected to cause vehement opposition from farmers. Many farmers grow apples in Korea, taking up 23 percent of its fruit cultivation area. Considering this, the government has practically banned apple imports since 1993 on the grounds that harmful insects could be brought in from abroad. Even when apple prices soared due to a poor harvest, Korea moved to increase imports of alternative fruits such as bananas, pineapples and mangoes, but not apples. Importing apples has been considered taboo. Proposals for negotiations are not yet finalized, but some Korean farmer groups are condemning the government for trying to make agriculture a scapegoat again. It will not be easy to persuade farmers within the two weeks left till the July 31 deadline for tariff negotiations. Yet, it is not easy to reject all of the US demands, either. Should the 25 percent "reciprocal" tariff be imposed on Korean items exported to the US, the Korean economy will reel from shock. In a macro perspective of national interests, a flexible attitude for strategic decisions is needed. Selective or conditional acceptance is more realistic than blanket refusal.
