Latest news with #Parents'Day
Straits Times
4 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
‘Can you say that in English?' Why a common tongue matters
Language should never be a barrier, but a bridge to connect us. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: UNSPLASH In May, I walked into my daughter's recent Parents' Day celebration in her pre-school with one worry on my mind – that I would be the oldest parent there among those in their 20s and 30s. However, during the course of the event, something else made me even more uncomfortable. One of the teachers kept switching between Mandarin and English when conducting an activity and interacting with parents. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
The Star
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Moving away from traditional gifts
May is known as 'Family Month' in South Korea, as it has several days to celebrate and show love for those held closest to people's hearts. One such commemorative day is Parents' Day on May 8. A time- honoured tradition in South Korea has children giving carnations to their parents to express gratitude for their love and care. However, some Koreans have recently shown a shift in preferences for Parents' Day, as they search for gifts that are more meaningful and worthwhile. Kwon Young-june, a 53-year-old office worker, is one person who a few years ago made the switch from giving carnations. 'I used to give my parents a bouquet of carnations along with some other gifts like nutritional supplements. But I've noticed that flowers have gotten increasingly expensive nowadays and that they wither quite quickly compared to how much I paid for them,' Kwon said. 'Since a few years back, I realised it would be better for me to spend what I would have spent on a bouquet of flowers on something more memorable and cost- effective, such as a fancy dinner outing with some additional gifts and a money envelope.' Spoilt for choice: Screencaps showing Parents' Day gifts such as soap flowers, money bouquets and money cakes being sold on Naver. — The Korea Herald/ANN Kwon added that his parents also seemed to enjoy his change in gifts. This year he treated them to a nice family meal and a short weekend trip to the outskirts of Seoul. Kwon isn't the only one making the change – a decrease in carnation sales suggests fewer Koreans are buying the flowers to celebrate Parents' Day. According to Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation's floral distribution data, carnation sales have seen a steady decrease. While some 80,000 bundles were sold in May 2021, a decrease in sales of about 50% was noted around the same time in 2024, when around 40,000 bundles were sold. Besides replacing carnations with gifts some would consider more valuable, other Koreans have started to prefer giving cash instead of physical gifts on Parents' Day. According to a survey conducted by Lotte Members' research platform Lime in 2024, 62.2% of respondents said they planned to give cash gifts. Nutritional supplements came in a distant second at 10.2%, followed by clothing and fashion accessories at 6.5%. 'In Korean culture, there's a deep-rooted expectation for children to support their parents financially, especially in old age. 'In this sense, giving cash is seen not just as a gift but as a form of ongoing responsibility and respect,' sociology professor Koo Jeong-woo from Sungkyunkwan University said. 'Cash is seen as a safe and thoughtful gift in Korea, as it lets parents choose what they truly need and minimises the risk of buying the wrong gift.' Even when it comes to gifting cash, Koreans have found entertaining ways to present the gift: The money is not handed out in a blank, white envelope but is often given with an element of surprise. Searching 'Parents' Day Gifts' on search engines like Naver shows results such as 'money boxes', 'money bouquets', 'money sitting mats' and even 'money cakes'. These products, often disguised to look nothing like what one would consider a cash gift, reveal large amounts of cash when opened. Jang Yu-jin, a 29-year-old office worker, recalled giving a money box to her grandparents for Parents' Day in 2024. The box, filled with soap flowers, held a commemorative card inside. Pull the card, and along with it comes a seemingly endless roll of cash. 'After I got employed for the first time last year, I wanted to gift something special to my grandparents, who raised me like their own child since I was very little,' Jang said. 'But I wanted to give more than a simple money envelope, so I gave them this money box I found online. I still remember how excited they looked pulling out all that money.' For those who wish to give cash gifts in an envelope, special envelopes that release confetti when opened have also recently gone viral. 'Korean gift culture is evolving. Younger generations are putting a playful twist on traditional forms of filial duty,' Koo added. 'Nowadays, it's not just about handing over large amounts of cash but rather gifts that show thoughtfulness, effort and humour – and in this case, we can say the presentation of such gifts fulfills that role.' Though Koreans have found a way to entertain their parents and loved ones with interesting gifts, many say that they still feel stressed when thinking about this commemorative day – not because they don't know what to get, but because they worry that it will be 'too little compared to others'. Kim Young-seo, 32, said that she gave her mother a mood light filled with preserved flowers for Parents' Day last year, which 'was a huge hit'. But she soon found herself worrying about whether she was doing enough for her parents. 'They did so much for me growing up, and I don't want to make it feel like they're getting any less compared to someone else they know,' said Kim. Though the mood light went over well last year, this year, Kim resolved to giving her mother a modest amount of cash within her budget. After hearing what her coworkers were doing for Parents' Day, she raised the amount accordingly. 'I felt like I was the only one giving that little to my parents,' Kim added. 'You keep hearing about how much others are spending and it makes it difficult for me to cut back even when my budget is tight. 'While I like celebrating this special day with my parents, I find that it's also one of those days in the year that gives me a significant amount of stress.' — The Korea Herald/ANN
India Today
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
No selfie, video call your mom, says Tom Cruise to BTS's Jin
Hollywood icon Tom Cruise met BTS member Jin during a promotional visit to South Korea for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. He later made a guest appearance in the fifth episode of 'Run Jin,' titled Mission Jin-possible, which aired on BTS's official YouTube channel. The video was filmed on May 8, which is also celebrated as Parents' Day in South the episode, Jin asked Cruise if he could take a selfie to send to his mother. Instead, Cruise suggested he video call her. The spontaneous call with Jin's family quickly went viral among the BTS singer introduced Tom Cruise to his mother, uncle, and grandfather during the video call. Cruise greeted everyone with a warm smile and appeared genuinely engaged in the brief exchange, making the moment even more special for Jin and his family. The first question Jin asked Tom Cruise in the episode was, "Do you know BTS?", to which Cruise responded warmly: "Your band and your career and what you have created, it is very impressive. And I'm a big fan."For Jin, the meeting had a very personal meaning, as the first movie he watched after turning 15 was 'Mission: Impossible' starring Tom Cruise. He mentioned his age, referring to the age restriction the film had due to an intense action sequence. He added, 'It's truly an honour to have him on the show today.'Jin even mentioned his wish to become an IMF agent, referring to the fictional Impossible Mission Force from the franchise. The singer said, 'I've always dreamed of becoming an IMF agent,' Cruise played along, raising the tension: 'It's like the radio operator on a plane that's on fire, talking on the radio while the plane has to land. Then the driver gets shot, and you have to take control.' As the drama intensified, Jin stepped back, saying, 'I think I'm better off sticking with BTS.'Their conversation flowed naturally, touching on a range of topics. Cruise expressed his admiration for South Korean culture and its people, noting, 'They make great films here,' before the discussion shifted to food. Jin recommended his favourite dish, 'mulhwe', a cold, spicy gochujang-based broth with raw fish, seafood, and vegetables. A fan of spicy food, Cruise promised to give it a try and followed through. The episode ends with a clip of him tasting the dish and giving it an enthusiastic thumbs-up. Jin had mentioned in a recent radio interview that Cruise's team had specifically requested for him to appear on his Jin, released his new solo album on May 16 titled 'Echo' with "Don't Say You Love Me" as the lead single. Tom Cruise's film, 'Mission:Impossible- The Final Reckoning' was released on May Reel
Hype Malaysia
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
BTS' Jin On Tom Cruise & 'Run Jin' Collaboration: 'Tom's Team Reached Out First'
Last week, fans were excited after news outlets reported that Hollywood star Tom Cruise will make an appearance on BTS' Jin's (방탄소년단 진) YouTube series, 'Run Jin'. Before the episode's release, Jin shared more details on how the collaboration came to be. The singer recently appeared on the 'Young Street' radio show hosted by Red Velvet's Wendy (레드벨벳 웬디). While on the programme, Jin spoke about his collaboration with the Hollywood icon. According to the BTS member, Tom's team had reached out to the 'Run Jin' production team first, expressing interest in appearing on the show. It's possible that the collaboration is to promote Tom's new movie, 'Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning'. The 33-year-old also shared a heartwarming story during his meeting with the actor. He said he wanted to take a picture with Tom to share with his mother, as the filming coincided with Parents' Day in Korea. However, Tom then made the unexpected suggestion to video call Jin's mother. Jin said his mother was surprised and overjoyed by the sudden call from the renowned actor. Following Jin's revelation that Tom Cruise was the first to reach out to the 'Run Jin' team, fans expressed pride over BTS' impact and star power. Many said they're even more excited for the episode, noting that the show often features fun and creative challenges, so they look forward to seeing Tom partake in them. Others also shared their desire to see more foreign stars on the show. Meanwhile, Tom also shared his experience working with Jin in a recent interview at the Cannes Film Festival. The 62-year-old appeared excited about his collaboration with the singer before praising him and his work ethic. Tom told the interviewer that BTS was 'very talented, very talented. It's fun to watch, man, and they work hard. That's a lot of talent. It's cool.' The 'Run Jin' episode featuring Tom Cruise will premiere on YouTube on 20th May 2025 (Tuesday) on the BANGTANTV YouTube channel. At the same time, Jin recently released his new album, 'Echo'. Watch Jin ('Run Jin' mention starts at 39:30) and Tom Cruise's interviews below: Source: Pinkvilla
Pink Villa
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
BTS' Jin asks Tom Cruise for selfie during Run Jin filming only to get stunned by Mission Impossible 8 star's response; know details
BTS' Jin has now revealed surprising details about his upcoming collaboration with Hollywood star Tom Cruise. He earlier confirmed that the world-renowned actor will be appearing as a special guest on an upcoming episode of his variety show. The surprising announcement had sent shockwaves across both the K-pop and Hollywood fan communities. The news was officially revealed on May 12, shortly after Tom Cruise arrived in Seoul as part of the promotional tour for his latest film, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. What initially seemed like a standard press stop for the Hollywood veteran quickly turned into a major pop culture event. This marks a rare and unprecedented collaboration between two major entertainment icons from different corners of the globe. As revealed by Jin on Young Street show, the idea for the collaboration originated when Cruise's team reached out with an inquiry about a possible appearance on Run Jin. It is the solo variety program Jin launched following his return from military service. 'We didn't reach out first,' Jin explained. 'It was Tom Cruise's team who said they wanted to appear. So we planned the broadcast around that,' as quoted by koreaboo. Interestingly, their meeting happened to coincide with Parents' Day in Korea, and Jin recounted how he wanted to capture the moment for his family. 'It was really fun, exciting, and such an amazing experience,' Jin said. Wanting a keepsake, he asked Tom if he could take a selfie to show his mom. In response, Tom made an unexpected suggestion: 'Then call your mom on video right now.' Surprised, Jin asked, 'Really? Can I?' When his mom picked up the call, with his grandfather, aunt, and uncle present, Jin excitedly said, 'Mom, say hello. This is Tom Cruise.' According to Jin, his mom was overwhelmed and exclaimed, 'Oh my goodness, what is going on?!' He added with a smile, 'She was really happy.' He also disclosed that, as part of their collaboration, he was invited to a private screening of the new Mission: Impossible film. The movie is yet to be released to the general public. Moreover, Tom Cruise recently spoke highly of BTS and Jin during a recent interview at Cannes Film Festival. He admitted that BTS is 'very very talented. It's fun to watch man, and they work hard. That's a lot of talent. It's cool.' The upcoming Run Jin episode has already become one of the most anticipated entertainment releases of the month. Fans around the world are eagerly counting down the days to witness the cross-cultural chemistry between Jin and Tom Cruise. The episode will premiere on BANGTAN's official YouTube channel at 9:00 PM KST on May 20, 2025. This will be followed by a Weverse release an hour later at 10:00 PM KST.
