Latest news with #Sohn
CNBC
16-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Why defensive names and bitcoin could be solid plays over the next six months
It may be a strategic time to pivot away from this year's Big Tech winners. Bob Elliott, who runs Unlimited Funds, suggests building portfolios designed to withstand a slowing economy over the next six months should be a priority. "You're talking about positions long bonds, long gold and short the U.S. dollar," the firm's CEO and chief investment officer told "ETF Edge" this week. "That's a very non-consensus view that is also favored by some of the smartest financial minds in the world [and] in the hedge fund community." Elliott's firm Unlimited Funds uses proprietary technology to create accessible alternative investment strategies, including four Unlimited ETFs. According to Elliott, stock and bond market investors are pricing in a near-perfect scenario over the short and medium term. He thinks President Donald Trump's tariffs and an inflation acceleration could expose market vulnerabilities. "Being able to flexibly respond to the policy environment as it evolves... is really important in terms of building a portfolio and getting away from the long-only mega cap tech stock mindset and get to something that's flexible that can navigate through this sort of environment," said Elliott. Meanwhile, Strategas Securities' Todd Sohn thinks underperformers have potential for upside as earnings season gets underway. "The bar is so low for some of these defensive companies," the firm's technical strategist said in the same interview – noting it's "basement bottom pickings." Sohn's contrarian ideas include health care. "There's been a mass exodus of outflows from health care sector ETFs," he said. "Folks are scared of the administration. I get that, but I wonder if you can start to nibble in certain areas." Sohn also finds bitcoin an attractive play right now. The House of Representatives is looking at a series of bills tied to cryptocurrencies this week. "We're about three months off the S&P 500 low back on April 8. The leading category, I like to dig a little level deeper here, has been crypto. Investors are just latching on to this move in crypto," he said. "I think investors are realizing it's an asset that's here to stay." After hitting an all-time high on Monday, bitcoin fell and was below $117,000 as of Tuesday evening.
Korea Herald
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
(Review) Sohn Min-soo, Lim Yunchan's four hands, one voice bring 1,500 to their feet
Teacher-pupil duo presents shared history, mutual respect, inspiration on stage One of the most anticipated classical concerts of the season took place at the Seoul Arts Center on Tuesday evening. In the last of the three performances in Korea before moving on to the Verbier Festival in Switzerland later this month, pianist Sohn Min-soo, 49, and his pupil Lim Yunchan shared the stage ― an occasion that affirmed what the 21-year-old has often attested to in interviews: the deep influence of his teacher. From the moment the lights dimmed, the audience was ready to be transported. So eager, in fact, that many hurried to clear their throats before the performance began. The oddly synchronized chorus of coughing triggered a brief ripple of laughter ― a shared understanding to embrace the silence that would follow. And why should they not be so bristling with anticipation? Since rising to fame, Lim has exceeded every expectation with his solo recitals, collaborations and chart-topping albums. Yet this particular evening was not just about technical brilliance; it was about a conversation between two artists who know each other intimately. Their journey together began in 2017 at the Korea National Institute for Gifted in Arts, under the Korean National University of Arts, and continued at the country's top art school. In 2023, Lim followed Sohn to the New England Conservatory. The two pianists sat side by side, each in front of a Steinway & Sons piano. Facing opposite directions, their eyes could meet with a simple leftward turn of the head. For the first half of the performance, the duo performed Brahms' sonata for two pianos in F minor, Op. 34b, with the professor seated at the first piano, positioned at the front of the stage. Brahms originally wrote the piece as a quintet for a piano and string quartet, but later reworked it into a sonata for two pianos. "This piece carries Clara Schumann and Brahms' deep friendship, wistful connection and mutual respect," Sohn explained in a recent interview. Echoing that spirit, the duo's 50-minute performance reflected their own deep connection and mutual respect, culminating in Lim's last moment of eye contact with Sohn and a single drop of perspiration falling from his chin. Returning to the stage after an intermission, the duo filled the concert hall with more energy as they performed Rachmaninoff's "Symphonic Dances," this time Lim taking the first piano. It was a piece they had listened to together many times, often sharing their amazement and engaging in long conversations about a historic recording of Rachmaninoff himself improvising at the piano before conductor Eugene Ormandy. Through this electrifying score, Sohn and Lim continued their musical dialogue once more, but now in a more dynamic, sharply contrasted language that vividly showcased their shared intensity and individuality. Lim's gestures were expressive and expansive ― his foot tapping nearly twice as much as Sohn's, his body swaying with intensity. Sohn, on the other hand, was more contained, more grounded. Yet despite these stylistic differences, they produced a remarkably unified sound: finely balanced, intuitive and breathing as one. The duo concluded their recital, under the banner of 'Hyundai Card Culture Project 30: Sohn Min-soo & Lim Yunchan' as the latest installment in Hyundai Card's Culture Project series, with Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier," or "The Knight of the Rose." It was first introduced to Sohn by his teacher, Russell Sherman, and later shared with Lim, becoming meaningful for them both. The two-piano arrangement they performed was written by young composer Lee Hanurij, described by Lim as 'a musician chosen by God.' As the final notes faded, the audience rose in near-unison in a standing ovation, their applause echoing the emotional weight of the performance. For the encore, the duo performed the 'Quick Waltz' from "Der Rosenkavalier Suite." Covered in perspiration, they lifted their hands in thanks to the crowd.
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Review of ‘Counterattacks at Thirty' by Won-pyung Sohn
South Korea is notorious for its workaholic culture. For long, it has championed a system where seniority plays a major role in decision-making, long hours are common, work-life balance is skewed, and company dinners are all too frequent. But the younger generation is challenging this rigidity and it is in this changing environment that Won-pyung Sohn sets her latest book, Counterattacks at Thirty, translated from the Korean by Sean Lin Halbert. From the lens of Kim Jihye, an 'extended intern' in Seoul, Sohn examines the sheer banality of the corporate sector in her country. Jihye is an ordinary woman with little to brag about. After a dramatic birth, she struggles to have an identity in a sea of Jihyes at school. 'It was so bad that sometimes 'Kim Jihye' felt more like a common noun, like dog or cat,' she says. Now 30, Jihye holds an administrative job at Diamant Academy, an institution that offers courses in the liberal arts. Her work involves photocopying bundles of material, stacking chairs, and running errands. Jihye is frustrated with her mundane life, but has also come to accept it with a fatalistic ennui. All she hopes for is to become a regular employee. Her life takes a turn when a new intern, Lee Gyuok, joins the Academy. He is everything that Jihye is not: an industrious worker, cheerful, and philosophical. Gyuok is also quietly rebellious. By slowly casting his charm, he enlists Jihye and two others, Mr. Nam and Muin, to carry out pranks against people who abuse their authority, for 'even the smallest practical jokes can cause a storm'. Stark realism The rebels do not have lofty goals; they simply want to make mean and unethical people 'feel uncomfortable' and 'ashamed'. With a sense of purpose, they get to work, throwing eggs and spraying graffiti. Each successful prank makes them more daring until their pacifist revolution comes to an expected halt. By situating most of the story within the vicinity of the office, Sohn captures the suffocating hierarchy of the Academy and its insularity, which only perpetuates Jihye's loneliness. While Jihye feels largely defeated by the system, her boss, Team Leader Yun, plods on, tolerating injustice and misogyny and choosing her battles carefully. 'Someday you'll understand, Jihye,' she says. 'Maybe after you get married and have two kids.' In an increasingly profit-driven world, liberal arts get commodified as well. Diamant Academy epitomises this tragedy, as it cares little for education or ethics. Though these are serious themes, Sohn chooses to treat them with a feather-like lightness and injects the narrative with ample humour and small doses of drama. This, along with the relatability of the characters, is what makes Counterattacks at Thirty, originally published in 2017, enjoyable. But while the book, and particularly its ending, is gratifying for its stark realism, it is also for precisely this reason that it doesn't quite pack a punch. Micro-aggressions can lead to internal change even if they don't transform society. When she finally comes into her own, Jihye wonders if her ordinariness was, in fact, her most extraordinary quality, and if it was her love for being truly alone that had kept her sane. 'I was grateful for my insignificance,' she contends. Counterattacks at Thirty is an acknowledgement of, and sometimes a hat tip to, the everyman and everywoman in a dog-eat-dog world. radhika.s@
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Krafton to deepen bet on India's booming gaming market; eyes talent, ecosystem expansion
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills South Korean gaming giant Krafton -- the name behind popular esports title Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) -- sees India as one of its most critical markets, with the country ranking among the top five globally for Krafton's revenue and within the top-three in terms of user India CEO Sean (Hyunil) Sohn, in an interview to PTI, underscored the company's long-term commitment to India, emphasising that the company is not just here to launch a handful of games but to invest in the broader gaming ecosystem and nurture local talent."India is within the top five (global markets) in terms of revenue size for Krafton, and in terms of number of users, India is in the top three. So it's one of the major markets for Krafton."Gaming industry in India is one of the fastest growing markets... that excites us quite a bit, and that's why we are here for the very long term. We are not here to launch one or two games, we are here to grow the ecosystem together... we want to develop the talent pool so that we can grow the market, and also make gaming in India, for the global markets," he said he is most excited by the rapid mainstreaming of gaming among India's youth, noting that a surge in new gamers over the past 5-6 years as mobile gaming has taken has already infused over USD 200 million in India since 2021. It has committed an additional USD 200 million to be invested over the next few years."We have been investing in India -- more than USD 200 million now -- we are actually deploying in the same pace... we are seeing (that) lots of Indian users are paying for content on digital platforms, and at the same time we are seeing more innovation in fintech, healthtech and many other areas, so we are actually looking at those new areas at the same time," he this year, Krafton led a USD 53 million (Rs 450 crore) funding round in payments company Cashfree Payments. The company has also invested in audio content platform Kuku FM."We want to build the ecosystem together and also grow with the ecosystem, that's why we don't just invest in gaming or digital contents platform, we want to invest in the ecosystem around it," Sohn said Krafton is focused on developing India's gaming talent are ample career opportunities in the gaming sector, he noted, drawing a stark difference between India and mature gaming markets like South Korea, which, despite a much smaller population, boasts over 120,000-140,000 game developers compared to India's estimated 50,000."There is a lot of room to grow and improve... we should give proper education and training for younger generation to start their career," he the company makes its merchandise for its fans, Sohn clarified that the company has no immediate plans to expand into broader the focus remains on ecosystem development and supporting the government's evolving understanding of gaming as a legitimate business and career is soon to open its R&D unit in India, and plans to add 15-20 staff to its existing headcount of about 100 (in India).
Korea Herald
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Sohn Min-soo, Lim Yunchan on sharing the stage
Two pianos singing in harmony: Teacher and pupil talk about meaning of collaboration, repertoire and more Celebrated pianists Sohn Min-soo and Lim Yunchan will share the stage next week in a rare four-hand concert in Seoul, presenting works by Brahms, Rachmaninoff and Strauss. Ahead of their performance in Seoul -- and at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland later this month -- they shared their thoughts in writing about preparing for the concerts, the meaning of playing together, and what a duo performance reveals that solo stages cannot. For Sohn, 49, a respected educator and laureate of the Honens International Piano Competition, and Lim, 21, who rose to international prominence after winning the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition at 18, preparing for this program was a process of conversation and exploration. 'One of the privileges we cherish as musicians is imagining the next stage while searching for new repertoire,' Sohn noted, describing how their discussions focused on what constitutes 'good music' and 'good performance.' 'We chose works that let our musical voices meet naturally and form a unified flow -- pieces that matter deeply to both of us," Sohn added. In addition to Brahms' Sonata for two pianos in F minor, Op. 34b, their program features Rachmaninoff's "Symphonic Dances" and a two-piano arrangement of Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier" suite. 'These are pieces I've carried somewhere in my heart since I was young," Lim said. Sohn explained that Rachmaninoff's "Symphonic Dances" is, in a sense, the culmination of the composer's life, written in his final years. "For a long time, Yunchan and I have listened together to a recording of Rachmaninoff himself improvising at the piano before Ormandy (conductor Eugene Ormandy), sharing our amazement and many conversations about it. The piece, which heightens emotions of death, faith and transcendence through dance, is a work that has naturally remained deeply within us." Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier" was first introduced to Sohn by his teacher, Russell Sherman, and later shared with Lim, becoming meaningful for them both. The two-piano arrangement they will perform was crafted by young composer Lee Hanurij, whom Lim described as 'a musician chosen by God.' 'People often say everything in this world is already decided, but I believe that, among all things, it is God who chooses who will make music. And from what I have seen, Hanurij is one of those musicians,' Lim said, adding that Lee's deep understanding of the piano allows him to bring out the instrument's unique charm in this arrangement. Sohn noted that the arrangement preserves the nuance and emotional depth of the original while revealing a density and delicacy unique to the piano. 'It will be a special experience to share the beauty and depth of this piece -- which is not often encountered outside of a large production -- through the more intimate scale of two pianos,' he said. For both pianists, the essence of duo performance lies in listening. Sohn emphasized the importance of responding to the other's voice and recognizing that the music is completed not by one's own sound alone but by how the performers share space and embrace each other's interpretations. "Rather than performing in a particular way, I simply want to sing together. Performing together means that, while we are teacher and student, we are also two people from completely different worlds coming together to create music. The fact that these two very different individuals meet, spend time thinking and struggling, and arrive at the music they create together -- that in itself is what gives this performance its meaning," Lim said, adding that a good duo is "one that makes the piano sing." Speaking about each other's playing, Sohn highlighted Lim's ability to create moments on stage that draw listeners in, and his dedication to serving the music. Lim shared that his teacher's influence is immeasurable in every aspect of his life. "I love those magical moments when Yunchan is on stage, as if he is redrawing time and space, instantly drawing in the audience's breath. And I am deeply moved by the way he prepares more intensely than anyone to create that true sense of freedom, constantly emptying himself to understand the essence of the music, and willingly setting aside everything else for the sake of music. Offstage, he is someone who always prompts me to ask new questions. At times, he reminds me of certain essentials I had forgotten. Before being my student, he is a fellow musician who loves and shares music, and I respect his sincerity and passion," Sohn said. "It is impossible to single out just one influence because my teacher has had an absolute and far-reaching impact on both my life and music," Lim noted. The concert "Hyundai Card Culture Project 30: Sohn Min-soo & Lim Yunchan,' part of Hyundai Card's Culture Project series, takes place July 14 at Lotte Concert Hall and July 15 at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall.
