Latest news with #SungshinWomen'sUniversity
Straits Times
3 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
Australian museum removes display wrongly labelling Chinese clothing as ‘Korean traditional attire'
Professor Seo Kyung-duk at Sungshin Women's University shared the news of the display's removal on his Instagram on May 29. PHOTOS: SEOKYOUNGDUK/INSTAGRAM SEOUL - The Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australia, has removed a display that mistakenly labelled Chinese-style clothing as 'Korean traditional attire' following complaints from the Korean community in Australia. Professor Seo Kyung-duk, who teaches liberal arts at Sungshin Women's University and a prominent advocate for promoting Korean culture abroad, shared this news of the display's removal on his Instagram on May 29. 'I heard about this from a lot of Koreans in Australia. It's such a great outcome,' Prof Seo wrote. He explained that after concerns were raised, the museum acknowledged the mistake and corrected the label to indicate that the clothing was Chinese-style. The final removal of the display, he said, was the result of collective action by the Korean community in Canberra. Prof Seo also underscored the significance of the display's removal. 'Even if the label is corrected, placing Chinese-style clothing in front of the Korean flag is bound to cause misunderstandings among foreign visitors,' he said. 'Given that China has recently been making false claims that hanbok originated from its own culture, this decision was very much welcomed.' THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- General
- Korea Herald
Australian museum removes display wrongly labeling Chinese clothing as ‘Korean traditional attire'
The Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australia, has removed a display that mistakenly labeled Chinese-style clothing as 'Korean traditional attire' following complaints from the Korean community in Australia. Seo Kyung-duk, a professor of liberal arts at Sungshin Women's University and a prominent advocate for promoting Korean culture abroad, shared this news of the display's removal on his Instagram on Thursday. "I heard about this from a lot of Koreans in Australia. It's such a great outcome," Seo wrote. He explained that after concerns were raised, the museum acknowledged the mistake and corrected the label to indicate that the clothing was Chinese-style. The final removal of the display, he said, was the result of collective action by the Korean community in Canberra. Seo also underscored the significance of the display's removal. 'Even if the label is corrected, placing Chinese-style clothing in front of the Korean flag is bound to cause misunderstandings among foreign visitors,' he said. 'Given that China has recently been making false claims that hanbok originated from its own culture, this decision was very much welcomed.'
Korea Herald
20-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Chinese shopping platform sparks outrage by selling items featuring Korean dictator's face
A Chinese online shopping platform has sparked controversy in South Korea for selling merchandise featuring a portrait of former military dictator Chun Doo-hwan, prompting backlash from activists. South Korean civic activist Seo Kyoung-duk on Tuesday demanded that Taobao, a major e-commerce platform operated by China's Alibaba Group, suspend the vendor from selling the items. 'Taobao is selling a wide range of products featuring Chun Doo-hwan's face, from short-sleeved T-shirts and hoodies to bags,' Seo, who is also a professor at Sungshin Women's University, wrote on Facebook. 'The image used is from his inauguration, following the bloody crackdown on the May 18 pro-democracy movement.' Seo also criticized the design of the products, which include the words 'The South Face," a play on the brand The North Face, implying Chun represents the face of the country. In an email sent to Taobao, Seo urged the company to stop selling the items, saying, 'Selling such products deeply hurts the families of the victims. At the very least, you should know what is appropriate to sell and what is not.' 'It is unacceptable to mock the painful history of another country, especially for profit,' he added. 'The Chinese must realize that actions like this will only lead to global isolation.' This is not the first time that Chinese nationals' use of Chun's image has stirred controversy. In February, Chinese fans displayed photos of Chun during an AFC Champions League Elite match between Gwangju FC and Shandong Taishan. That same month, a Chinese TikToker posted a video in which they roamed the streets of Gwangju while impersonating the former dictator. Gwangju has become a symbol of the Korean democratic movement, due to the many deaths and injuries that occurred under Chun's bloody crackdown on the Gwangju Democratic Uprising. Chun led a military coup in 1979 and ordered a brutal crackdown on the protests in Gwangju in May 1980. According to government records, 162 civilians were killed and 941 injured. Around 1,400 people, including high school and college students, were later arrested, many of whom were tortured or imprisoned.
Korea Herald
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
AHAM Art Project reimagines Lorca's 'Bernarda Alba' in ballet
AHAM Art Project, led by dancer and choreographer Ham Do-youn, will present its latest production, "Bernarda Alba," at the Daehakro Arts Theater this Saturday and Sunday. Choreographed by Ham, the ballet is inspired by "The House of Bernarda Alba" (1936), the final work of Spanish playwright Federico Garcia Lorca. Set in a small Andalusian village in the 1930s, the story unfolds within the suffocating confines of a mourning household. Following the death of her second husband, Bernarda Alba imposes a strict eight-year mourning period on her five daughters. Believing that discipline and control are the only means to maintain order, she suppresses all expressions of personal freedom and desire. But when Angustias, the eldest daughter, becomes engaged to a man named Pepe, tensions begin to fracture Bernarda's rigid rule, and the household turns into a battleground of suppressed longing and rebellion. This adaptation stays true to Lorca's narrative but unfolds as a non-verbal dance performance. Structured in ten scenes, it explores themes of 'forced silence' and 'the struggle for freedom' through a fusion of ballet, Korean traditional dance and contemporary movement, according to the choreographer. Veteran dancer Kim Soon-jung, also a professor at Sungshin Women's University with a career spanning over five decades, will take on the role of Bernarda Alba. The five daughters will be portrayed by female dancers, while male dancers will perform as the household maids -- doubling as supporting characters and manifestations of Bernarda's inner psyche. Korean National Ballet's principal dancer Heo Seo-myeong will take on the role of Pepe.
New York Times
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Accusations Fly in South Korean Dating Scandal After Actress's Suicide
When Kim Sae-ron was found dead at her home in February, she joined a growing list of South Korean entertainers who have ended their own lives. But the actress, who was 24, has generated more headlines in death than in life as her relationship with an older male superstar has come under scrutiny. The tragedy and scandal has embroiled Kim Soo-hyun, 37, one of South Korea's best-known actors, and is packed with allegations worthy of a K-drama story line: A former child prodigy and a man 13 years her senior started dating. Not long after they broke up, the actress got into a drunk-driving incident that proved fatal to her career and suffered financial troubles, while the actor became one of the country's richest stars. She tried but failed to stage a comeback. Then she took her own life. The scandal also raised more serious accusations. Since Ms. Kim's death, her family has said Mr. Kim started dating her when she was a minor, and that after they parted, a talent agency he founded had pressured her over a debt she was unable to repay. Mr. Kim has denied the accusations against him, and filed a defamation lawsuit against Ms. Kim's family. But the scandal has already begun burning Mr. Kim's career and highlighted the perils of celebrity in South Korea, where personal lives can come under unforgiving scrutiny. Stars have seen their careers ruined — or even ended their own lives — because of aggressive and sometimes malicious online rumors over everything from plastic surgeries to their romantic life. 'South Koreans treat entertainers like public figures who must live up to textbooklike ethical standards,' said Bae Kug-nam, the author of several books about South Korea's entertainment industry. That culture has created a deadly trap when combined with YouTubers and other influencers who have dished out sensational details of a star's personal life, Mr. Bae said. Ms. Kim, a former child star, faced such an onslaught when she got into a drunk-driving incident in 2022. Amid a public furor, advertisers deserted her. Roles were canceled. Ms. Kim left Mr. Kim's agency Gold Medalist after the incident, but still owed it for a large loan that was used to pay penalties for failing to fulfill contracts with production companies and advertisers. A lack of risk management training leaves many South Korean entertainers badly prepared for such crises, said Jeongseob Kim, a professor at the Graduate School of Culture Industry and Arts at Sungshin Women's University in Seoul. To them, a scandal often means financial devastation. 'Stars reach incredible heights,' Prof. Kim said. 'But they don't realize that tall peaks mean deep valleys until they get into trouble.' Ms. Kim's relationship with Mr. Kim became news when she briefly posted an old photo on her Instagram last year. The photo showed the two with their cheeks touching and triggered a frenzy of speculation, although Mr. Kim denied a dating relationship. Mr. Kim faced a full-blown scandal last month after Ms. Kim's family took her story to HoverLab, a YouTube channel best known for carrying sensational content. HoverLab has released photos, video clips and text messages that it said backed its claims that Mr. Kim began sexually grooming Ms. Kim when she was under 16 and that he ignored her when she was in financial trouble. Mr. Kim and his agency have denied the claims and filed lawsuits against HoverLab as well as Ms. Kim's family, accusing them of spreading fabricated evidence, blackmailing the actor and violating his privacy. Several days before Ms. Kim posted the photo last year, she had received a notice from Mr. Kim's agency demanding repayment of her debt. The agency said that the notice was just a procedural step, but her family's lawyers said she felt pressure and sought help from Mr. Kim. 'She tried but could not reach Kim Soo-hyun,' said Boo Ji-seok, her family's lawyer. 'She posted the photo briefly, hoping that it would prompt him to call her back.' Only under growing pressure from Ms. Kim's family did Mr. Kim say last month that he had dated her for a year, after she became an adult. Ms. Kim's lawyers insist that their romantic relationship lasted six years, from 2015. Mr. Kim said that his denial last year was driven by his fear of the damage his admission would cause. 'I had so much to protect,' he said during a tearful news conference on Monday, explaining that a drama series in which he stars, called 'Queen of Tears,' was being shown on television at the time. 'What would happen to the actors performing alongside me, the staff who were working overnight on set and the production team who had everything staked on that project?' Brands have begun dropping him from their advertisements. Local media reported that he could face huge penalties if the scandal jeopardized projects he has been involved in, including a Disney+ show. 'It will be difficult for him to maintain his current status,' said Prof. Kim. 'The system rarely allows a second chance.' If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to for a list of additional resources. In South Korea, call 109 for the Health Ministry's suicide prevention hotline, or go to the Korean-language site
