The Hungarian government has appointed Ryu Kwon-ha, chief of the Foreign Language Newspapers Association of Korea, as an honorary consul of Hungary. Hungarian Ambassador to Korea Mozes Csoma presented the letter of appointment to Ryu on Friday at a ceremony at the country’s embassy in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.  Around 40 guests from the diplomatic and business communities attended the event, including former Prime Minister Lee Hong-koo and Kim In-chul, president of Hankuk University of Forei

BUSAN -- Celebrating the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit, a fashion show introducing the latest fashion trends of ASEAN member states was held Monday. The Busan Metropolitan Government organized the ROK-ASEAN Fashion Week from Friday to Monday, holding events ranging from fashion shows to networking sessions. The highlight of the four-day event was Monday’s ASEAN Fashion Show, during which designers from ASEAN countries presented their creations on the runway. Featured designers includ

President Moon Jae-in on Monday vowed to push for the mutual prosperity of Korea and ASEAN member states through cultural exchange, stressing the importance of cultural content in an event held on the sidelines of the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit in Busan.Speaking at the ASEAN-ROK Culture Innovation Summit at Bexco, Moon praised the power of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc’s cultural content, and its potential to extend further into the world. He also pointed out how Hall

BUSAN -- Reflecting the popularity of K-beauty trend and high demand for K-beauty products around the world, K-beauty Festival is being held at BEXCO during the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit.K-beauty has been an influential trend across the world, propelled by the high popularity of K-pop and Korean dramas. Korean cosmetics companies have been exporting a wide range of skincare and makeup products. Total exports reached $6.89 billion last year, according to the Korea Cosmetic Association. The f

Goo Ha-ra, a K-pop diva and member of girl band KARA, was found dead Sunday at her home, police said.An acquaintance of the 28-year-old found her dead at around 6 p.m. at her home in Seoul's Gangnam Ward and notified the police and firefighters, the police said.The police said they are currently looking into the exact cause of and reason for the death, keeping the possibility of suicide in consideration. Goo debuted in 2008 as a member of the female K-pop band, which enjoyed sensational populari

South Korean abstract master Kim Whan-ki’s major dot painting set a record for Korean painters at an auction in Hong Kong.“Universe 5-IV-71 #200” by the late Kim sold for HK$88 million ($11.2 million) at a Christie’s auction at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday. It is the first Korean painting to fetch more than 10 billion won ($8.48 million) at an auction, topping Kim’s previous record-setter, “3-II-72 #220,” a painting of

People who get together for the monthly meetings at SeochonBooks, a small bookstore housed in a hanok near the palace Gyeongbokgung, may feel awkward at first. But soon they form friendships as they share their thoughts about a book that Ha Young-nam, the owner of the bookstore, recommends. “I visit this bookstore every month. ... I have craved for communities where I could meet people, which have now mostly disappeared compared to the past,” said Jeon Ji-yeon, who is in her 50s. &ld

Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, was yet again engulfed in a wave of enthusiasm for South Korean soccer coach Park Hang-seo. On Nov. 14, the country’s national soccer team, led by Park, beat the United Arab Emirates 1-0 in the 2022 Qatar World Cup’s second qualifying round, securing first place in its group. Waving Korea’s national flag, the Taegeukgi, Vietnamese soccer fans sang their national team’s fight songs. This scene is not unfamiliar to us anymore.In September, Ba

BUSAN -- Perhaps it is fitting that a city known for a wide range of unique delicacies should host an inaugural event showcasing dishes from across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states. The 2019 ASEAN-ROK Food Street event kicked off Nov. 15 and is slated to continue until Wednesday at the Busan Cultural Complex Center for Youth, or Norimaru, near Seomyeon Station -- an area known as the “streets of youth” for its vast collection of bars, coffeehouses and restaura

Busan -- Busan is no stranger to a large influx of guests, but South Korea’s second-largest city was even more robust than usual this weekend with multiple events taking place on the eve of the 2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit.Subway cars were plastered with ads for the ongoing ASEAN-themed events, including the “ASEAN Crafts: From Heritage to the Contemporary” exhibition running at ASEAN Culture House until Jan. 15. The subway is a wise choice if you wish to bypass the

The mayor of Busan expressed hope that the 2019 ASEAN-Korea Commemorative Summit will elevate the city into a hub of exchanges and cooperation between South Korea and member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don said the regional summit, which will draw heads of state from the 10 ASEAN member countries, can be expected to establish Busan’s place firmly as a global city that links Korea with foreign nations. “This summit symbolizes our governme

ASEAN Culture House under the Korea Foundation is to host mini fair “Bazaar Mekong: Handicraft and Design Goods,” introducing the art and design culture of the five Mekong countries.The exhibition opens Friday at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Culture House’s Community Hall in eastern Busan. It is to showcase handicraft wares from five countries along the Mekong River, Southeast Asia’s longest: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.According to the org

HONG KONG -- A major dot painting by late South Korean abstract master Kim Whan-ki sold for HK$88 million, or 13.2 billion won ($11.2 million), in a Christie's auction in Hong Kong on Saturday.  It was the first time that a South Korean painting had fetched more than 10 billion won in an auction. The major work, "05-IV-71 #200," titled "Universe," was part of a collection that began being auctioned Saturday. Measuring more than 2.5 meters in height and width, "Unive

Whenever a young Basira Yeusuff wondered how much chili there was in her soup, her grandmother would always say, “Agak agak.” Meaning “roughly” or “rough estimate” in Bahasa Malaysian, the phrase is used widely in Malaysian kitchens to explain seasoning amounts in home-cooking recipes, said Yeusuff, now a chef, using the tips of her fingers to explain how much “agak agak” could be. It sums up the Malaysian food culture, and that’s why she cho

Southeast Asian cuisines come marching into the Korean food scene