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Business class traveller “shocked” at meal

<p dir="ltr">A traveller flying business class has slammed the on-flight meal he received which left him “shocked”. </p> <p dir="ltr">The passenger was flying back to Korea from Hawaii on a Korean Air flight and had ordered a steak dish for the trip.</p> <p dir="ltr">A flight attendant arrived and placed the steak with a side of gravy, potatoes and vegetables on his table. </p> <p dir="ltr">The man shared a photo of the meal, comparing the steak to the size of his credit card. </p> <p dir="ltr">"This is a business class steak meal. Looking back at it again, I'm still shocked," the man wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">He also revealed that no passengers were offered any blankets or alcoholic drinks during the flight. </p> <p dir="ltr">Despite this, he still commended the efforts of the flight attendants who did their best to ensure everything ran smoothly.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I don't want any misunderstandings as the service of the flight attendants was still the best," he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">A Korean Air spokesperson addressed several issues in a statement, saying the staff and service shortages were due to Covid.</p> <p dir="ltr">"On some overseas routes, it is inevitable that the supply of in-flight meals will be limited only on flights departing from foreign destinations due to local quarantine policies such as border closures due to COVID-19," the statement read.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Naver Cafe</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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North Korean man sentenced to death for distributing Squid Game

<p>A man in North Korea has been handed the death penalty after smuggling in copies of the hit Netflix show <em>Squid Game</em> and illegally distributing them. </p> <p><span>Sources in the North Hamgyong province told Radio Free Asia that the man brought in the copies on USB drives from China and sold them to high school students. </span></p> <p><span>The operation was foiled when authorities caught seven students watching the hit South Korean drama. </span></p> <p><span>The perpetrator has been sentenced to death by firing squad, as North Korea tightens its laws on letting capitalist media into the country. </span></p> <p><span>One student that purchased the show has been sentenced to life in prison, while six others who watched <em>Squid Game</em> have been sentenced to five years hard labour.</span></p> <p><span>The students were punished under North Korea’s new Elimination of Reactionary Thought and Culture law, which keeps a firm grip on outside media. </span></p> <p><span>Penalties were extended to the school too, with reports teachers, the principal and other administrative staff were dismissed.</span></p> <p><span>The nine-part fictional Netflix drama sees 456 bankrupt contestants compete for a multi-million dollar cash prize. </span></p> <p><span>The contestants take part in a series of children's games to win the money, and those who lose the games end up paying with their lives. </span></p> <p><span>After being released in September, <em>Squid Game</em> has quickly become the most popular show in Netflix's history. </span></p> <p><em>Image credits: Netflix</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Netflix forced to cut Squid Game scene for bizarre reason

<p>The popularity of Netflix's new show <em>Squid Game</em> is breaking international records, and is on track to become the most popular show of all the on the streaming service.</p> <p>The show is a violent and dystopian Korean drama that sees 456 destitute 'players' enter a game arena to win a hefty sum of prize money upon the completion of six children's games. </p> <p>In the first episode of the show however, Netflix have made a grave mistake that has had very interesting consequences. </p> <p>When the 'players' were approached to take part in the game, they were given a business card and told to call the number. </p> <p>The number was in fact a real person's phone number, and the owner has been inundated with phone calls from strangers since the show's release on September 17th. </p> <p>The real-life owner of the phone number told the Korean publication <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mt.co.kr" target="_blank">Money Today</a> that she has been receiving "endless" calls and texts, as well as offers to buy the phone number.</p> <p>“It has come to the point where people are reaching out day and night due to their curiosity. It drains my phone’s battery and it turns off,” the woman, who is from the Gyeonggi province of South Korea, said.</p> <p>“At first, I didn’t know why, then my friend told me that my number came out [in the series].”</p> <p>The woman, who is a small business owner and is unrelated to Netflix or the <em>Squid Game</em> production, has been assured by Netflix that measures will be taken to protect the woman's identity.</p> <p><span>“Together with the production company, we are working to resolve this matter, including editing scenes with phone numbers where necessary,” Netflix told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/squid-games-netflix-phone-number-b1931823.html" target="_blank">The </a></span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/squid-games-netflix-phone-number-b1931823.html" target="_blank">Independent</a>.</p> <p>Certain regions have had the scene altered to no longer feature the phone number. </p> <p>Netflix even offered to buy the woman's number for a measly $1,000AUD, which the woman rejected as the number has been tied up in her small business for almost twenty years. </p> <p>The production crew upped the compensation to almost $6,000AUD which was also rejected, before a new offer from an unlikely source was offered. </p> <p>Presidential candidate for South Korea Huh Kyung Young <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.koreaboo.com/news/squid-game-phone-number-controversy-presidential-candidate-buy-100-million/" target="_blank">offered the woman over $116,000</a> for the number, in a bid to win the position of high office. </p> <p>The issue the mystery phone number is not the first backlash Netflix's <em>Squid Game</em> has received. </p> <p>Due to its explosive popularity, a Korean internet service provider announced they were suing Netflix for clogging up the internet with traffic.</p> <p>Check out the trailer for <em>Squid Game</em> here. Viewer discretion is advised. </p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oqxAJKy0ii4" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><em>Image credits: Netflix</em></p>

TV

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Parasite: The global rise of South Korean film

<p>The international success of <em>Parasite</em>, the black comedy thriller by Bong Joon-ho, has been rather spectacular. It started with a slew of early season awards, including the prestigious <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/may/25/bong-joon-hos-parasite-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes-film-festival">Palme d'Or</a> (by unanimous vote) at Cannes. It has now won <a href="https://variety.com/2020/film/asia/korea-celebrates-parasite-golden-globes-win-1203457949/">Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language at the Golden Globes</a>, multiple <a href="http://www.bafta.org/film/awards/ee-british-academy-film-awards-nominees-winners-2020">nominations at the Baftas</a>, and <a href="https://oscar.go.com/news/nominations/oscar-nominations-2020-list-nominees-by-category">six Oscar nominations</a>, including in some of the most distinguished categories (film, director and screen play).</p> <p>If it wins an Oscar, it would be the first Korean film to do so and a testament to the rising popularity and success of the Korean film industry internationally.</p> <p><a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/859817/south-korea-movie-export-value/">The estimated export value</a> of the Korean film industry in 2018 was US$41.6 million (£32 million). South Korea is the <a href="http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20190530000661">fifth leading film market</a> by gross box office revenue after the US, China, Japan and the UK.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/isOGD_7hNIY?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><strong>Rooted in the 90s</strong></p> <p>South Korea has come a long way since the damaging effects of <a href="https://www.history.com/news/japan-colonization-korea">Japanese occupation</a> (1910 to 1945) and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Korean-War">Korean War</a>, which ended with a ceasefire agreement in 1953. Experiencing monumental growth between 1960 and 1990, the country became one of the <a href="https://www.economist.com/special-report/2019/12/05/after-half-a-century-of-success-the-asian-tigers-must-reinvent-themselves">Four Asian Tigers</a> and is now the continent’s fourth largest economy.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1HRTy26s4hw?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>In the late 80s, as Korea emerged from a period of censorship, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1225545?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents">restrictions</a> that had previously limited the influx of foreign films were lifted. This led to an increased appetite for Hollywood blockbusters and a decline in Korean cinema. To protect the country’s arts industries and counter the effects of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Asian-financial-crisis">Asian economic crisis of the late 90s</a>, the government mounted several policies with a strong focus on promoting Korean culture abroad.</p> <p>Central to this was the <a href="https://wipolex.wipo.int/en/text/441192">Framework Act on the Promotion of Cultural Industries in 1999</a>, which said:</p> <blockquote> <p>The purpose of this Act is to lay the groundwork for the development of cultural industries and enhance the competitiveness thereof, thereby contributing to the improvement of the quality of national cultural life and development of the national economy, by providing for matters necessary for supporting and fostering cultural industries.</p> </blockquote> <p>As a result, <a href="https://martinroll.com/resources/articles/asia/korean-wave-hallyu-the-rise-of-koreas-cultural-economy-pop-culture/">South Korean culture has grown globally</a> in recent years. <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/2/16/16915672/what-is-kpop-history-explained">K-pop</a>, K-drama, K-beauty, and K-cuisine have all found new international audiences, initially in China and later in wider Asia and the west.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xwWgp1bqVwE?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>The “<a href="https://www.inverse.com/article/13916-the-korean-new-wave-and-the-anxieties-of-south-korean-cinema">Korean New Wave”</a>, the international fascination with Korean entertainment and film industry, began in the <a href="http://kultscene.com/introduction-to-the-korean-new-wave-of-cinema/">1990s</a>. This phenomenon, known as <a href="http://www.korea.net/AboutKorea/Culture-and-the-Arts/Hallyu">Hallyu</a>, centres around the work of directors <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0661791/">Park Chan-wook</a> (Oldboy, Lady Vengeance, The Handmaiden), <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0094435/">Bong Joon-ho</a> (Memories of Murder, Host, Okja and Parasite) and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0453518/">Kim Jee-woon</a> (A Tale of Two Sisters and I saw the Devil).</p> <p><strong>Distinctly Korean</strong></p> <p>Korean cinema is <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&amp;lr=&amp;id=vYSgpD1yWQ4C&amp;oi=fnd&amp;pg=PR7&amp;dq=korean+cinema&amp;ots=Jr0EGwPX4V&amp;sig=GkUhIuE6ALUYbsGgi6qWKghSZgw&amp;redir_esc=y#v=onepage&amp;q=korean%20cinema&amp;f=false">deeply embedded in the Korean experience</a>, eschewing Hollywoodisation and producing an oeuvre that makes a Korean film distinctive to international audiences. Korean society has a reverence for tradition and at once extraordinarily modern, and its cinema embodies these qualities proudly.</p> <p>Korean cinema has become known for often exploring the dark side of human experience. The films can be unsettling, often mixing dark humour with elements of extreme violence, sumptuous cinematography and high production values. Many of them feature passionate revenge stories (<em>Oldboy</em>, 2003, or <em>I Saw The Devil</em>, 2010), captivating crime investigations (<em>Memories of Murder</em>, 2004), or unusual friendships (<em>Joint Security Area</em>, 2000, or <em>The Handmaiden</em>, 2016).</p> <p>Not shying away from controversial topics or challenging its audience, Korean films dare to tread in places western films are sometimes scared of. It is not surprising, then, that they have attracted the attention of a wider public and the admiration of filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino – who has compared Joon-ho to <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/quentin-tarantino-koreas-bong-joon-647767">Steven Spielberg in his prime</a>.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w4UUGIIZxFU?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span class="caption">The <em>Oldboy</em> official trailer.</span></p> <p>Parasite has amassed a <a href="https://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/news/news.jsp?pageIndex=1&amp;blbdComCd=601006&amp;seq=5300&amp;mode=VIEW&amp;returnUrl=&amp;searchKeyword=">box office revenue</a> of US$137 million (£105 million) globally, and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbean/2020/01/07/box-office-bong-joon-hosparasite-positioned-for-big-pre-oscars-run/#44b52aa4c182">is set to rake in more with this slew of awards and nominations</a>. Exceeding everybody’s <a href="https://variety.com/2019/film/news/parasite-bong-joon-ho-success-next-movies-marvel-netflix-1203408123/">expectations</a>, this subversive anti-capitalist film is winning over both critics and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/27/business/media/parasite-movie-studio-neon.html">audiences</a>. So much so, there is already a rumoured <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2020/01/bong-joon-hos-parasite-tv-show-expanded-film-not-remake.html">HBO series spin-off</a> in the works.</p> <p>Parasite’s accomplishments come off the back of Joon-ho’s previous <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/27/movies/review-okja-bong-joon-ho.html">critical success with the 2017 ecological fantasy Okja</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/bafta/status/965374939061735425?lang=en">Park Chan-wook’s 2018 film <em>Handmaiden</em></a> (the first Korean film to be nominated for and win a Bafta) and <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/burning-oscar-snub">Lee Chang-dong’s 2018 film <em>Burning</em></a> (the first Korean film to make it to shortlist for best foreign film at the Oscars). If this momentum is anything to go by, the “Korean Wave” is only set to get bigger.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/128595/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><em><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: http://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></em></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/agata-lulkowska-439983">Agata Lulkowska</a>, Lecturer in Film Production, Staffordshire University, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/staffordshire-university-1381">Staffordshire University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/an-oscar-for-parasite-the-global-rise-of-south-korean-film-128595">original article</a>.</em></p>

Movies

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Hikers rejoice! New trails in North and South Korea are opening

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hardcore hikers are rejoicing as they now have the option to explore the hiking trails that are alongside the Korean Peninsula’s Demilitarised Zone (DMZ).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The trails just so happen to be near the world’s most heavily armed border that divide North and South Korea, but as a part of South Korea’s Peace Trail project, there are three new trails being built.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Local government has approved three trails within the DMZ buffer, which stretches 4 kilometres wide and 240 kilometres long.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The area where the trails are looking to be built has divided the nations since 1953.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first trail, which is inside Gangwon province on the east side of the Korean Peninsula, opened on the 28</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">th</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of April.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"United Nations Command (UNC) and the ROK [South Korea] government have demonstrated superb teamwork, collaboration and coordination throughout the entire 'peace trail' process and will continue to do so," said General Robert Abrams, leader of the UNC, in a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"The ROK military has worked extremely long hours to ensure the success of this very important initiative, while assuring visitors their safety remains paramount."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the DMZ has been closed off to the public for more than six decades, it’s given the wildlife a chance to flourish. The area is home to endangered species, such as rare types of cranes, ducks, deer and mountain goats.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to reports from </span><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/korea-dmz-wildlife-hiking-trails/index.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">CNN</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, there are more than 6,000 different species of flora and fauna living inside the DMZ.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, hikers will be accompanied by military personnel and be required to wear bullet-proof vests and helmets during the walks.</span></p>

Travel Trouble

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Aussie skier “robbed” at the Winter Olympics after rival falls over

<p>It wouldn’t be the Winter Olympics if there wasn’t some sort of judging controversy, but the latest scandal to hit the games, involving Australian aerial skier David Morris, is leaving many viewers Down Under with a bad taste in their mouths. </p> <p>Fans across Australia were shocked with Morris was denied a spot at the business end of the competition, with many feeling he was let down by the judge’s scorecard. </p> <p>Morris, who is competing in his last Olympics, needed to place in the top nine to make the cut, and while his initial score of 111.95 had him in fourth, once the rest of the field started making clean jumps it was clear he was in trouble. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-video"> <p dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Aerialskier?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Aerialskier</a>'s final Olympic jump!<br /><br />Congratulations on an amazing career, David! A legendary Aussie Olympian 🇦🇺🙌⛷️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a> <a href="https://t.co/g0SdplLrxI">pic.twitter.com/g0SdplLrxI</a></p> — 7Olympics (@7olympics) <a href="https://twitter.com/7olympics/status/965330083941462016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>One of the competitors to follow Morris was Chinese athlete Jia Zongyang who was given a score of 118.55, despite clearly tumbling the landing as you can see below. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">118.55 🤔 <a href="https://t.co/7aCaGNbiFg">pic.twitter.com/7aCaGNbiFg</a></p> — 7Olympics (@7olympics) <a href="https://twitter.com/7olympics/status/965188485853331457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>This left Morris to place in 10th, and pulled the curtain on his Olympic career. </p> <p>“David didn’t have the perfect jump,” Seven commentator and Morris’s fellow freestyle skier Lydia Lassila said after the Australian was knocked out.</p> <p>“This is a tough competition. Jia fell over after an uncontrolled landing.</p> <p>“He was not in control on that landing. He fell over. So 118 for that I’m in disbelief. It’s really unfortunate.</p> <p>“They (the judges) have got to seriously review what they have decided upon tonight.”</p> <p>However, in true Australian spirit Morris was gracious in defeat.</p> <p>“10th in Olympics is fantastic. It’s my third games. This is a fantastic competition. Everyone has been putting down huge jumps. Nothing to be disappointed about,” Morris said.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Gracious in defeat. <a href="https://twitter.com/Aerialskier?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Aerialskier</a> is all class. What a champion. 🇦🇺🙌⛷️ <a href="https://t.co/nME0yAlgxv">pic.twitter.com/nME0yAlgxv</a></p> — 7Olympics (@7olympics) <a href="https://twitter.com/7olympics/status/965322798796177408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>“I think a couple of us are confused about that,” Morris said.</p> <p>“My coach went and asked the judges, they gave him four metres of controlled skiing which is what counts for a landing.</p> <p>“You can watch replays and slow mo and argue as much as you want. They gave him a four-metre stance where he had control.</p> <p>“I can’t argue it. Tough luck for me. That’s how these sports go.”</p> <p>What do you think? Do you think Morris was robbed?</p>

International Travel

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Korean beef bibimbap

<p>Once you make this recipe you will discover that this well-known Korean meal can be made into endless variations depending on your preferences.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span> </strong>2</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>300g beef strips</li> <li>1 ½ tbs salt-reduced soy sauce</li> <li>3cm knob of ginger</li> <li>1tsp brown sugar</li> <li>2tsp warm water</li> <li>1 clove  garlic, peeled and finely grated</li> <li>¾ cup jasmine rice</li> <li>3 cups of water (for the rice)</li> <li>1 tbs sesame seeds</li> <li>1 tbs olive oil</li> <li>1 carrot, cut into matchsticks</li> <li>1-2 heads gai lan</li> <li>2 eggs</li> <li>1 cucumber</li> <li>2tbs garlic aioli</li> <li>¼ tbs chilli flakes</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method</span>:</strong></p> <p>1. In a small bowl, combine the beef strips, salt-reduced soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar, warm water and the garlic. Toss to coat the strips in the marinade. Set aside.</p> <p>2. Place the Jasmine rice and the water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes, or until the rice is soft. Drain and return to the saucepan. Stir through half the sesame seeds and half the sesame oil.</p> <p>3. Meanwhile, heat half the olive oil in a medium frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the carrot for 1-2 minutes, or until just softened. Set aside on a plate and cover with foil. Add the Asian greens and remaining sesame oil and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until wilted. Set aside on the same plate. Now add the marinated beef strips and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through. Transfer to a second small bowl.</p> <p>4. Return the pan to a medium-high heat. Add the remaining olive oil, and then crack in the eggs. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the yolk is cooked to your liking. Remove from the heat.</p> <p>5. To serve, divide the sesame rice between bowls. Top with the beef strips, carrot sticks, cucumber ribbons, wilted Asian greens, garlic aioli and chilli flakes (if using). Top with the fried egg. Enjoy!</p> <p><em>Recipe courtesy of <a href="https://www.hellofresh.com.au/tasty/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Hello Fresh</span></strong></a>. </em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 178 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au</span></a> to order your copy now.</strong></em></p>

Food & Wine

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South Korean seniors flock to disco clubs to dance

<p>Thousands of South Korean seniors are secretly sneaking out to disco clubs to dance the day away.</p> <p>“I come here every day of the week, except for Saturday and Sunday,” says 81-year-old Jun Il-Taek as he dances beneath giant disco balls and fairy lights.</p> <p>Jun is just one of the 200 men and women on the dance floor, all bobbing away to the beat of disco.</p> <p>Although their rather sedate nature of dancing contrasts with the high energy of disco music, everyone is having a ball at the ninth-floor dance club.</p> <p><img width="415" height="277" src="http://cdn.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/doc6ofgchmpzfr19lbueobu.jpg" alt="TO GO WITH AFP STORY: SKorea-lifestyle-culture-population-ageing, FEATURE by Jung Ha-Won In a photo taken on February 4, 2016 a couple dance at a 'colatec' in Seoul. As the mercury outside plunges to minus 10 degrees on an ice-cold Monday afternoon, the dance floor inside the Kukilgwan Palace is packed with gray-haired Korean couples moving to the rhythms of high-volume disco. South Korea's rapidly ageing population may be a major headache for policymakers, but its members are determined to enjoy themselves, dancing the years away at clubs where 50-year-olds are turned away for being &quot;too young.&quot; Colatecs first emerged in the late 1990s as dance halls for teenagers, where alcohol was banned and the only drinks on offer were sodas like Coca Cola. But they soon fell out of fashion with their young clientele which migrated to gatherings at Internet cafes and karaoke clubs. And so the Colatecs rebranded themselves for an entirely different demographic. AFP PHOTO / Ed Jones " class="wp-image-188744" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>“Nothing keeps me healthier than dancing… I can’t live without this place,” Jun says, as he leads his 75-year-old female partner into a slow turn.</p> <p>The army veteran is one of the thousands of South Korean seniors who love going to “Colatecs” – special disco dance clubs for the elderly.</p> <p>Colatecs first emerged in the late 1990s as dance clubs for teenagers but soon fell out of fashion. They’ve now rebranded for the senior demographic, with opening hours between midday and 6pm.</p> <p>The clubs are flourishing across the country, where anyone under 60 are turned away for being “too young”.</p> <p><img width="420" height="280" src="http://cdn.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/doc6ofgct092jk1c7vovobu.jpg" alt="TO GO WITH AFP STORY: SKorea-lifestyle-culture-population-ageing, FEATURE by Jung Ha-Won In a photo taken on December 2, 2015 a musician plays keyboards as people dance at a 'colatec' in Seoul. As the mercury outside plunges to minus 10 degrees on an ice-cold Monday afternoon, the dance floor inside the Kukilgwan Palace is packed with gray-haired Korean couples moving to the rhythms of high-volume disco. South Korea's rapidly ageing population may be a major headache for policymakers, but its members are determined to enjoy themselves, dancing the years away at clubs where 50-year-olds are turned away for being &quot;too young.&quot; Colatecs first emerged in the late 1990s as dance halls for teenagers, where alcohol was banned and the only drinks on offer were sodas like Coca Cola. But they soon fell out of fashion with their young clientele which migrated to gatherings at Internet cafes and karaoke clubs. And so the Colatecs rebranded themselves for an entirely different demographic. AFP PHOTO / Ed Jones " class="wp-image-188745" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>However, in the ultra-conservative Korean society Colatecs are seen as immoral, meaning many seniors keep their disco-dancing hobby a secret from their families.</p> <p>Despite the stigma, South Korea’s ageing population are determined to enjoy themselves and many flock to the Colatecs to dance, unwind, have some fun, and meet new people.</p> <p>“My children and grandchildren think that I just meet my friends over coffee or lunch,” says Han Keum-Ok, 75, who has been a regular attendee of Colatecs for 10 years.</p> <p>“At my age, you never know how long you will live, and I’d like to enjoy the rest of my life to the full.</p> <p>“But I tell no one I come here because a lot of people think Colatecs are immoral,” she says. </p>

Retirement Life

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Korean barbeque beef sliders

<p>Gochujang is a spicy red chilli paste. A key ingredient in Korean cooking, it is readily available from Asian food stores and keeps for ages in the fridge. It's great for adding punch to sauces, soups and stews – and these taste-sensation mini burgers.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Makes:</span> </strong>12</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>500g eye fillet, cut into thin slices (about 3mm thickness)</li> <li>12 sliders or small bread buns</li> </ul> <p><em>Marinade</em></p> <ul> <li>100ml soy sauce</li> <li>1/4 cup caster sugar</li> <li>2 cloves garlic, crushed</li> <li>3 spring onions, finely chopped</li> <li>1 thumb ginger, peeled and grated</li> <li>1 tablespoon sesame oil</li> <li>1 tablespoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted</li> </ul> <p><em>Gochujang dressing</em></p> <ul> <li>2 tablespoons gochujang</li> <li>3 tablespoons tomato sauce</li> <li>3 tablespoons honey</li> <li>1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder</li> <li>2 teaspoons sesame oil</li> <li>1 tablespoon soy sauce</li> <li>1 teaspoon rice vinegar</li> </ul> <p><em>Additional fillings</em></p> <ul> <li>1 cos lettuce, leaves finely sliced</li> <li>1 cup kimchi</li> <li>1 pear or nashi, thinly sliced (place in a bowl of water with lemon juice until needed, to prevent browning)</li> <li>100g vermicelli thread, softened to packet instructions and fried in oil until crisp</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Place marinade ingredients in a bowl, add beef and toss to coat.</li> <li>Cover and refrigerate for an hour.</li> <li>Meanwhile, place all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Cover and set aside. </li> <li>When meat is ready, cook on a hot, oiled grill pan or barbecue hotplate for about a minute each side. Brush grilled meat on both sides with the dressing. </li> <li>Just before serving, cut the sliders in half and grill the cut sides. Place beef into sliders and top with lettuce, kimchi and pear slices. Drizzle with extra dressing and top with fried vermicelli. Add the lids and serve. </li> </ol> <p><em>Written by Bernadette Hogg. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. Image credit: Stuff.co.nz / Manja Wachsmuth</em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</strong></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Korean-style noodle stir fry

<p>Sweet potato noodles are what makes this dish a traditional Korean noodle stir fry. If you cannot find them in the Asian aisle of your local supermarket, glass noodles are a good substitute.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 2</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>100g packet sweet potato noodles</li> <li>1 teaspoon sesame oil</li> <li>1 teaspoon peanut oil</li> <li>1 small onion, cut into wedges</li> <li>1 clove garlic, crushed</li> <li>1 small carrot, julienned</li> <li>5-6 shiitake mushrooms, sliced</li> <li>10 sugar snap peas, cut in half diagonally</li> <li>2x 95g cans John West Korean BBQ Tuna</li> <li>1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Cook noodles following packet directions. Drain well and toss sesame oil through noodles.</li> <li>Meanwhile, heat oil in a wok over high heat.</li> <li>Stir fry onion and garlic for 2 minutes or until browned.</li> <li>Add carrot and toss for 2 minutes.</li> <li>Add mushrooms and sugar snap peas, continue to stir fry for a further 2 minutes or until mushrooms and sugar snap peas have softened.</li> <li>Stir in undrained John West Korean BBQ Tuna and noodles, toss until well combines.</li> <li>Serve immediately garnished with sesame seeds.</li> </ol> <p><em>Recipe courtesy of <a href="http://johnwest.com.au/recipes/korean-style-noodle-stir-fry"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">John West</span></strong></a>. </em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 178 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</a></span>.</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2017/01/mushroom-pork-stir-fry/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Mushroom and char siu pork stir fry</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/12/egg-noodles-with-chicken-and-soy/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Egg noodles with chicken and soy</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/11/chicken-mushroom-and-asparagus-stir-fry/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Chicken, mushroom and asparagus stir-fry</strong></em></span></a></p>

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