How to Dress Professionally at Work.

Dress code based on T.P.O (time, place, and occasion) is very important, especially when you start to enter the business world.

The Importance of Film Soundtracks

Music plays an important role in movies, evoking a range of different emotions and conveying their central messages.

Korean Billiards Culture

Billiards can easily be one the most exciting leisure sports for everyone to enjoy no matter gender, age or career.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Popularity of Korean Baseball

The 2014 Korean baseball season opened on March 29th. Millions of baseball fans awaited the opening of the season. And now, spectators of the Korean Baseball League are reaching 1 million strong. This is a record for the shortest period of time to exceed 1 million fans and get third in the ratings. Also, this record was achieved after 83 games. In recent years, the popularity of the Korean Baseball League has been getting higher. How did this happen?

First of all, the Korean National Baseball team’s outstanding performance at the Beijing Olympic Games contributed to the baseball fever sweeping Korea. There are many famous players on this team. After the season is over, some players who showed good performances during the season are chosen by the national team coach. The players included from the last Olympic Games were Yong-Kyu Lee, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Dae-Ho Lee. When the National Baseball team got the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, the number of Korean baseball fans increased rapidly. After that, the national team won second place at the World Baseball Classic, and won the championship title at the Guangzhou Asian Game. Once the Korean National team achieved global fame through their performance at international baseball events, many spectators wanted to see their local players gain acceptance to the National team.

Another reason is that there are many unique cheers when Korea fans are watching a ball game. Some baseball clubs have their own cheering culture. Many fans are charmed by this. For example, the Hanhwa Eagles’ fans show their support by standing up and shouting after the 8th inning. When asked why, one Eagles fan claimed, “I don’t know. We just do.” Lotte Giants fans encourage their players by shaking newspapers. Their fans use newspapers because clapping and shouting is just not enough for these fans and the club does not provide them with anything else.
They also wear orange vinyl after the 7th inning because decades ago, their home stadium, Busan Sajik stadium, was not clean. The newspapers provided Giants fans with a clean place to sit. Eventually some fans starting shaking the newspapers while singing the player’s a cheering song when their players were up at bat. There are many cheering cultures with each team. Also, there are many songs for each team. Baseball fans even have songs for each player. The singing is another way for fans to enjoy the game.

Third, there are also many areas from which to enjoy a baseball match. At Incheon’s Munhak Stadium, for example, there is the “Barbecue zone.” People can go there and roast pork while they are watching the baseball match. Usually, people buy pork and some supplies at a market and bring them into the stadium. Fans in this zone say it is the best way to see a game. They recommend this zone as a great way to enjoy the game with family and friends.
In our hometown of Daejeon, spectators can see the “Glamping zone” at Hanbat Stadium. If you go there, you can see people who have pitched tents in the stadium. This zone is unique to Daejeon. Good luck reserving a place to pitch there, however, these places are reserved well in advanced.

Another factor contributing to the success of baseball in Korea, is the foreign players that come to the KBO league. Among foreign players, there are some players who played in the MLB in America. For example, Jorge Cantu, who played for the Tampa Bay Rays and Florida Marines, is now playing for the Doosan Bears. Before his debut, he was known for the 104 homeruns he scored when he played in the MLB. Also, Luke Scott, who played for the Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles, is now playing for the SK Wyverns. Like Jorge Cantu, Scott is known for hitting 138 homeruns while he played in the MLB. There are many foreign players throughout the KBO. This year, the KBO rules about foreign players have changed. Many fans are looking forward to seeing these foreign players in action.

The Korean Baseball League has increased the number of annual games to 99 games a season. The KBO announced on March 25th that their goal is to attract 7 million spectators. They are making an effort to do this in conjunction with club officials. There are many sporting events in Korea, so competing with well-established sports like soccer is a challenge facing the KBO. But, as one fan put it, “once baseball sinks its teeth in you, you’re hooked.”

Staff writer Park Hui-Je.

Chinese Food Culture

China is 45 times the area of Korea. Because of this and the differences of climate, soil, and the natural environment, there are many food ingredients to seek out. In earlier times, it wasn't easy for humans to find ingredients from other places, so they ate only what they produced themselves. On account of this, foods from across China have developed in a unique way.

There are a multitude of food ingredients available in China. Most animals and plants are used in Chinese cuisine. In particular, the Chinese also use an abundance of dried ingredients through the year.

Chinese cooking also requires a lot of cooking oil. This creates the characteristic flavor of Chinese food. When the oil starts to smoke, a host of other condiments, like soy sauce, ginger, scallions, garlic, and spicy pepper are added to create the special taste of Chinese food. Generally, Chinese food takes a longer time to prepare than the foods of other nations.

Using lots of oil causes acidic metabolic waste to linger inside the body leading to unbalanced PH levels inside the body. To counter this, Chinese people drink tea to neutralize their systems.

The standard cooking methods are to use fire or water to cook food. The tradition that food must be cooked is handed down to the Chinese from the past. Fresh meat and produce is also healthier than processed food, which is one reason why Chinese food, despite being cooked in vats of oil, has a reputation for being healthier than Western food.

Chinese seasonings and spices are many and varied. Chinese cooking is judged by three essential factors, known as "color, aroma, and taste". Chinese people always have a great time at rich dinners with their families around a round table which fosters unity and happiness. On a final note, Chinese dishes are always beautifully garnished.


Staff writer Kim Won Gyun.

Attention Job Seekers! No More Mistakes!

Job advertisement
Nowadays, getting hired is not easy. For some people, it’s as hard as a camel going through a needle’s eye. However, looking for a job isn’t easy, either. According to Ford R. Myers, president of Career Potential, there are some mistakes job seekers often make. He stated, “Many people make significant job search mistakes and never even know about it. These blunders are easy to make, and they can cost you the job offer or lose you thousands of dollars.” He also added that well-informed job seekers also make these mistakes.

Ford Myers introduced some big mistakes job seekers make and provided ways to avoid them. Among those, 7 big mistakes are stated below.

1) Too Depend on Online Job Placements
Online job postings and advertisements don’t produce much value, but they cannot be ignored altogether. There’s a possibility that there are some jobs from these postings in trade publications or web sites of industries. Therefore, don’t spend too much of your time on job placements.

2) Mailing Unwanted Resumes
Mailing unwanted resumes will be treated as scrap paper and wasted work. HR managers and decision-makers who are in charge of employment won’t accept them. Therefore, this job searching method needs to be stopped.

3) To Look for Job Openings Only
Only searching the “opening” section of a company is an old-fashioned method. Many best companies do not use “opening” section to list the vacancy of jobs. They rather use job interviews. Therefore, remember that not many companies are using job opening section, so don’t rely too much on it.

Network
4) Ineffectual Networking
Networking is the main focus of a job search that takes most of your time, but many people go about it wrong- by talking too much and asking for jobs. The best networkers need to listen to others, not just to talk. They are not shy asking for feedback and guidance. Therefore, remember that networking is not about taking, it’s about giving.

5) Job Searching without a Plan
Many people don’t spend too much time in planning a job search. In order to conduct an effective job search, utilize a detailed method, daily privacy and planning, and method of responsibility. Also, your progress needs to be measurable.

6) Not Preparing for Job Interviews
In job interviews, five basic elements are included: expressing your value, carrying your knowledge of the company, asking intelligent questions, discussing payment, and accomplishments. Therefore, each of these elements needs to be well-prepared. Also, you need to research the company and the interviewer beforehand.
Money bag
7) Not Knowing Your Market Value
Studying and determining your value are very important in order for you to negotiate effectively. Do not reveal your payment requirements- the employer is the one who always determines the salary. The right time to talk about the payment is when the employer decides that you are their top applicant.

Staff writer Cho Bo-Yeon.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Graduating? How to Stand Out from the Crowd

graduateworld According to the Korean National Statistical Office, the unemployment rate in South Korea decreased to 3.20 percent in March of 2013, from 3.50 percent in February. It seems like employment is not a problem for college students but the question remains --- why do so many college students consider finding a job a colossal, mind-torturing process?

Recently, a series of surveys were conducted by the Woosong Herald on campus. Not surprisingly, a lot of Woosong students do not think it will be easy to find a job right after graduation. Asked to name the most difficult part of finding a job, Jinui Bak, a freshman from department of occupational therapy, said: ”Interview! That really freaks me out! I get nervous and all kinds of things by only thinking about interviews.”

Jaehyeon Bak, who has graduated from the Department of Railway Vehicle System Engineering, said: ”To get oneself highlighted is also important.” He explained the internship system at Korail to us, saying: ”6-month-long internship, 3 people out of 20 stay, what is the right strategy? Get more attention while not making a single mistake.”

Fortunately, the Human Resource Department of BM-Story (Daejeon) replied to the e-mail we sent asking for employment tips. Following are the tips given by the HRD manager, Hyeondeok Han:

  1. Be persistent. The people who make a serious effort to get my attention show me they’re willing to go the extra mile to accomplish tasks.
  2. Remember it’s not all about you. When an interviewer asks why you want this job, just tell them what you could bring to the table, not what you want.
  3. Emphasize your leadership skills. Not everyone we hire is a 4.0 student with a perfect resume.
  4. Polish your online presence. A candidate’s online image is so much more important than it was in the past, so please keep your frat-party photos off your Facebook.

“This really makes sense. It seems like everyone can make a fancy resume, it bothers me a lot how to look different in the crowd. GPA does not rule anymore and to be prepared for the job you want is the new major task,” he said.

We will continue to conduct surveys for details on job-seeking and offer the information to all Woosong students.


Staff writers Cheng Hao and Lu Guang Ting.

Do Not Give Up on Yourself

Advice from Woosong University’s Honorary President, Woo Nam Gyoon

Honorary President Woo President Woo is the person who led the economic development of Korea for 36 years, starting his career at Keumyoung Company (LG group) in 1974. He assumed the honorary presidency of Woosong in 2012 and he is now working hard to raise WSU students as competitive global talents.

Q: Why did you choose to work at WSU as the honorary president?

A: I feel like I was meant to come to WSU. I enjoy taking on challenges, overcoming difficulties, and achieving success. The history of Korean electronic products resembles WSU’s history. Now the products of LG Electronics are evaluated as number 1 or number 2 worldwide. But when I was trying to sell LG products back in 1974, nobody recognized LG. We had to promote our products in front of 400-500 dealers to get orders. It was a very difficult time to get through but if we didn’t go through that time, Koreans wouldn’t be leading the world’s electronics industry now.

Referring to past examples, WSU can also make huge improvements. LG Electronics’ annual sales were less than $30,000,000 thirty years ago, but now it has grown to 2000 times that of before. Likewise, WSU can position itself as the university focusing on the Asian perspective. WSU is way more passionate compare to the other universities showing their vision, strategy, and most importantly, the power to implement their vision. Other students take 11 weeks of rest during winter vacation, but WSU students keep studying on those cold winter days. That passion and commitment will make the dream come true.

Q: What is your plan to lead Woosong students?

A: As time passes, the birth rate in Korea will go down and universities will face difficulties in operating because of the decreasing number of students. To prevent the problem, WSU is adding various specializations in order to position itself distinctively. In an effort to train global talents, WSU affiliated itself with Solbridge and other universities, and it also offers various overseas training programs. In addition, I want to create partnerships with companies and position WSU students as prepared, customized talents. WSU and the company CJ Foodville formed a class as part of this project. Students study what you will learn at the first year of working at CJ during the 2nd semester of the 3rd year of their BBA. It reduces the company’s efforts and also increases competency of the students. We invited the CEO and Marketing Manager of CJ Foodville to teach students. “Specialization, Globalization, and Partnership” will be the direction for the future of WSU.

Q: Would you please give us recommendations about the essential activities that we must do in our university life?

A: “Get out of the dream; find the way to get into the real world.” You must be awake to face reality. Fantasy and reality are totally different from each other. The bridge to connect the dream world and the real world, I think, is vision. The key to realize your vision is to implement it. Even if you have a good vision, without implementing it, it doesn’t mean anything. Thus success equals vision plus implementation. (Success = Vision + Implementation). Student should utilize their university years to convert their dreams to visions, and learn the basics to implement the vision. Never give up on your dreams. It all begins from the dream.

Q: Lastly please give some advice to new Woosong students.

A: “You should suffer when you are young. And when you get older, you should share your experience of hardships to the young people.”

In fact if you were not born to rich parents, it’s not very convenient. But you cannot be disqualified for that condition in life. I personally think that I was lucky to be born into a not-that-rich family. I also was raised by normal parents and went to university by myself. If I had not gone through that time, I wouldn’t have challenged the difficult tasks like I did at that time. If you haven’t faced difficulties in your life, you will never know the depth of your life. IMG_1757

“Never give up on yourself.”

Students who gave up themselves are the most pitiable ones. You don’t need to get a high GPA. If you learn how to try your best all the time, that will be a big asset to you. Nobody can beat the person who prepares and makes an effort. If you stick to what you want to achieve and try your best, you can succeed. I hope our young students realize how precious they are and never give up on their lives.

“Speaking a foreign language is essential.”

In the future you should speak one other foreign language even if you only open a small retail store. When you are communicating with people from other cultures, there is no better way than showing good manners by using their language and understanding their feelings. Confucius says, “Isn’t it a pleasure to study, and to practice what you have learned?” I am also still studying foreign languages. I hope Woosong students will make a consistent habit of studying foreign languages.

Q: Can you tell us about your dreams?

A: My dream is to teach Woosong students well and make them competitive with the students at the universities in Seoul. Woosong students can do it. I think I can surely realize my dream because I had sold TVs, which is a more difficult task than this!


Staff writers Han Byung Jun and Park JaeSeul.

“Eco-friendly, Human-Centered” Seoul Motor Show 2013

motor6 The 2013 Seoul Motor Show was held from March 29th to April 7th at ILSAN KINTEX exhibition center. It was the biggest show of its kind in Korea this year. Its aim was to improve and develop the auto industry through a comparative exhibition of local and foreign cars. The show’s “With nature, for the people” theme captivated audiences. People also could see what trends and directions future vehicles will experience. The organizing committee for Seoul Motor Show said that the number of spectators (about 1.2 million) was much more than was expected. Meanwhile, more than 14,000 overseas buyers from 41 countries flocked to the event where they discussed export deals worth US $1.4 billion, according to the organizers.

motor2 There were a number of exhibits in the KINTEX. What stood out during the show were the ‘eco-friendly’ cars. 36 eco-friendly cars were displayed. The display, called 'Cherish Nature’ included cars manufactured by companies such as Renault, Samsung, Korea GM, BMW, Nissan and Honda.

This show also contributed to popularizing environment-friendly vehicles. There were eco-friendly car test drives at one of the exhibition’s events. The Organizing Committee for Seoul Motor Show said "Through this event, you can watch a hybrid, the electric car and the fuel cell electric vehicle. You get a good opportunity to experience the performance of eco-friendly cars, the product of advanced automobile technology and mileage capability.”

motor3 Colorful, unusual events such as “Best Car of the Show”, “Photo Contest,” “Prize Drawing Event,” and “Collegian Car Design Contest,” captured the audience at the motor show. However, this show also was lacking one thing- the world’s latest released new car.

Finally, this show demonstrated that the future of the eco-friendly car industry will depend on technological advancements. Through shows like this, car lovers can see how the automobile is improving and correcting past mistakes. "The Seoul Motor Show has become an international event in terms of quality and quantity. We plan to make it one of the world's four major motor shows by 2015," an official said.motor1


Staff writer Seo Won Deok.

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