Obesity In Teenagers

When I asked teenagers, "What is your favorite food?" Most teenagers answered "Junk Food." Junk foods have low nutrition and high calories. Mr. Kang, from the KFDA (Korea Food & Drug Association) said there has been increase in Western diet. This includes obesity and heart disease as well as high-blood pressure. Its annual cost reaches almost 2 trillion won. It is a national problem. Therefore, people should eat well to be healthy. According to a recent study, one-third of Koreans are obese. 

The BMI figure indicates a person’s Body Mass Index. If one’s BMI is 25-30, that person is obese. If the BMI indicates more than 30, it's a high degree of obesity. The percentage of population with a BMI of 25 is increasing up to 30.7%. Especially, in 2008, with a high BMI (30+) increased to 4.1% compared with 2.3% in 1998. For example, Miss Jo, a current student, always eats junk food, because she lives a busy life. She finds food to eat quickly. When her BMI figure reached 28, she felt seriously obese. The second example, Miss Kim, a ten-year-old, prefers pork cutlets and ham to vegetables and fruits. She gets a lot of bullying, because of her weight. Her friends laugh at her.

Slow food is healthy food which is made by nutritious materials and digestible food. Mr. Kim lives alone. Due to his busy work, he always ate junk food in the morning. No one made him breakfast, and his dinner was always noodles. His weight was increasing day by day. So he decided to go on a diet. He ate Korean food instead of noodles and junk foods. As a result, his BMI figure became lower. Now although he is busy, he eats Korean food for his health. Here is a list of some possible healthy alternatives:

1. Black beans

Black beans contains Isoflavone which prevents breast cancer, and collagen which makes skin elastic.

2.Squid ink

Recently, foods that consist of squid ink are increasing in popularity. It is cooked in pasta snacks, and rice. Ingredients with melanin has an anti cancer agent.

3. Grapes

Eating the seeds and skin of grapes, you will feel younger. In grapes, the anti-oxidant ingredients of resveratrol helps to prevent cancer.

A report showed that the most second obese population in Asia is Korean. The number of obesity is steadily increasing. Besides these foods, there are many colorful foods. Let's keep our health by eating healthy foods.

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So Lee No, Bo Hwa Song, and Eun Bi Park are currently Woosong Students majoring in Global Business English

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Alumni Interview: Sung Ryong Kim

 Sungryong Kim is a former Woosong University student who studied in the Department of Digital Media in 2004. He currently owns the design company 'Design Moin.’ You can visit his company’s website http://www.moins.co.kr/.

                                                      

Q: Hello, it is an honor to interview you. So I’d like to know about your childhood dream and ambition.

A: Actually, like everyone, my childhood dreams were to be the president, a scientist, a doctor or a teacher, something like that. At that time, these were just too general and vague. I just wanted to be a very special person.

But as an adult, I woke up and smelled the coffee. These days my ambition is to make my 3-year old company, 'Design Moin’, Korea’s No. 1 or even better, the world's No. 1 design company. In order to make this happen, I have to work hard and prepare for my future one step at a time. I have chosen the design field because this is what I really want to do, to be part of the history of design. I really want to build my company to this level of greatness.

Q: Wow. I can see your passion here. So please tell us about what you do and about your company.

A: Briefly let me introduce myself and the company. I don’t think there is an age limit for learning. So I am studying for a masters in the Design Graduate School at Kookmin University, while also running my design company.

The company has an Offline and Online Business Department. We plan, design, and produce promotional materals for many Universities like KAIST, research institutes and even governmental organizations.

We have been awarded at a national design competition for 3 different fields. This year 2011, at the International Design competition, we were given prizes in 2 fields. We are currently working on a project which will be submitted at the end of this year as well. We are a very adventurous group with a strong pioneering spirit.

Q: That is just amazing that you were recognized beyond Korea’s borders. So how was your life while at Woosong?

A: I regret that it has already passed by. Now when I recall the days at Woosong, I feel sorry that I was not that active. It doesn’t mean that I didn’t study hard. But that even though I am a very sociable person, I was not enthusiastic and very involved in clubs, membership training or in relationships between seniors and myself.

Q: Yes, I think that building a network of friends and doing something very special while at university is definitely necessary. So how did you become what you are now? What have you done to become the person you are now?

A: Unlike people we call the greats, I wasn’t granted natural special skills. Compared to them, I am in the position that requires a lot of hard work and exertion. I don’t know how people will view who I am, but I am always trying to remember where I first began and to not be too arrogant. Rather, I should be humble and nice to everyone, always have a mind like ‘diligence makes the best results’ so as to not disappoint the people who helped me. I think these made me who I am today.

Q: Wow! All of your sayings are right. But it is always hard to do what you recommend, that’s a shame. So what have you learned from Woosong and how has it helped you in preparing for your future?

A: I learned from Woosong not only academic subjects, but also character and experience. They were the foundation of my first experiences in society.

It has been years since I graduated, but even now the relationship with my professors, seniors and juniors has helped me out a lot. And it is an honor to have a company named by my former Woosong professor. It is very meaningful. I want to be an important alumnus who is a good example to the school and its students.

Q: Lastly, do you have any words of wisdom for current Woosong students?

A: As the proverb says, it does a young man good to suffer some privations in the world. The endurances and adventures during the younger days are unalterable and unchangeable, considered precious property. Always do your best, improve your own abilities. I am sure you will make it. Everything around you will be just great! I hope you will be a good person who contributes to the whole of society.

Thanks for giving me this opportunity to share my experience and I wish all the best to the students of Woosong University and The Woosong Herald.

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Eun Young Hwang is currently a Woosong Student majoring in Hotel Tourism Management

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Alumni Interview: Kim Ae Wa

Kim Ae Wa is a gradute from the Department of Culinary Arts at Woosong University. She currently teaches at Byungcheon High School in a district of Cheonan.

Q: What was your dream and ambition from a young age?

A: Wow, it depends on my stage in life. When I was a primary school girl, I was filled with ridiculous and funny ideas. But I got some sense in middle school and dreamed about becoming a cook, a traveler, a restaurant manager, a master chef working in splendid hotels, basically to be someone famous and connected with cooking. Actually it never came to me that I would be a teacher now.

Q: So you fell in love with cooking as a young girl. Do you do that in your job now?

A: I’ve already worked as a western food instructor for 4 years. Time really flies.

Q: Interesting, do you miss your college life? How was it?

A: Well, I was just a common student, taking classes Monday to Friday and working a part-time job during the weekend. But what I really cherish is that during summer and winter holidays, I used my saved money to backpack abroad with friends. We met interesting people, experienced various cultures, and broadened our horizons. That had a great influence on my life.

Q: Yeah, I like traveling too. But how did you end up as a teacher?

A: Well, after doing an intership, I took a lesson on teaching skills and after graduating from Woosong University, I started preparing for the cooking teacher qualification examination. It was a hard time as there were no students prepared for the exam before and the admission was very strict. I failed the exam but luckily, after getting employed by Byungcheon High School and receiving a lot of help from fellow teachers, I finally passed the exam.

Q: Wow, thats such a moving story. So in college, what helped you to be a good teacher?

A: I took the practical training curriculum which emphasizes a lot on western food and Woosong University offered me an internship course in United States which helped to make me a qualified cooking teacher today.

Q: Well thanks for your cooperation and would you like to say something to Woosong students as a closing?

A: With pleasure. Really, college is the most beautiful period of ones life, as it gives you plenty of time to do what you like and no one will criticize on you when you make mistakes. Don’t be afraid, try everything meaningful with all of your effort and you will succeed finally. Don’t waste too much time drinking, playing on the computer and always be honest and kind.

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Wang Kun, Eun Young Hwang, and Ying Cheng Hao are currently Woosong Students

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A Window to Malaysia

My first thoughts were, 'What? Malaysia? What can I do there? I was hoping for crazy shopping in Hong Kong!'


When I heard that we are going to Malaysia for English Training, these were the words that came out from my mouth. But, what could I say? I am college student and I should deal with it. On the last day of July in the evening, 30 Woosong University students landed safely in Kuala Lumpur International Airport. There were three people waiting to greet us.


One of them was a Korean coordinator from the University of Malaya (UM). The other two were International students from UM. And they referred to themselves as a ‘PM’. They said they would be helping us out for the next 2 weeks. I was thinking, ‘Local friends who can show us around for 2 weeks? Cool.’


The next day, they took us to a Faculty of Languages where we would take our classes. That same day, they gave us a campus tour and welcoming ceremony. Thankfully they organized 3 daytrips with a college bus to the suburb of of Kuala Lumpur. We visited places such as Firefly Park, Malaca, Batu Caves, Petra Jaya and so on.


They all treated us like old friends. They were so friendly, kind and dedicated. Most of our guides were Muslims, so they were doing their Ramadan fasting which means they can’t eat while the sun is up. Yet, they helped us 24/7.


I was very impressed with their dedication and warm hearts. 2 weeks seemed like such a long time before I left Korea. But, time flew. When I got back from Malaysia, I realized I got an amazing experience of diverse cultures and good friends. Something I couldn’t compare to some postcards that I would have gotten after a trip to Hong Kong.

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Jain Song is currently the Chief Student Editor of the Woosong Herald
and
a Woosong Student majoring in Culinary Arts

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What I Felt Through Training Program in Malaysia

We, the 30 students of Woosong University, came back to Korea after the completion of two weeks of training at the University of Malaya in the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Although it felt like it was somewhat of a short period of time, it was a good chance to feel and experience a lot of things. In my opinion, to cut a long story short, Malaysia is a very unique and special country.


Firstly, one thing that made me surprised the most was that Malaysia is composed of a variety of cultures. All this, as well as the peaceful coexistence of such different cultures at the same time. The diverse cultures in Malaysia were so distinctive that I could feel it in daily life. For example, there were all types of apparel being worn on the street. Not only Malaysian traditional clothes but modern and casual clothes as well as religious clothes. Downtown was scattered with all kinds of temples such as Islamic Mosques, Buddhist temples, Hindu temples and Sikh temples. Looking at all the different types daily religious practice was very interesting.


Besides diverse cultures, another novel feature was that there were a lot of foreigners. In fact, the major ethnic groups of the country are Malaysian, Chinese, and Indian. Moreover, in recent times, a number of people coming to Malaysia in order to study or to work are from South Asia, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. So there were many chances to meet tourists and foreigners who live there while I was staying at the University of Malaya and walking in downtown Kuala Lumpur. Running into foreigners so frequently made me feel like a member of Malaysia, not just a stranger.


Furthermore, I got to think a lot about language. Actually, I encountered numerous kinds of languages that I’ve never experienced before while in Malaysia. Beyond Malaysian, some examples of them are Arabic, Persian, Cantonese, Panjabi, Tamil and so on. As meeting so many kinds of unfamiliar languages, I anew realized that indeed the world is wide and it has much to offer and learn from. And I thought that if this is a place where people from all over the world gather, English is a basic means to communicate but when it comes to learning each other truly, an active attitude to understand different cultures and ideas is necessary.

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Jeong Seop Ahn is currently a Woosong Student majoring in the Nursing Department

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