Plant trees for the future

They might just stand still all day long as if they do nothing at all. But they give us more than most of us realize.

They absorb toxic gases and give us fresh, cool air.

They add beauty to our natural surroundings, and are used in proverbs, novels and movies for enlightenment.

They heal us, bring us closer together and even help us make money.

And they ask for nothing in return.

Trees and forests have become an important and integral part of society especially as the world faces climate change as a result of human activity.

The global community may have come to realize the importance of developing an environmentally friendly world amid increasing emissions of carbon dioxide.

But some say many still “can’t see the forest for the trees.”

“Nobody is going to protect the environment for us. We have to do it ourselves,” said Kim Myung-jeon, chairman of Green Ranger, a non-profit organization that promotes tree planting among the youth.

“We need to start thinking that tree planting is not only for our own good, but (imperative) for our future.”

The country hopes to change people’s perceptions by promoting forest plantation as it celebrates the 69th Arbor Day this weekend.

The Korea Forest Service, a state-run forest management agency, said that it would push efforts to promote and plant 5.2 million trees on 22,000 hectares of land ― an area 76 times the size of Yeouido ― by the end of this month.

“We will aim to provide an environment where people can comfortably rest and energize as this year marks the 41st anniversary since Korea adopted a national land policy promoting tree planting,” KFS Minister Shin Won-sop said in a statement.

Industry experts said it may take a while for the public and the private sectors to see tangible benefits from forestation.

But they need to be patient, as investments for trees and forests will eventually pay off, as seen by Hansol Homedeco, a Korean construction and furniture materials maker, which saw a profit after investing for more than two decades.

One hundred Mongolian oak trees, for instance, can annually absorb 1 ton of carbon dioxide, the main cause of global warming.

One ton of greenhouse gases is equivalent to the emissions from driving a car with a 2,000 cc engine between Seoul and Busan seven times.

Their contribution may not be visible, but that is what trees do, besides adorning the natural scenery.

Some say this is enough reason for the people to cherish them as did Willa Cather, the author known for her “Great Plains” novels, who said: “I like trees because they seem more resigned to the way they have to live than other things do.”

By Park Hyong-ki (hkp@heraldcorp.com)

Sexy variety show for women, by a woman Freed from critical glare of men, all-female audience goes wild at ‘Mr. Show’

The 70-minute show billed as a “sexy variety show” exclusively for women left many in the audience reeling from giddiness even after the curtain had gone down.

The sight of eight good-looking young men with ripped bodies ― six-packs, pecs, deltoids and biceps ― tearing off their shirts with abandon, pulling down their pants in the blink of an eye, and lap-dancing for women pulled on to the stage from the audience had the women, ranging in age from 20s to 60s, clapping wildly, squealing with delight, howling and yelling.

“The audience is usually rowdier than the crowd tonight,” says Kolleen Park, the director of “Mr. Show,” after taking a sip from a mug of Kirin draft beer during an interview with The Korea Herald on Thursday night. That evening’s invitation-only staging had just ended.

Park had been thinking about putting on a sexy variety show featuring an all-male cast for a women-only audience for a long time ― she had written the script 12 years ago ― but the timing was not right, until now.

“Mr. Show” features eight separate episodes, each with a theme based on costumes. One episode features the men in white T-shirts and blue jeans while the final episode has them wearing shiny gold uniforms with aviator sunglasses. 

“Mr. Show” director Kolleen Park poses at the Lotte Card Art Center in Seogyo-dong, Seoul, on Thursday. (Kim Myung-sub/The Korea Herald)

“Costumes are a bit of someone’s fantasy and they give guys a reason to take off their clothes,” she explains. 

“The idea is for women to have fun, go home and laugh about it,” she explains. The absence of men makes it possible for the women to be themselves, without being anxious about what their boyfriends or husbands would think and having to act “properly.”

“It alludes to the nakedness, sexuality. But it is very clean fun,” she adds, dismissing concerns that the show may be lewd. 

As there is only one professional actor in the group ― “the boys,” as Park refers to them, include a model, personal trainer and body builder ― there were concerns initially whether they could be whipped into stage performers in just two months. However, the staff was moved to tears on the opening night, seeing how far the boys had come, Park recalls fondly. To achieve the look and the attitude, the performers rehearsed for 10 hours and hit the gym for three hours daily. 

Parks admits to never reading media reports about her shows. “I could not be where I am today if I read them because I am so sensitive,” she says. But she is aware of the reports. “I’ve heard many male reporters have negative views about ‘Mr. Show.’” 

A scene from “Mr. Show,” which runs through June 28 at Lotte Card Art Center (Mr. Show Production)

Asked about her male fantasy ― after all, “Mr. Show” is about fulfilling women’s male fantasies, according to the press release ― Park replies, “I don’t think I have a fantasy. I find it attractive when men put everything into their work, showing dedication to what they are doing, showing their passion for it. 

“The boys’ dedication is such a turn-on,” she adds.

What about the claim that the show answers women’s fantasies? “These fantasies are based on ‘research,’ talking with girlfriends and life experiences,” she explains. 

Pressed further to put a face on her fantasy man, she blurts out a completely unexpected name: “Peter O’Toole is the love of my life, has been always,” she says. Best known here for his role in “Lawrence of Arabia,” O’Toole died last year.

“Mr. Show” is tame compared to male revues in Las Vegas, which, in Park’s words, are “more raunchy.” “I don’t think I’ve seen this sort of jolly, clean fun, sexy show. There is no parallel in women’s revues either,” Park says. 

“Korean women go completely wild and I didn’t want to scare the boys,” she says. The performers are in their mid-20s to early 30s and making them feel safe and not exploited was a big concern.

Contrary to Park’s worries, the boys are having the time of their life. “They’re really enjoying it. One of them said ‘thank you’ on the first preview night,” she says with a glint of pride.

The musical industry’s reaction was one of curiosity. “They thought it was just Kolleen doing something. It took people by surprise,” she says.


Reading people
Being a good judge of character is a strength to which she attributes her success. “I am very good at reading people and this means that I’m good at casting,” she explains. “My parents taught us (their children) how to look at the world in a big way. I was able to ‘see’ people.” Park is the youngest of three sisters born to a Korean father and a Lithuanian-American mother. She grew up shuttling between Busan and California before she returned for a long stint of studying Korean traditional music at Seoul National University’s graduate school.

She is also a good listener, which enables her to gather great people around her, she says.

Her sensitivity ― “every pore in my body absorbs it” ― while potentially debilitating, allows Park to empathize easily with people and animals.

In fact, she is a goodwill ambassador for an association for Sapsalgae, an indigenous dog breed. “My dog, at 15, is the oldest Sapsalgae in Korea,” she boasts. She is delighted that the World Wildlife Foundation has arrived in Korea and is looking forward to serving it in some way, she says.

Park released her second book earlier this year and is currently involved in two other stage projects: “Ghost,” which she is supervising, and “Kaboom,” a variety show featuring the story of backstreet artists.

“My mind is on variety shows now. I have a plan for a second version of ‘Mr. Show’ that would be very different from the current one,” she says. “I am not locked into a genre. I like my variety.”

Park bemoans the state of the local musical scene today. “The industry has back-pedaled in the last three to four years. Now, it has turned into a massive fan club-based industry,” she observes in frustration with the audience. “Our audience has gone a little haywire in terms of how to view a musical. So, the quality (of musicals) has dropped incredibly. Musicals right now are not fun for me,” she says.

Not all is lost, however. She is waiting for quality musicals to return in about three to four years. “Now we are getting people who trained abroad properly in musical writing returning to Korea,” she says. 

Park plans on premiering a new musical in about two years. “‘Airport Baby’ is a musical based on the story of a Korean who was adopted by a Jewish family in the States,” she reveals. It will be half in English and half in Korean, she adds. 

Park ― whose strong charisma was on full display in the 2010 KBS show “Men’s Qualification,” on which she trained a group, including several well-known television personalities, to compete in a choral contest ― reveals a nurturing side when she talks about the future.

“I’ve got my gang, much younger than me, actors, writers, music performers. I want to be ironing their shirts when they are on tours,” she says, smiling softly as she envisions the scene.

In return, she made them promise to pay her 500,000 won for snacks every month.

By Kim Hoo-ran, Senior writer 
(khooran@heraldcorp.com)

Feng takes early lead at Kraft Nabisco

Shanshan Feng picked the brain of a wily veteran en route to grabbing the clubhouse lead at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first major of the women’s golf season, on Thursday. 

Feng, China’s first winner on the LPGA Tour, carded seven birdies and one bogey for a six-under 66 to head teenage amateur Angel Yin by two strokes with half the field in the clubhouse at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. 

Feng played her opening round with three-time Kraft Nabisco Championship winner Amy Alcott and was not afraid to ask the 58-year-old for advice on how to navigate the course. 

“After my first drive, I was asking her (for) the secrets about winning here,” said the 24-year-old from Guangzhou. 

“Before this year, I never did well here, so she was telling me the secrets (but) don’t ask me what the secrets are, because they are secrets. 

“I will tell you maybe after we finish Sunday but I did learn a lot from her. I was really focusing on my game but at the same time watching how she deals with the tough shots.” 

Park In-bee watches her tee shot on the 11th hole during the first round at the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship golf tournament in Rancho Mirage, California, Thursday. (AP-Yonhap)

Feng has three LPGA Tour victories, including a major title, the 2012 LPGA Championship. 

Yin, meanwhile, opened her round with a par at the 10th but then went on a bogey-birdie-bogey-birdie run over the next four holes before settling down and picking up four more birdies. 

The 15-year-old Californian, playing on an invitation after making the cut last year, said good putting had been the key to her low score. 

“I was staying calm and making my stroke. I really like the greens here, so my putting is better than any other course I play,” she said. 

Yin, however, joked that she would not be so calm if she had a chance to meet her idol, Michelle Wie, who had a later tee time. 

“If she said hi to me, I’d probably run.” 

Defending champion Park In-bee of South Korea mixed three bogeys with birdie for a two-over 74. (Reuters)

Coffee chains go upscale to beat competition Starbucks Reserve opens in Korea to offer taste of premium coffee

Competition in the high-end segment of the 1.6 trillion won ($1.5 billion) Korean coffee shop market may heat up as more and more coffee aficionados appear to be craving something extra special in their coffee. 

While it remains to be seen whether the upscale trend will catch on in earnest, going premium is likely to offer new business opportunities for coffee shops that are seeing heavy competition, market observers say. 

Starbucks Korea has become the latest and by far the most powerful contender with its launch of a gourmet coffee brand, Starbucks Reserve, on Tuesday. 

Starbucks Reserve sells coffee for 6,000 won-7,000 won a cup, which is about 3,000 won higher than at a regular Starbucks. The coffee is more expensive because it is brewed through its signature Clover machine by baristas who have undergone official “coffee master” programs. 

Chris Gimbl (right), global brand manager of Starbucks Reserve, demonstrates how to make premium coffee at the Starbucks Reserve outlet in Apgujeong-dong, Seoul, Tuesday. (Ahn Hoon/The Korea Herald)

Five Starbucks Reserve cafes ― in Apgujeong-dong, Sogong-dong, Jeokseon-dong and Itaewon-dong in Seoul, and Jeongja-dong in Gyeonggi Province ― have opened in Korea to join the 800 Reserve outlets worldwide. 

The beans used for Reserve coffee will change every three or four months because only small amounts are imported. The inaugural coffee beans are Finca Nuevo Mexico and Sun-Dried Ethiopia. 

“Only 1 in 1,000 cups of coffee might be the special coffee, special enough to be a Starbucks Reserve,” said Chris Gimbl, global brand manager of Starbucks Reserve. Gimbl noted that a maximum of only up to 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) of coffee beans may be stored at a time at Starbucks Reserve cafes. 

Market watchers suggest that the decision to go upscale stems from coffee makers’ desperate need to find a sweet spot amid fierce market competition. According to industry insiders, there are more than 15,000 coffee shops in the country. 

“You can literally say that large streets are filled with coffee shops ranging from small names to powerhouses including Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Caffe Bene or Twosome Place,” said a 32-year-old named Jung, who used to run a Caffe Bene store in Seoul. 

“Coffee has become such a routine part of Koreans’ lives, I can’t imagine the market growing any further,” he said, adding that going high-end is the only way to generate more growth.

Starbucks Korea remains upbeat about the future. 

“The Korean coffee market won’t grow as explosively as it used to, but we are confident that it still will grow at least in the single-digit range, annually,” Starbucks Korea CEO and president Lee Seock-koo said Tuesday at the launching event of the Reserve brand. 

Gimbl noted that it was natural for people to want premium coffees. It is a huge boom in the U.S., Japan and other countries, he said. “Instead of large-batch brewers, they want something that is made for them slowly and with great care,” he added. 

Among the homegrown coffee brands, Tom n Toms in June 2013 opened The Calypso, an upscale cafe in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. It sells coffee made with premium beans from East Timor and Ethiopia at 7,000 won-10,500 won a cup. 

CJ’s Twosome Place opened a premium cafe in the fashionable district of Garosugil in southern Seoul, where a cup of hand-drip black coffee is sold at around 5,500 won, which is slightly higher than at other outlets. 

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)

LG’s smartphone sales projected at all-time high in Q2

LG Electronics’ quarterly smartphone sales are likely to reach an all-time high in the April-June period, analysts said Thursday, due mainly to improved sales of its low-end lineup.

South Korea’s No. 2 smartphone maker is expected to sell 15 million units in the second quarter, the data released by Mirae Asset Securities Co. showed.

If reached, it will mark the first time for LG’s monthly smartphone sales to reach 5 million units. Separate data compiled by Strategy Analytics said the firm had sold 4.4 million units every month over the fourth quarter of 2013.

The tech player has been targeting a niche market by honing in on lower-end models such as the G2 mini and the L and F series.

China, a latecomer to the global Long Term Evolution network, will also emerge as a lucrative opportunity for foreign firms like the LG, which holds a technological edge over Chinese players.

Local analysts said the robust sales trend was likely to continue, with LG’s annual smartphone sales reaching 60 million units this year.

Analysts added LG will turn to profit this year in its mobile business, which has been stagnant as marketing costs increased amid intensified rivalry in the industry. Its mobile division posted an operating loss of 43.4 billion won in the fourth quarter of 2013. (Yonhap)

Korean sales of Galaxy S5 robust despite carriers’ business suspensions

Domestic sales of Samsung Electronics’ latest Galaxy S5 smartphone appeared to be robust despite limited availability through carriers amid the government’s crackdown on subsidies for new subscribers. 

The daily average sales of the Galaxy S5, launched in the home market on March 27, came to around 7,000 units, according to industry sources. However, the figure was slightly below the 8,000 units posted by its predecessor Galaxy S4 and far below the 10,000 units for Galaxy S4 LTE-A.

The rollout of the new smartphone had faced challenges due to business suspensions slapped on the country’s three mobile carriers. The suspensions forced Samsung to agree to the three mobile carriers breaching the initially set global release date to launch the phone on March 27. 

Industry watchers say sales so far are remarkable given that only one of the country’s three carriers is currently in full operation and that the carriers are no longer allowed to pay out subsidies. 

(shinjh@heraldcorp.com)

Samsung pushes for major restructuring Market braces for more internal deals at Korea’s largest conglomerate

Samsung Group has pushed forward with internal restructuring of its key petrochemical units to boost competitiveness and efficiency, with the market expecting more deals involving Korea’s largest conglomerate.

The latest Samsung General Chemicals’ acquisition of Samsung Petrochemical was seen as part of chairman Lee Kun-hee’s succession process for his three children.

This merger, which was announced on Thursday, is said to be for the sake of Lee’s daughter Lee Boo-jin, in the view of market observers, as she is set to manage Samsung’s construction, chemical and hotel businesses.

Samsung C&T is the biggest shareholder of Samsung General Chemicals and Samsung Petrochemical. Lee Boo-jin, CEO of Hotel Shilla, is expected to remain one of biggest shareholders of the merged entity as she holds more than a 30 percent stake in Samsung Petrochemical.

The chemical tie-up, which followed that of Samsung SDI and Cheil Industries two days ago, is expected to pave the way for Samsung General Chemicals to become an integrated chemical company with 2.6 trillion won ($2.4 billion) in annual sales and 2.5 trillion won in assets.

“The 40 years of Samsung Petrochemical’s technical expertise will generate business synergy with Samsung General Chemicals to become a global chemical company,” Samsung Petrochemical CEO Chung Yoo-sung said.

Samsung Petrochemical, which specializes only in purified terephthalic acid, a raw material of polyester, has been facing lackluster earnings.

It posted an operating loss of 58 billion won last year and a net loss of 42 billion won last year, according to an audit report.

However, Samsung said it was upbeat that the company will see a turnaround after the tie-up.

“Both companies have merged as part of united growth strategies to gain a basis for long term growth,” said Son Seog-weon, president of Samsung Total Petrochemicals, a joint venture between Samsung General Chemicals and Total, a French energy conglomerate.

The new company is projected to continue Samsung Petrochemical’s PTA business as analysts expect that the sector will see a boost when the global economy, including China’s economy, improves this year. 

Following the acquisition of Samsung Petrochemical, Samsung General Chemicals, which had handed over its facilities to Samsung Total, will have the capacity to produce 2 million tons of PTA annually in Ulsan and Daesan.

Samsung C&T shares rose 3.7 percent to 64,000 won on Thursday on news of the merger, which will increase the construction and trading company’s assets by 318.6 billion won.

“The tie-up will positively revalue Samsung C&T’s asset and stocks,” said Chey Sang-wook, an analyst at LIG Investment & Securities.

The market is currently bracing for a merger between Samsung C&T and Samsung Engineering as rumors concerning a deal between the two companies have been circulating for some time.

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)

S. Korea's trade surplus widens in March on growing exports

South Korea's trade surplus widened from a year earlier last month as the growth of its exports outpaced that of imports, the government said Tuesday.

The country's trade surplus reached $4.19 billion in March with outbound shipments coming to $49.76 billion, up 5.2 percent from the same month last year, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Imports gained 3.6 percent on-year to $45.57 billion. (Yonhap) 

Korean firms expand investment in overseas forest development Projects help secure stable timber supplies and carbon credits

A growing number of Korean companies are beginning to invest in tree-planting projects overseas as prices for wood in the global market have continued to rise.

“One of the key reasons for the price surge is a drop in the global log supply amid growing demand in China,’’ said Won Yoo-gil, an official of Hansol Homedeco’s global business.

“Tree planting has become a high-yield business. International wood prices have increased 5.5 percent per year on average for the past decade, which is high enough to woo corporate investors.’’

Hansol Homedeco, an affiliate of Hansol Group and a manufacturer of laminated flooring and mediumdensity fiberboard, is considered one of Korea’s pioneers in overseas tree planting.

Logs are stacked ready for export at CentrePort in Wellington, New Zealand. (Bloomberg)

Hansol Homedeco and Ngati Porou Whanui Forests have been jointly developing this radiata pine tree forest in New Zealand for two decades. (Hansol Homedeco)

It entered New Zealand’s forest resource development market in 1996 by setting up a joint venture with Ngati Porou Whanui Forests, a Maori forestry company, located in Tikitiki, 150 kilometers north of Gisborne. The joint venture planted about 10,000 hectares of radiata pine trees between 1996 and 2003.

The company said it will start harvesting trees in the latter part of this year and continue until 2031, with the total harvest volume expected to surpass 5 million cubic meters.

“Most of the harvested trees are scheduled to be exported to China. The company expects to gain 1 trillion won ($950 million) from the New Zealand investment project, which is much more than what we invested over the past 20 years,’’ Won said.

The biggest challenge for overseas tree planting is that it takes a long time to turn a profit.

It took 28 years for Hansol Homedeco, for instance, to reap returns from its investments, the official noted.

Industry experts, however, predict the number of companies planting trees overseas will continue to grow, as long as the outlook for global wood markets remains positive.

According to the Korea Forest Service, 31 local companies had launched tree planting operations, covering 314,355 hectares in 13 countries, as of the end of 2013.

“Not only pulp companies, but also conglomerates such as Samsung Construction & Trade and POSCO are expanding their investments in overseas tree planting,’’ said Kim Jung-hoon, a KFS official.

The KFS said it would offer supporting programs for local companies to expand their overseas operations to 1 million hectares by 2050 to meet the domestic demand for timber.

The country currently imports 83 percent of its lumber.

Overseas tree planting also boosts Korea’s reputation as a contributor to green growth, it added.

Southeast Asia and South America, which have suitable natural conditions for tree planting but lack capital and technology for forest development, are ideal regions for Korean investment.

The purpose of overseas plantation projects is to secure stable timber supplies and carbon credits.

Top steelmaker POSCO is among the Korean companies leading the way in overseas plantations for carbon credits.

The company registered its forestation project in Uruguay with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s clean development mechanism in 2010.

POSCO, the first Korean company to register with UNFCC, purchased some 1,000 hectares of land in the South American country and planted approximately 880,000 eucalyptus trees to carry out the carbon credit project.

By Seo Jee-yeon (jyseo@heraldcorp.com)