Nicola Weir is an environmental, social and governance, or ESG, expert whose career and adventurous spirit have taken her across the globe. Having lived in the UK, Indonesia, Singapore, Tanzania, Mozambique, Nepal and now in South Korea, she brings a wealth of experience to her role as a partner at Deloitte Korea. A people person with a warm laugh and a big smile, Nicola is known for her vibrant personality, passion for her work, and a strong network of friends and connections. I first met her l

Dec. 5, 2024

Lynn O’Rourke Hayes FamilyTravel.com (TNS) As temperatures rise, hurricanes whirl and wildfires burn, the conversation about climate change and our role in it is intensifying. And, with increased documentation about the environmental, economic and social impact of travel, families may be wondering how best to be a responsible traveler. Here are five ideas to consider. Choose wisely Popular vacation spots like Barcelona, Spain; Venice, Italy; and many US national parks have begun taking ste

Nov. 14, 2024

Sara A. Solis-Castaneda Ambassador of Guatemala to Korea On the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of diplomatic relations between Guatemala and the Republic of Korea (1962-2024), it is essential to highlight a lesser-known aspect: Guatemala's early contribution to the dissemination of Korean literature in Latin America, even before the establishment of the Republic of Korea. This endeavor was spearheaded by the Guatemalan writer and diplomat Enrique Gomez Carrillo, who, in 1906, translated

Oct. 17, 2024

    What if you were given carte blanche to do anything that you desire? While that may be a dream come true for most, architect Cho Min-suk said, “I refuse to do that project.” A leading Korean architect and winner of several awards including the Golden Lion at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2014, Cho was offered just such an opportunity 10 years ago. “Someone with means said, ‘You just make a pure, beautiful place,’” recalled Cho during an int

Culture Sept. 5, 2024

I almost did not make it to pianist Yunchan Lim’s recital at the Bucheon Art Center on Monday night. In my harried state after work, I got Bucheon and Bupyeong mixed up and called for a cab to the Bupyeong Art Center. Both Bucheon and Bupyeong are cities in Gyeonggi Province, about 30 minutes apart by car. Both have an art center. The 1,445-seat concert hall was packed, tickets for Lim’s recital having sold out in 50 seconds. Among those in the audience were 15 lucky Bucheon resident

Viewpoints June 20, 2024

DIRIYAH, Saudi Arabia - New history is being made in the historic site of Diriyah, home to the first Saudi Kingdom established in 1446, as the city on the northwestern outskirts of the Saudi capital Riyadh turns into a vibrant nexus of contemporary art every two years. Launched in 2021, Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale is a sprouting of Vision 2030, a comprehensive plan to prepare Saudi Arabia for the challenges of the post-fossil fuel age. While the bold plan, announced in April 2016, is mos

Arts & Design May 27, 2024

As a producer in the Korean television industry, I recognize that my competitors are no longer confined to fellow producers within the industry but rather extend to creators in the domains of YouTube, TikTok and video games. As the founder of Netflix once said, his biggest competitors are video games and … sleep. In this age of on-demand everything, everywhere, all at once, the battle for audience engagement has never been more difficult. I will admit that I now find it difficult to compl

Viewpoints Feb. 29, 2024

The Korean concept of “madang,” a multi-functional courtyard, will be central to the 23rd Serpentine Pavilion designed by Seoul-based architect Cho Min-suk and his firm, Mass Studies. The pavilion, titled “Archipelagic Void,” will be unveiled at Serpentine South in London on June 5, Serpentine said in announcing the choice of this year’s pavilion Monday. Shaped like a five-pointed star with a void in the center, “Archipelagic Void” will consist of five &

Arts & Design Jan. 23, 2024

It was a hectic year-end. Flying 13 hours for a family reunion, doing last-minute gift shopping and getting together with extended family for Christmas dinner kept me busy with scarcely any time to think about the coming year, much less the requisite New Year’s resolutions. Coming up with New Year’s resolutions, as perfunctory as they may be, for me is an opportunity to ruminate on how I want to live the next 12 months. Of course, by February, I would come to realize that I had bit

Viewpoints Jan. 4, 2024

How do we live in changing times is a question that the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, which runs Feb. 20 through May 24 in Saudi Arabia, seeks to ask. Taking place at the historic town of Diriyah, just outside the capital Riyadh and home to the UNESCO World Heritage site of At-Turaif, the biennale will feature 92 artists from 43 countries, including 30 artists from the Gulf region, according to a press release issued by the biennale Wednesday. “We face climate change, political tensio

Culture Oct. 25, 2023

Wearing a white shirt and jeans, Arts Council Korea Chairperson Choung Byoung-gug prepares coffee at his Seoul office in the small-theater district of Daehagno before the interview in late July. “Five or six years ago, we signed a memorandum of understanding for a 50 billion-won ($37 million) project to build a coffee museum, a coffee library and so on in Addis Ababa,” said Choung, recalling his work as a member of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Commit

Culture Sept. 22, 2023