Topics for July 30 (Repliy is required!)

[Charlie.]

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Please be noticed the topics for this week!

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1. First Section – Ice Breaking & Discussion 19:10 ~ 20:00

Turkish actor hopes to boost positive relations

 Turkish actor Enes Kaya, 30, has positioned himself as one of the more memorable panelists on the up-and-coming JTBC entertainment program “Bijeongsang Hoedam,” which roughly translates as “Non Summit.”

Among the 11 foreigners, who all speak Korean, featured on the program discussing issues from an outsider’s perspective, he is considered the most conservative, sometimes even more so than the show’s hosts, Jeon Hyun-moo, Yoo Se-yun and Sung Si-kyung.

The program has tried to diverge from the many existing reality series by tackling somewhat divisive matters, such as unmarried couples living together. “You get shot when you cohabitate in Turkey,” Kaya once said during one episode, a remark that made waves among viewers.

“I try to be careful when talking, but I am straightforward with my opinions,” he said in an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo on Tuesday. “My comment on cohabitation became the talk of the town, but I didn’t mean anything bad by it.”

The actor somewhat serendipitously entered into the entertainment industry here. Over the past few years, Kaya has appeared in both film and television, even taking on a role in the 2010 movie “Psychic.” But he first came to Korea, he said, on the advice of his father.

“The only concern I had that time was that I did not speak Korean at all,” Kaya said. “I meant to go back after graduating from university, but I’ve already been here 12 years.”

As the most famous Turkish man on Korean TV, he added that he tries project a responsible image.

“Most people in Turkey are Muslims. They do not drink alcohol or eat pork, just like me. But at the same time, Turkey is one of the most liberal countries among Islamic nations, not a country that prioritizes the religion over everything else,” he said. “People will judge Turkey through me, so I want to project a positive image.”

2. Second Section - Debate (Pros & Cons) 20:10 ~ 21:00

A group of principals from the 36 of the country’s elite private educational institutions, known here as autonomous high schools, protested yesterday against joint efforts by local education chiefs to transform these schools into regular high schools, which accept students regardless of their academic background.

The heads of these autonomous private high schools held a press conference yesterday in the Hotel President, in central Seoul, during which they claimed that the newly elected liberal superintendents in their regions were attempting to “crack down on autonomous high schools.”

“The superintendents are blaming autonomous high schools for the failure of education at ordinary high schools,” they said in a joint statement. “But they are actually concerned that the more autonomy private schools have, the less influence they will wield over educational institutions and students.”

The principals argued that liberal superintendents were intentionally targeting autonomous high schools in the name of rooting out elitism in the Korean education system, while still accepting the existence of other elite high schools.

“The lapses in education at regular high schools is caused by [the presence] of other elite schools, such as science schools, foreign language high schools, Meister schools [state-run schools that focus on industrial technology training] and other special-purpose schools,” they added. “They should not make autonomous high schools the only scapegoat.”

Autonomous high schools maintain financial independence from the government and in return are granted more freedom in selecting students, creating their own curriculums and charging tuition.

Since their establishment during the Lee Myung-bak administration, however, more autonomous schools have requested that the Ministry of Education designate them instead as regular schools because they could not fill their classrooms.

According to parents and education specialists, a major reason for this crisis is that they could not send as many students on to elite universities as other elite high schools.

Liberal superintendents have argued that their curriculums also differ little from those at regular high schools, while the tuition charged is three times as much.

Yesterday’s protest followed an announcement by Cho Hee-yeon, the chief of the Seoul Education Office, on Friday, when he stated that he will begin to shut down some of the autonomous high schools in the capital starting in 2016.

Cho said at the time that he will announce in October which schools will start operating as regular high schools.

There are 49 autonomous high schools nationwide, with 25 in Seoul.

Fourteen of those 25 are scheduled to be audited this year to confirm‎ their re-approval for the next five years.

Other local education chiefs have yet to make similar announcements, though they are expected to follow Cho’s lead.

Cho is among 13 liberal superintendents who were elected in the June polls.

 

Principals defend autonomous schools in protest

3. Third Section – Discussion  21:10 ~ 22:00

 Less, simple mean healthier, trendier

“Less” and “simple” are two keywords that depict the latest food trend in Korea as more consumers seek foods with less sodium and artificial additives while still wanting to eat on-the-go.

CJ Foodville, a leading food business, is at the forefront of promoting healthy eating.

In line with the latest trend for “less,” Tous les Jours, a bakery franchise run by CJ Foodville, launched a new bread lineup this year called Pure, with which the company said it aims to deliver the original tastes of its ingredients, including milk and cheese.
 

Tous les Jours’ Pure cheese, bread and cake. (CJ Foodville)

The Pure breads contain unprocessed cheeses such as parmesan, cheddar and Gouda, which are made from fermented raw milk.

“The well-being fad in the food industry started around 10 years ago, and now people have become more specific in what they eat than before,” said a CJ Foodville official.

“People these days are looking for foods that are less processed and less seasoned. They want chunks of pumpkin or sweet potato in their bread,” she added.

Bibigo, a dinning franchise restaurant of CJ Foodville, has developed Bibigo Rice, a salad-like bibimbap with more fresh veggies, including bean sprouts, spinach and mushrooms, than typical mixed rice bowls.

A bowl of Bibigo Rice with brown rice, pieces of sauteed tofu and assorted vegetables. (CJ Foodville)

Daesang’s sun-dried sea salt Flower of Salt contains 20 percent less sodium than other salt products. (Daesang)

Customers can choose one of four types of rice including black and brown rice, which are said to be good for digestion.

They can add pieces of bulgogi, chicken breast or tofu with a dollop of sauce, such as hot pepper paste or soy sauce, to their bowls of bibimbap.

Daesang, a leading food and sauce maker, has also introduced a wide variety of sauces and food products that cater to health-conscious consumers.

A premium sun-dried sea salt product, named Flower of Salt, named after Fleur de Sel, the high-quality salt gathered on the French island of Re, is a notable one.

Even though the premium salt, priced at 45,000 won ($44) per 80 grams, is twice as expensive as the average 80 gram packet of salt, it is being well received by customers as word has been spreading that it not only brings out the best in foods but also has around 20 percent less sodium and 30 to 50 percent less magnesium than other salt products.

The Korean sun-dried sea salt market grew in value from 130 billion won in 2013 from 92 billion won in 2009.

The firm also launched a series of instant rice soup products, carrying the brand name Cup Gukbap.

The various food items, including Jjampong Bap, Miyeokguk Bap and Kongnamul Gukbap, and their easy preparation method ― pour water into the cup and wait for a few minutes ― seem to have appealed to customers, an official from the firm said.

“As the number of single-person households is increasing, demand for instant soups and porridges made of fresh ingredients such as mushrooms, onions, eggs, and pumpkin are on the rise as well,” an official from the company said.

Ourhome, a food catering services firm, runs a “gluten-free day” program through which it serves gluten-free meals at some school and office cafeterias.

The firm uses rice for noodles instead of wheat or other ingredients containing gluten.

Gluten is a type of protein which is found in wheat, rye and barley, and is reported to cause vomiting, low blood sugar and allergies for some people.

The company plans to expand the program into all 800 cafeterias which it runs across the nation.

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