Latest news with #JejuIsland
Arab News
06-07-2025
- Arab News
Korean man opens musalla at home to serve Muslim migrant workers
Seogwipo, Jeju: On the southern coast of Jeju Island, far from the honeymoon resorts and tourist beaches, a modest home near a fishing village has quietly become a spiritual refuge for a largely invisible community: Muslim migrant workers. Step past the shoe rack and the quiet hum of a record player, and you will find a small musalla. Clean, carpeted and softly lit, the space offers something rare for Muslims living on South Korea's remote holiday island: a place to pray, rest, and feel recognized. The prayer space was created by Nasir Hong-suk Seong, 35, a Korean fish farm operator who converted part of his home into a musalla after moving to Jeju earlier this year. The island's only masjid is in Jeju City, more than an hour by car from the southern coast where most migrants work in fisheries. 'Fish farm workers are on call 24 hours, so they can never make the time to go to the masjid for Jummah prayers,' Seong told Arab News. 'When I first arrived, I asked where they prayed. I was very sad when I heard it was almost impossible for them to attend Friday prayers and that they mostly prayed in the corner of their small dorm rooms.' Often called the 'Hawaii of South Korea,' Jeju is better known for its volcanic peak and tourist beaches than for labor migration. Yet, the island's economy has been increasingly reliant on migrant workers, many of whom are Muslim men coming mainly from Indonesia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Jeju Province officially recorded 3,567 migrant workers in 2024. Seong estimates that in his region alone, 300 fish farms employ about 1,500 of them, with half identifying as Muslim. Seong moved to Jeju from the port city of Incheon, where he used to run a guesthouse and often hosted Muslim guests. Getting to know them helped him see through the negative stereotypes of Islam in the West, and in 2023 he converted to the Muslim faith. 'About 30 percent of my guests were from Muslim-majority countries. As I got to know them through hosting, they turned out to be incredibly kind and respectful,' he said. 'There are so many people who misunderstand the religion. I think when people talk about Islam in Korea, they think of something foreign, something unknown. But it can be as simple as taking care of your neighbors.' Such, too, was the purpose of Seong's musalla. He spent a month preparing it at the home belonging to his grandfather. Starting in March, he spent all his after-work hours furnishing the space. 'When I moved in, I had nothing. Not even furniture or a pillow. This musalla was the first thing I made,' he said. 'I always keep it open. People can come for group prayer anytime ... and seeing them pray here makes me happy.' Modest but maintained with care, the musalla is fitted with prayer rugs lined on the floor. A low shelf holds editions of the Qur'an in English, Arabic and Korean. Arabic calligraphy decorates the walls. A handmade qibla sign marks the direction of prayer. Khalid Hussein, a 38-year-old from Pakistan, has been working in Jeju for the past 15 years. Employed at Seong's fish farm, he has been visiting the musalla regularly, also to be in touch more with his identity. 'It became easier for us,' Hussein said. 'Jeju is 100 percent different. The culture, religion — everything is different. So, we need to compromise.' He was at the musalla with his colleague, Zahaid Hussain, who also came from Pakistan on a contract that brought him to Jeju. 'I felt good when I was finally able to offer Friday prayers,' Zahaid said. 'I was happy.'
Telegraph
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
A sprawling family epic full of brains and mystery
Flashlight, the engrossing sixth novel by the American writer Susan Choi, opens with Louisa and her father making their way down a breakwater at the tail end of a Japanese sunset. Louisa's mother is absent: she 'isn't well'. Her father, who holds a flashlight in one hand and Louisa's hand in the other, confesses that he has never learned to swim: 'I grew up a poor boy. I had no YMCA.' He tells Louisa to 'act thankful now' to her mother for making her learn. And, Choi, writes, 'those are the last words he ever says to her. (Or are they the last words that she can remember? Did he say something more? There is no one to ask.)' He vanishes into the water. No body is ever found. Fans of Choi's work – which delights in playing with the reader's expectations – may remember the set up. This prelude was first published four years ago as a short story, also called Flashlight. At the time, Choi talked about 'wrestling with this material… trying to figure out what it wants to be – a short novel, or a long novel, or stories, or one story'. Her 447-page, six-part, sprawling family epic, which takes in five countries, spans several decades, and is mostly written in a free-indirect style that allows Choi to switch between four main characters, is her answer. The narrative proper begins with Louisa's father. It's spring 1945; he's six years old. His parents are Korean exiles, who left their homeland, Jeju island, for Japan, and while his Japanese name is Hiroshi, at home he is Seok. Later, when he emigrates to the US on a graduate visa, he goes by Serk. (Shifting identities are a running theme in Choi's work, not least in her last novel, Trust Exercise, a bestseller that won the 2019 National Book Award.) Next, we meet Anne, Louisa's mother, who has abandoned her family and her chances of a high school diploma for a man who abandons her once she becomes pregnant. She is forced to give up the baby, Tobias – after a vivid labour 'where the vengeance of God tore her entrails out by the roots' – but he will re-emerge later as a pivotal character. Novels developed from a short story are legion: Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway, Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections, Haruki Murakami's The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles, Charles Baxter's Saul and Patsy. But in freeing their writer from length restrictions, novels pose a counter-challenge: can a writer justify the many tangents of their narrative? Choi stripped most of the backstory out of her original story leaving her with plenty of gaps to fill in. Is Louisa's mother ill? Why did her father make them leave the US, and Louisa's fourth grade, for a sabbatical in Japan? And what is the significance of her father's flashlight? Choi takes too long to get to the meat of her story: what happened, or will happen, to Serk? Less patient readers may stop. But it pays to persevere. Choi is an astute, convincing writer, whose prose bristles with vivid imagery. In that opening section, 10-year-old Louisa lies in bed while 'the dark slid itself onto her chest like a snake, organising its weight into nearly stacked coils that might go on forever and bury her, crush her, if she didn't leap out of bed just in time.' Choi's choppy rhythm conveys a child's breathless angst. If Trust Exercise was about who controls a story, then Flashlight is about what happens when your own story is out of control. Louisa spends her life dealing with the aftermath of her father's supposed drowning. A child psychologist reminds her that she told the person who found her that her father had been kidnapped. 'No I didn't,' she retorts – the reality of what happened to them remaining a riddle for most of the novel. The book's title, Flashlight, is a metaphor that works hard throughout, illuminating certain events while keeping others in the dark. Serk doesn't know about Anne's son; Anne doesn't know about Serk's Korean heritage. The flashes of understanding that occur to characters as the decades roll by are like shapes that emerge from the gloom when someone sweeps a torch beam to and fro. And ultimately, the light Choi shines on an astonishing international scandal – revealed in the 'Acknowledgements' section for those who want to skip ahead – makes Flashlight a rewarding read. The expansion was well worth it.
South China Morning Post
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
5 of the most popular streaming series in 2025, from Severance to Reacher and White Lotus
We are halfway through 2025 and despite a few letdowns, like Season 2 of The Last of Us – and who knows what the final season of Squid Game has in store for us on June 27 – there have been a number of great shows that have generated a lot of buzz. From heartfelt family dramas and tales of growing up to a dystopian workplace sci-fi thriller, here are five top shows that have gained global popularity and received critical acclaim across different platforms this year. 1. When Life Gives You Tangerines (Netflix) Play Following the stories of various generations of characters from South Korea's Jeju Island, this moving drama weaves together coming-of-age experiences and life's challenges, all grounded in the island and South Korea's unique culture and setting. But at its heart, it's a universal story about how, despite our individual struggles, the timeless values of familial love and joy transcend hardship. Starring some of the biggest stars in South Korea, including IU and Park Bo-gum, the series has a 100 per cent critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 98 per cent audience rating. 2. The White Lotus: Season 3 (HBO Max) Play Mike White's The White Lotus series is loved for its satirical take on privilege, desire and human behaviour, all set against the backdrop of luxury resorts around the world.
Geek Girl Authority
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
New Release Radar: New Books Coming Out on June 24
There are a lot of new books coming out every week. With New Release Radar, I'll help you narrow down the week's new book releases into the titles you should get excited about. This week I have 11 great new books to share with you, including some fun romcoms and plenty of other beach reads. Read on! Finders Keepers by Sarah Adler After a breakup and job loss, former professor Nina Hunnicutt returns home. Once there, however, she finds her childhood crush Quentin Bell back in town too. When he suggests they resume the treasure hunt that ended their friendship 17 years ago, Nina agrees, hoping the rumored riches will help her start over. But as they dig into the past, old feelings resurface, as do the secrets that tore them apart. To find the treasure and maybe a future together, they'll have to face what really happened all those years ago. Finders Keepers is a second-chance romance featuring childhood sweethearts. Sarah Adler adds a sprinkling of magic to a delightful small-town setting. RELATED: New Release Radar: New Books Coming Out On June 24 As You Wish by Leesa Cross-Smith Three au pairs, Lydia, Jenny, and Selene, head to Seoul chasing their dreams. A wish made at an enchanted Jeju Island waterfall transforms their lives overnight. Lydia becomes the center of attention, Jenny dives into a secret fling and Selene finds clues to her birth mother. But when love complicates Jenny's wish, the girls must face the magical consequences and discover that their strongest bond may be their friendship itself. Leesa Cross-Smith's new book release is the epitome of 'be careful what you wish for.' A s You Wish is a heartfelt coming-of-age story full of self-reflection and a longing for acceptance. An Ancient Witch's Guide to Modern Dating by Cecilia Edward Thorn Scarhart is a 39-year-old 17th-century witch struggling to find love. Her world completely changes when a misfired love potion flings her into the present day. Stranded in a modern city where her old cottage is now a museum, Thorn discovers indoor plumbing, electric kettles—and online dating. With help from the museum's curator and his charming vet brother, she braves 21st-century romance and rediscovers herself along the way. Pick up An Ancient Witch's Guide to Modern Dating if you're looking for a cozy, magical rom-com. Cecilia Edward's debut is perfect for fans of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and The Ex Hex . RELATED: Book Review: Wearing the Lion A Magic Deep and Drowning by Hester Fox In 1650s Friesland, Clara van Wieren sees a beached whale—an ill omen she dismisses just as a marriage proposal offers her a path to freedom. But everything changes when she meets the mysterious, sea-eyed Maurits, and passion threatens to upend her carefully ordered life. As secrets surface and an ancient bargain between sea folk and land rulers unravels, Clara must choose between duty, desire and survival in a world where magic still claims its due. A Magic Deep and Drowning is a retelling of The Little Mermaid with a unique twist. This romantic, historical fantasy shows off Hester Fox's talent for writing realistic and powerful women's stories. Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman In the muddy haven of St. Muckle's, anyone can become free if they live there for a year and a day. There, Charl and his mother found safety from their past. But when Charl sees a ghost, the peace they've built begins unraveling, ushering in a chain of tragedy: murder, plague, and even a mercenary dragon. Fleeing to a ruined abbey, Charl falls into a dangerous tangle of magic, memory and haunting history, where survival means facing the past he's tried to forget. Rachel Hartman returns to the world of her bestselling novel Seraphina in a truly original ghost story. Among Ghosts is an introspective and cathartic novel of grief, loss, change and growth. Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell Following her husband's death, Nina Swann reconnects with his charming old friend, Nick Radcliffe. Her daughter Ash, however, senses something sinister beneath his polished surface. Meanwhile, in a nearby town, florist Martha grows increasingly suspicious of her husband's unexplained absences. As Nina, Ash and Martha's lives intertwine, long-buried secrets surface, leading to a chilling revelation: some doors, once opened, should never be unlocked. One man connects three unique women in Lisa Jewell's kaleidoscopic new thriller. Don't Let Him In is a tense, breathless novel that will captivate you until the final page. RELATED: Book Review: Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil The Lady, the Tiger and the Girl Who Loved Death by Helen Marshall As Sara Sidorova lies dying, the tiger god Amba grants her a vision of the future. Years later, her granddaughter Irenda grows up in a war-torn land, and, after a tragic loss, seeks refuge with Sara in Hrana City. There, she begins learning the power to tame death itself. In a traveling circus filled with danger and magic, Irenda must master her gifts, confront a tiger of her own and begin a journey of vengeance and justice that could reshape her world. Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus meets Helen Oyeyemi's Mr Fox in The Lady, the Tiger and the Girl Who Loved Death . Helen Marshall's new book release is a dark, rich and haunting fable. The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley 16 and pregnant, Adela Woods is sent from her privileged Indiana life to her grandmother's home in Padua Beach, Florida. There she meets a tight-knit group of teen moms raising kids while navigating high school, friendship and survival from the back of a red truck. Though the town sees them as lost, the Girls are carving out their own messy, beautiful path through motherhood and girlhood side by side. The Girls Who Grew Big is more than a heartbreaking story: it's a raw, powerful exploration of the complex intersections of identity, betrayal and resilience. With unflinching honesty, Leila Mottley offers a deeply human perspective on what it means to be a young woman and a very young mother, capturing both the pain and the beauty of growing up while raising someone else. RELATED: Book Review: A Sharp Endless Need Salty by Kate Myers Captain Denise, seasoned and tough, prefers handling stingrays over socializing, while her troublemaking sister Helen lands back on her boat after getting fired yet again. Forced to work together, the sisters navigate their fraught past and their first charter: the shady Falcon family, ruthless real estate developers who destroyed their childhood home. When a building collapses and a body is found, Denise and Helen race against a coming storm to unravel the Falcons' deadly secrets before evidence, and their chance for justice, sinks for good. Kate Myers' new book release is the perfect beach read for fans of Below Deck and stories of rich people behaving badly. Salty is a hilarious page-turner of a mystery you'll finish in no time at all. A Treachery of Swans by A.B. Poranek Raised by a sorcerer, Odile is ready to pull off the heist of a lifetime: impersonate a princess, steal the king's enchanted crown and restore magic to the realm. But when someone murders the king, Odile must team up with the real Princess Marie d'Odette. Falling for her, however, was never part of the plan. A Treachery of Swans is a sapphic Swan Lake retelling full of deception, magic and impossible choices. A.B. Poranek's second novel is perfect for fans of Allison Saft and V.E Schwab. RELATED: 11 New Young Adult LGBTQ+ Books You Should Read for Pride Month A Legionnaire's Guide to Love and Peace by Emily Skrutskie On the eve of a battle she expects will kill her, legionnaire Katrien shares a fleeting connection with her battle partner Emory. When they wake the next day, however, they find a world saved by an unexpected hero. With the Demon Lord defeated, Kat faces an uncertain future in a peacetime army, complicated by Emory's dedication and the attention of a hidden prince. As they join a final campaign to root out the Demon Lord's lingering servants and build a new future, Kat and Emory must decide if there's room for love at the end of the road. A Legionnaire's Guide to Love and Peace is a charming fantasy with a friends-to-lovers romance. Emily Skrutskie's newest is more vibes than plot, but it's a warm hug of a story about what happens when peace finally comes. You can check out these new book releases at or your local bookstore. What June 24 new release are you most excited to read? Let us know below, and tune in next week to grow your TBR. Book Review: CRUELER MERCIES
National Post
09-06-2025
- Business
- National Post
Anaergia Singapore Pte. Ltd. Signs Conditional Contract to Design and Build Biogas Facility in Jeju Island, South Korea
Article content SINGAPORE & BURLINGTON, Ontario — Anaergia Inc.'s ('Anaergia', the 'Company', 'us', or 'our') (TSX:ANRG) (OTCQX:ANRGF), subsidiary, Anaergia Singapore Pte. Ltd., has received a contract from New Jeju Bio Co. Ltd. ('New Jeju Bio') to design and build the Jeju Bio Energy Biogas Plant ('Facility'), to be constructed in Jeju Island, South Korea. The contract consists of a main agreement worth approximately C$30 million plus a supplement agreement valued at approximately C$10 million, and the company currently anticipates that the project will be completed in mid- to late-2027. The contract is subject to a number of routine conditions, including that the client arrange the financial close of this project. Article content This development represents an expansion of Anaergia's involvement, previously disclosed on September 3, 2024, when a Letter of Award for this Facility was announced. The increase in Anaergia's projected revenues from the amount disclosed at that time reflects both the expanded scope and the increased project size. Article content The Facility aims to convert approximately 54,000 tons per year of organic waste, including waste from slaughterhouses and undigested sludge from local sewage treatment plants, into about two (2) megawatts of renewable energy. The biogas produced will be used to power a combined heat and power (CHP) system, providing electricity and heat to support various operations, including digestion, pasteurization, evaporation, and digestate drying. Additionally, the wastewater generated will be treated and recycled on-site, adhering to strict discharge regulations, while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting waste recycling across Jeju Island. Article content 'New Jeju Bio chose Anaergia for this project due to its proven ability to deliver integrated, complex solutions,' said Sae Hyun Cho, CEO of New Jeju Bio. 'Throughout the design process, we expanded our use of Anaergia's technologies to address the diverse organic waste streams generated on Jeju Island and optimally transform them into valuable resources.' Article content 'Finalizing the contract with New Jeju Bio marks an even more significant achievement than we had previously envisioned,' said Assaf Onn, CEO of Anaergia. 'Not only is this a very significant project in a key new market, but it also clearly demonstrates how our industry-leading, integrated suite of technologies provides a proven, comprehensive solution for project developers seeking reliable, innovative organic waste to energy systems.' Article content About New Jeju Bio Article content New Jeju Bio Co Ltd is a developer of organic waste to energy and recycling projects leading to production of biogas and fertilizer in South Korea. Its mission is to support the 2021 Declaration of '2030 Waste Free Jeju.' It believes in creating environmental value through co-evolution of Jeju's natural environment and humanities. Founded with the principles of developing state of the art biogas facilities by integrating advanced and proven technologies, New Jeju Bio intends to be the leading biogas player not only in Jeju but also in South Korea. Article content About Anaergia Article content Anaergia is a pioneering technology company in the renewable natural gas (RNG) sector, with over 250 patents dedicated to converting organic waste into sustainable solutions such as RNG, fertilizer, and water. We are committed to addressing a significant source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) through cost-effective processes. Our proprietary technologies, combined with our engineering expertise and vast experience in facility design, construction, and operation, position Anaergia as a leader in the RNG industry. With a proven track record of delivering hundreds of innovative projects over the past decade, we are well-equipped to tackle today's critical resource recovery challenges through diverse project delivery methods. As one of the few companies worldwide offering an integrated portfolio of end-to-end solutions, we effectively combine solid waste processing, wastewater treatment, organics recovery, high-efficiency anaerobic digestion, and biomethane production. Additionally, we operate RNG facilities owned by both third parties and Anaergia. This comprehensive approach not only reduces environmental impact but also significantly lowers costs associated with waste and wastewater treatment while mitigating GHG emissions. Article content For further information please see: Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, which reflects Anaergia's current expectations regarding future events. Forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions, including, but not limited to counterparty contractual performance and its procurement of the financing that is a necessary condition to proceed with detailed engineering and construction of the Facility, the capability of the Company's technology and performance with respect to the project objectives, the sufficient sourcing of food waste, heat and power generation, and the sufficient production of digestate and recycled water for the project objectives. The Company is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the factors discussed under 'Risk Factors' in the Company's annual information form for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, and under 'Risks and Uncertainties' in the Company's most recent management's discussion and analysis. Actual results could differ materially from those projected herein. Anaergia does not undertake any obligation to update such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required under applicable securities laws. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect Anaergia's operations or financial results are included in Anaergia's reports on file with Canadian regulatory authorities. Article content Article content
