Actor Lee Min-ho named goodwill ambassador for 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games

Actor Lee Min-ho South Korean actor Lee Min-ho was named Friday as a goodwill ambassador for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.   Lee is the first actor to take on the role for the first Winter Games in South Korea.   The local organizing committee said it appointed the 28-year-old hallyu star with three future Olympic Games to be held in Asia. After PyeongChang, Tokyo will host the 2020 Summer Olympics and Beijing will stage the 2022 Winter Olympics.   The award-winning actor has starred in

PeopleSept. 25, 2015

Movies to watch over Chuseok weekend

Chuseok is always one of the biggest weekends of the year for box offices in Korea, and this year’s lineup of new films offers movies that can be enjoyed by anyone -- whether you’re heading to the theaters with family or friends.　　With family　Korean movies playing this weekend feature stories of families that will be easy to empathize with as you spend the long holiday with your own relatives: Historical drama “The Throne” depicts the difficulties of paternal strife, while “The Accidental Detect

FilmSept. 24, 2015

How to spend Chuseok in the city

Korean Thanksgiving, or Chuseok, has traditionally been a time for families to gather and enjoy time together, share good food and celebrate the harvest season. Many Korean families visit their rural hometowns for ancestral rituals and to meet other family members for the holiday.As many head for their hometowns for family reunions, the crowd-free cities enjoy their quietest time of the year. But, with the abundance of cultural activities and entertaining programs, they never get boring. Here’s

CultureSept. 24, 2015

Kangta to release new album

Singer Kangta, a former member of ’90s K-pop group H.O.T., will release a new album in January, local news reported Thursday. 　The 35-year-old singer, who has been busy with acting projects in China, will return to the local music scene with the upcoming album. Kangta (OSEN)“He started recording the new album with a January release date in mind,” an industry insider was quoted as saying in the report. 　The upcoming album arrives eight years after his “Eternity” EP from 2008, which was released r

Sept. 24, 2015

Watchdog shares policies on fighting corruption

Lee Sung-bo(center), the head of Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, poses with International Ombudsman Institute chief John Walters (left) and IOI secretary general Gunther Krauter at the IOI board of directors meeting in Windhoek, Namibia. (ACRC)The head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission attended an international ombudsman meeting to share South Korea’s policies for handling civil complaints, the state-run anticorruption body said Wednesday.ACRC chairman Lee Sung-bo i

PeopleSept. 24, 2015

Expat rockers eye new fans at Zandari Festa

Expat artists will be looking to make the most of Seoul showcase festival Zandari Festa, which returns Oct. 2-4 with 259 acts.Similar to SXSW in the U.S., the festival takes over a raft of venues across the Hongdae area, for a multi-stage music festival, giving established acts and up-and-coming bands the chance to win new fans.Among those playing is Max Reynolds, who performed at Zandari twice before taking the plunge and moving to Seoul this year.Reynolds was playing in a small-town punk band

Expat LivingSept. 23, 2015

Expats Day festival features soccer match

Community Korea will hold its annual Expats’ Day with FC Seoul at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Oct. 4.The event includes a league soccer match between FC Seoul and Jeonnam Dragons on the same day.Seoul is fifth and Jeonnam is seventh in the country’s top K League Classic professional league. Expats join in the festivities at the Expats’ Day at Seoul World Cup Stadium last year. (Community Korea)The Expats’ Day event opens at 11 a.m., ahead of a 2 p.m. kick off. An event area next to the stadiu

Expat LivingSept. 23, 2015

Expat rockers gear up for Zandari Festa

Expat artists will be looking to win new fans at Seoul showcase festival Zandari Festa, which returns Oct. 2-4 with 259 acts.Similar in format to South by Southwest in the U.S., the festival takes over a raft of venues across the Hongdae area, for a multi-stage music festival, giving established acts and up-and-coming bands the chance to win new fans.Among those playing is Max Reynolds, who performed at Zandari twice while based in the U.S. before taking the plunge and moving to Seoul this year.

Expat LivingSept. 23, 2015

Korean beauty YouTubers reach out to global viewers

South Korean beauty YouTubers are reaching out to global viewers with their witty remarks, compelling content and professional makeup skills. The beauty gurus have garnered hundreds of thousands of YouTube subscribers, teaching everything about hair, makeup and nails to both makeup experts and total novices. For instance, Park Soo-hye, better known as Ssin, is one of the most sought-after Korean beauty experts on the video-sharing site. She has more than 640,000 subscribers to her YouTube channe

Arts & DesignSept. 23, 2015

A taste of tradition, history and elegance

Restaurant Woonamjung (Woonamjung)For a taste of Korean tradition and history infused with a modern elegance, visit the Woonamjung restaurant located in Kangwon Land, Korea’s only casino open to locals and located in Gangwon Province. Woonamjung is an authentic, traditional Korean restaurant that is run by a descendant of the Joseon royal court chef and specializes in court cuisine. The menus, which consist of the basic Woonam course, a special menu for feasts and a diverse array of seasonal dis

FoodSept. 23, 2015

[Herald Review] Bon Jovi returns to Seoul after 20 years

A thundering crowd of 14,000 fans greeted the classic American rock band Bon Jovi as they took to the stage in Seoul for the first time in 20 years Tuesday night.After opening the concert with “That’s What the Water Made Me” from their 2013 album “What About Now,” Bon Jovi got the crowd roaring with “You Give Love a Bad Name” from their 1986 album “Slippery When Wet,” the record that rocketed them to stardom. That song was followed up by “Born to Be My Baby,” and front man Jon Bon Jovi took a br

PerformanceSept. 23, 2015

Two living masters of Korean art 　

Art has always been about challenging existing norms and practices. For artists, defying accepted art practices often means finding new possibilities of art, thereby expanding the standard boundary of art. Artists Lee Seung-taek and Ha Chong-hyun are two pioneers in this respect. Challenging established art practices has been their lifetime task. When Koreans were used to seeing art as pretty paintings and sculptures, Lee and Ha experimented with nontraditional materials to challenge typical vis

PerformanceSept. 23, 2015

Gyeongju World Culture Expo gaining students’ attention

The Gyeongju World Culture Expo in the ancient Silla capital city of Gyeongju is gaining attraction from students as a knowledge destination where they can learn about the Silla history and Korean cultural heritage.According to the expo’s organizing committee, about 150 schools nationwide have planned their field trips to the expo -- which kicked off last month for 59 days under the theme of “Eurasia Cultural Express: Silk Road Cultural Festival."Among many shows and performances, “Flying: Hwara

CultureSept. 23, 2015

Seoul Int’l Music Fair boasts impressive lineup

This year’s Seoul International Music Fair, or MU:CON, is set to see an impressive lineup of 51 artists, including alternative bands Hyukoh and Kiha & The Faces, K-pop groups B1A4 and GFriend and power vocal acts such as ALi and Mamamoo. Of the 51 teams set to appear onstage in next month’s event, 16 are rock or alternative rock bands, the organizer Korea Creative Contents Agency said in a press release. The bands include Hyukoh, a four-member act that has recently soared to stardom with its ind

PerformanceSept. 22, 2015

Yoo Ah-in’s evolution from rebellious teen to tragic crown prince

To say the year has been kind to Yoo Ah-in is quite an understatement. With two major box office hits landing back-to-back in August and September, he is undoubtedly the star of the summer.Although the 29-year-old actor has long been a familiar face to the public thanks to his successful appearance on TV shows like “Sunkyunkwan Scandal,” Yoo had not been able to make a strong impression in the film market since 2011’s “Punch.” Yoo Ah-in (Yonhap)Then came “Veteran,” directed by respected director

FilmSept. 22, 2015

Park Yoo-chun to work at Gangnam-gu Office

Singer-actor Park Yoo-chun of K-pop trio JYJ is set to work as a public service worker at Gangnam-gu Office starting Thursday, the Defense Ministry announced Tuesday. (C-jeS Entertainment)The 29-year-old began his four-week basic military training on Aug. 27 at an Army training camp in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province. He will serve for two years as a public service worker, a substitute for active mandatory military service, due to his asthma. By Ko Ji-seon (jiseonko@heraldcorp.com)

PerformanceSept. 22, 2015