[Foreigners Who Loved Korea] Bethell, vanguard of the anti-Japanese press

In Korea’s turbulent path toward independence and nation building, there were foreign nationals who stood steadfastly by the Korean people, although their contributions have been largely overshadowed by those of Korean patriots. The Korea Herald, in partnership with the Independence Hall of Korea, publishes a series of articles shedding light on these foreigners, their life and legacies here. The following is the fifth installment. ― Ed. By Kim Hyong-mok, Senior research fellow, Independence Hal

PeopleAug. 31, 2015

Girls’ Generation holds ‘Tencent K-pop Live’ concert

Girls‘ Generation was the eighth artist to hold a monthly live broadcast concert via the “Tencent K-pop Live” series on Tencent‘s video service QQ.The “Tencent K-pop Live” concert series is a collaboration between Chinese information technology giant Tencent and content distribution company Cantara Global. It is part of Tencent Video’s “Live Music” business, which began last year as a comprehensive music service offering content from artists in Japan, Korea, the U.S. and Europe. Girls' Generatio

PerformanceAug. 31, 2015

EXO to drop its first Japanese single

(OSEN)Popular boy group EXO is set to make its official debut in Japan on Nov. 4. EXO said Saturday at the Japanese music festival “A-nation” in Yanmar Stadium, Osaka, that it would drop a Japanese single next month, according to SM Entertainment. The group debuted in South Korea with “What Is Love” in January 2012, and released many hit songs, including “Growl,” “Overdose,” “Love Me Right” and “Call Me Baby.”EXO is set to hold concerts for its “EXO PLANET #2 - The EXO’luXion” tour in Japan on N

Aug. 31, 2015

A river runs through Pyeongchang

PYEONGCHANG, Gwangwon Province -- The morning light reflects off the surface of the Pyeongchanggang River glittering with the sound of the flowing water echoing in the quiet atmosphere.As the county’s main event -- a buckwheat blossom festival commemorating the 1930s writer Lee Hyo-seok -- is about to kick off this week attracting visitors to its vast field of white flowers, this river and its water valleys will also be filled with avid fly fishers.Fly fishing in Pyeongchang River (Park Hyong-ki

TravelAug. 31, 2015

MBC launches hallyu theme park

Major Korean broadcaster MBC will open a new hallyu theme park on Sept. 5, complete with hologram K-pop concerts, virtual reality drama sets and photo booths.A set of the traditional Korean court has been recreated to allow visitors to experience what it is like to appear in Korean period dramas and “be transported back in time,” said MBC in a press release. (MBC)Located at MBC headquarters in Sangam-dong, northern Seoul, “MBC World” aims to offer an entertaining attraction to tourists visiting

TelevisionAug. 30, 2015

[Herald Review] Beast puts on ‘Beautiful Show’ with voices only

At a press conference ahead of the group's annual concert "Beautiful Show," Beast's Dujun was full of enthusiasm."We're so excited and thankful. This is the one day of the year we look forward to most, and we're so happy," he said.The show was the group's first exclusive concert in a year, and the members said they were eager to show how they had matured.Beast (CUBE Entertainment)"For this concert, we've taken out a lot of the stage effects and have prepared performances that will move our fans'

PerformanceAug. 30, 2015

[Travel Bits]

Visit Korea’s first lighthousePalmido Lighthouse on Palmido Island in Jung-gu, Incheon, is Korea’s first lighthouse built in April 1903. It officially lit up for commercial ships in June 1903. Korea built the lighthouse due to pressure from Japan to open trade to the country.It takes about 45 minutes by ferry to Palmido Island from Incheon Port International Passenger Terminal, and another 10 minutes to walk from the island’s dock to the top of the lighthouse.Behind the original lighthouse, whic

TravelAug. 30, 2015

[Album Review] Ben's 2nd EP has much more to show than lead single

Ben"My Name is BEN"(Sony Music)It's hard to understand why Ben or her management decided to choose the song "Looby Loo" as the lead track of her second EP "My Name is BEN."The song is bubblegum cute and is about a friend comforting another friend who has just gone through a breakup with cliches along the lines of "Congratulations! You're better off without him. Let's go get our hair done!"The song is fine in and of itself, but does nothing to show Ben's talents as a singer, which she definitely

PerformanceAug. 30, 2015

[Album Review] E Sens is raw, truthful on 'The Anecdote'

E Sens"The Anecdote"(KT Music)　 Rapper E Sens is often recognized as the "other rapper" in the duo Supreme Team with Simon D, who recently topped the charts with his solo track "Simon Dominic." But in his first studio-length album "The Anecdote," which created buzz because it was released while he serves time for drug use, E Sens shows that he can more than hold his own.The album is filled with honest, often bitter autobiographical lyrics about his struggles in the Korean rap industry. E Sens co

PerformanceAug. 30, 2015

Around the Hotels

The Korea Herald brings you the latest on what's going on around the hotels in Korea. Fruit dessert buffetat Sheraton Grande Walkerhill　Sheraton Grande Walkerhill’s lobby lounge cafe The Pavilion is offering a new seasonal dessert buffet promotion titled “Beautifruit,” featuring an array of dainty desserts mainly made with pomegranates and blueberry. Twenty-six kinds of desserts will be offered with a selection of light meals and beverages. Desserts include blueberry sandwiches, mini roll cakes

TravelAug. 30, 2015

Charcoal-grilled saltwater eel at Doo-uh Mari

Doo-uh Mari -- a small, 22-seat restaurant -- opened in Seoul’s Nonhyeon-dong last year. (Lee Sang-sub/The Korea Herald)Eel, long considered a wholesome summer delicacy in Korea, is the main attraction at Doo-uh Mari -- a small, 22-seat eatery that opened last year in Seoul’s Nonhyeon-dong.“We went to Busan and had saltwater eel,” Doo-uh Mari co-owner Oh Jung-min explained, saying after he and his friend tasted marine eel, a popular dish in Busan, the duo decided it would be a good idea to focus

FoodAug. 30, 2015

[Herald Interview] Introducing the world, one dish at a time

Taking a seat in his cooking studio in Sangsu-dong, Seoul producer Lee Wook-jung was doing little to dispel his globetrotting image.“I just got back from a week in Kyoto,” he said. The KBS producer, best known for his Peabody Award-winning 2008 series “Noodle Road,” has spent a considerable amount of the year outside Korea, scoping out locations and interview subjects for his documentaries. With an academic background in cultural anthropology, culinary training from Le Cordon Bleu London and the

PeopleAug. 30, 2015

Int’l dance fest to offer melting pot of artistic culture

A performance by the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucia, who will take part in the upcoming 18th Seoul International Dance Festival starting Sept. 30 (Courtesy of Luis Castilla)Bringing the engaging sights and sounds of Spain, Turkey, Croatia, Palestine, Africa and more, the 18th annual Seoul International Dance Festival (SIDance) will be kicking off its festivities next month, offering dance-lovers a filling smorgasbord of contemporary dance performances to view from around the world. From traditiona

PerformanceAug. 28, 2015

Park Yoo-chun begins military service

Singer-actor Park Yoo-chun of boy group JYJ joined the Korean Army as a conscript Thursday afternoon, beginning his two-year mandatory military service. 　　The 29-year-old enlisted at an Army training camp in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, where he will receive five weeks of basic military training. After the training, he will serve as a public service worker at a public office in substitute for the active duty service at a military camp, due to his asthma. 　 Park Yoo-chun (OSEN)He is the se

Aug. 27, 2015

[Herald Interview] Im Chang-jung shows no signs of slowing down

The media was split on its opinion of Shin Dong-yeob’s new comedy “Untouchable Lawmen,” starring Im Chang-jung and Choi Daniel, even before it hit theaters Thursday. But leading man Im said that he wasn’t bothered by unfavorable reviews.“This movie is supposed to have a B movie feel,” he told reporters at a group interview at a cafe in Seoul. “For people who like this type of genre, it’s a well-made movie. There are serious movies, then there are movies like these.”Im chose the comedy as his lea

FilmAug. 27, 2015

Design meets tech at Herald workshop

Herald Corp., in collaboration with Seoul Design Foundation, is hosting the Herald Design Tech workshop with the aims of bringing together and fostering rising talent in the areas of design and technology.During the program, which will take place from mid-September through November, participating designers and engineers will be grouped into teams and work together to plan and create a marketable product. Experts in related fields will be available to consult on the projects’ progress. Herald Des

Arts & DesignAug. 27, 2015

Film festival highlights rise of ‘creative documentaries’

Documentaries are evolving. Previously regarded as distanced portrayals of facts, nonfiction film narratives are now branching out into the creative realm, according to Ally Derks, director of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.“Twenty years ago, there were more National Geographic-types of documentaries that didn’t necessarily reflect the personal viewpoint of the directors,” said Derks, who has been invited to serve as chairperson of the jury at the 2015 EBS International Do

FilmAug. 27, 2015