[Herald Review] 'The Piper' bites off more than it can chew

　“The Piper” is an interesting hodgepodge that borrows elements from various genres and weaves together several plotlines. 　There is the fantastical motif of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, set against the historical backdrop of postwar Korea, filled with the mystery of a remote village ruled by a tyrant trying to hide a terrible secret, and the paternal love of a man desperately trying to save his sick son.Still from "The Piper" (CJ Entertainment)　Unfortunately, the ambitious feature-length debut fr

FilmJuly 16, 2015

Batman producer talks about ‘dark’ success

The internationally dubbed “boy who loved Batman” and the force behind producing the “Batman” and “Dark Knight” movie series, Michael E. Uslan, has come to Seoul to share the tremendous tales behind how he turned his childhood obsession to one of the world’s most unforeseen game-changing film franchises.The man responsible for reimagining Batman as a noncomical, dark creature of the night who hunts criminals from the shadows said that he would stop at nothing to rid the perception of Batman as a

FilmJuly 15, 2015

Expat soccer school looks abroad

The temperature hitting 37 degrees this Saturday could not deter the teenagers of Sillim from turning out for a game of soccer as part of International Football Education’s community outreach program. Set up seven years ago, the expat-run soccer school runs a regular program for over 400 players, mainly from international schools, coaching them in club-level soccer, after-school programs and tournaments.In recent years, the nonprofit aspect of the group’s operations has motivated founder Phil Ni

Expat LivingJuly 15, 2015

Bae Yong-joon warns of legal action against rumormongers

Actress Park Soo-jin and her groom-to-be Bae Yong-joon on Wednesday said they were considering a lawsuit against media that are spreading rumors that Park was pregnant.   (OSEN)　Local tabloids alleged Park was expecting, but the couple flatly denied such groundless rumors.　Park and Bae have been dating since February and on Tuesday announced that their wedding would take place on July 27. 　By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)

July 15, 2015

Super Junior’s Siwon and Secret’s Sunhwa to promote music film fest

Super Junior’s Siwon and Secret’s Sunhwa were officially proclaimed the spokesmodels of the 11th Jecheon International Music & Film Festival Tuesday at a press conference at the Conrad Hotel in Seoul.The two Hallyu stars were chosen for their extensive cultural influence both in Korea and around the world, stemming from their successful careers in both music and acting.  Siwon and Sunhwa pose for press at the Conrad Hotel Seoul, Tuesday. (Yonhap)“I’m so happy that I can experience music and film

FilmJuly 15, 2015

Jecheon film fest to greet summer with movies, live tunes

This year marks the 11th anniversary of the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival, a partially competitive festival that offers a balance of movie screenings and outdoor concerts. Official poster of the JIMFF (JIMFF)The festival will open with the film “Try to Remember” from Korean director Kim Dae-hyun, and screen a total of 101 films from 25 countries. The competitive section “World Music Film Today” will have seven films from abroad in competition. “We usually try to balance scripted fi

FilmJuly 15, 2015

Superfoods that help you stay slim

Your workout plan for a perfect beach body for this summer is a half success without a healthy meal plan. Even if you stick to a strict exercise schedule, what you eat after the workout hours will determine the result you want to achieve. When you try to cut down calories to lose weight, eating food that is filling yet low in calories can help you achieve your diet goal faster. Office worker Park Il-gyu, 31, proved he could lose the weight by just eating healthy. Feeling heavy and tired from the

FoodJuly 15, 2015

Star-studded Korean films prepare to claim summer box office

The first half of 2015 was not kind to the Korean film industry. With the exception of “Ode to My Father” and “Twenty,” no Korean movies were able to make a big splash in theaters. Korean moviegoers opted for blockbuster Hollywood films like “The Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Furious 7,” “Mad Max” and “Jurassic World” or smaller surprise hits like “Kingsman: The Secret Service” and “Whiplash.”Korean movies began to pick up at the box office with “The Classified File,” a true-story crime thriller th

FilmJuly 15, 2015

Roy Kim, Bae Da-hae release single to promote animal welfare

The newly formed duo Team Pet Rescue -- singer-songwriter Roy Kim and Bae Da-hae -- dropped a single titled “For Meeting You” on Wednesday. 　The new track emphasizes the need for protection of abandoned pets, evoking sympathy among pet owners.　　 (CJ E&M)“Roy Kim and Bae Da-hae tried to convey a warm message to raise animal awareness,” CJ E&M, Kim’s management agency, said. “All profits from the song will go to the nonprofit Korean Animal Welfare Association.” 　The new title is part of the duo’s

July 15, 2015

Prosecution clears Clara of blackmailing, indicts Polaris chief

　Actress Clara has been cleared of allegations of blackmailing Lee Gyu-tae, chairman of her former agency Polaris Entertainment, prosecutors revealed Wednesday.　In clearing her, the prosecution said her actions were not criminal and indicted Lee for threatening the 29-year-old actress. Actress Clara and Lee Gyu-tae, the chairman of her former agency Polaris Entertainment. (OSEN, Yonhap)　Lee and Clara have been embroiled in a convoluted legal battle ,with each accusing the other of blackmail. 　In

TelevisionJuly 15, 2015

INFINITE's powerful return

Boy band INFINITE has burst back onto the K-pop scene with a much-anticipated EP album titled “Reality,” intense dance moves and a high-tech music video featuring 360-degree viewing.　“We’ve been recording since January,” said Woohyun at a press showcase for the group’s comeback on Monday at Seoul’s Olympic Park. “We’re excited and happy to finally be able to show fans the results of our hard work.”The pounding title track, “Bad,” which speaks of a man falling in love with a “bad” but irresistibl

July 14, 2015

[Foreigners Who Loved Korea] From Canadian Schofield to Korean Seok Ho-pil

In Korea’s turbulent path toward independence and nation building, there were foreigners 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, is publishing a series of articles shedding light on these foreigners, their life and legacies here. The following is the third installment. ― Ed.William Schofield's familySchofield lecturing at Severance Med

PeopleJuly 13, 2015

The making of a Joseon queen

Wedding gown of Empress Consort Sunjeong, 1919 (Seojong University Museum)Stories of women at the royal court of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) do not occupy major chapters in the 518 years of history for the monarchy. Rather than being major players, queens and concubines are often seen as symbols of jealousy or, sometimes, victims of political strife. Despite little attention paid to their individual lives, these women shaped the sophisticated and splendid royal culture of Joseon that people o

CultureJuly 13, 2015

Gracias Choir holds summer night concert

Over 5,000 Seoulites enjoyed an evening of free music Saturday, as the award-winning Gracias Choir held a public concert for citizens at Seoul Plaza in the heart of Seoul. The stage featured internationally esteemed musicians such as conductor Boris Abalayan, who is a professor at Russia’s Saint Petersburg Conservatory, pianist Igor Lebedev and British flutist Paul Edmund-Davies, who participated in the soundtracks of the “Harry Potter” and “Mission: Impossible” film series.A male quartet sings

PerformanceJuly 13, 2015