Choi Ji-woo is real gem in ‘Grandpas over Flowers’

Four grandpas from “Grandpas over Flowers” are set to captivate viewers as the tvN’s hit reality show returns with mesmerizing Greek scenery and entertaining travel episodes. In the new season, which premieres Friday, their grumpy, young top actor-turned-travel guide Lee Seo-jin gets a helping hand from first-generation hallyu goddess Choi Ji-woo.“Choi has two strengths. One is superb cooking skills. The other is her affability,” Lee said at a press conference held in Seoul on Tuesday.  “Through

TelevisionMarch 24, 2015

[Herald Interview] ‘Personalized service key to success of Hilton Namhae resort’

Dedicated and personalized service is key to the success of Hilton Namhae Golf & Spa Resort in South Korea, which has been awarded as the country’s leading resort by the World Travel Awards for eight consecutive years, its general manager said. “People are now searching for a lot more information through the various media and this makes them want a more personalized holiday matching their own preference not the travel agents’ preference,” said Jesper Bach Larsen in an interview. “The backbone of

PeopleMarch 24, 2015

Tae Jin-ah denies gambling rumor, vows legal action

South Korean singer Tae Jin-ah, 61, has denied reports about his alleged illegal gambling at a casino in the U.S. and vowed to take legal action against the media which put out the article in question.“I have never spent hundreds of million won on gambling in the U.S. My son did not even participate in the gambling,” he said at a press conference held in Seoul on Tuesday. “I already made it clear that I had visited a casino only for fun on a family trip in the U.S,” he said.The remark came after

March 24, 2015

Lee Min-ho and Suzy only the latest in long line of star couples

Actor Lee Min-ho and singer-actress Suzy on Monday confirmed they are in a relationship.  Lee Min-ho (left) and Suzy. OSENHowever, the two top stars are just one couple in a long line of top-star couples who have made their relationships public. Before the Lee-Suzy union there was Girl’s Generation’s Yoona and singer-actor Lee Seung-gi. The fact that the two were dating was made public in January 2014 following a news report with photographs of the two meeting for dates, much like Lee and Suzy.L

March 24, 2015

[Markets & Merchants] Bindaetteok and beyond at Gwangjang Market

Although Dongdaemun and Namdaemun tend to dominate many lists of “must-see markets” in Seoul, small-scale markets that are equally full of history and character are scattered across the city. This is the third installment of a series introducing traditional local markets. ― Ed.Hordes of people trying to elbow their way through crowds and ceaseless rows of assertive, dynamic vendors selling anything from pig’s feet to shaving cream to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: If you’re looking to get a slice o

TravelMarch 23, 2015

‘Early Spring, Late Winter’ delves into life’s blossoms, pain

Set in that twilight zone-like period of the year when winter transitions to spring, “Early Spring, Late Winter” explores new realms of musical and dance theater.Vivid, hazy floral patterns float around on the dark canvas of the stage; huge rectangular structures are rearranged at will to create a minimal yet varied space.Members of the Seoul Performing Arts Company, in eerie black and white makeup, display a wealth of talent as they prance around in a mixture of casual movement and modern dance

PerformanceMarch 23, 2015

Lee Min-ho and Suzy in relationship, seen dating in Paris, London

Actor Lee Min-ho and Suzy of K-pop group Miss A revealed on Monday that they are in a relationship.Following reports from Dispatch, a local media outlet that broke the news, Lee and Suzy confirmed through their agencies that they have been dating for about a month.Earlier in the day, Dispatch reported that the two had been dating for about two months and published photographs of them in London on March 15.(OSEN)According to Lee’s agency Starhaus Entertainment, however, the two have only been tog

March 23, 2015

Social influence on fashion

Menswear at Seoul Fashion Week has never been so diverse in styles and ideas as in the 2015 fall and winter collections. Designers presented an interesting mix of styles from streetwear and traditional tailoring to avant-garde while exploring the relationship between social and political issues and fashion during the two-day menswear show on Friday and Saturday. In contrast to previous collections for the chilly season, many collections featured diverse colors that delighted the eyes of fashion

Arts & DesignMarch 22, 2015

Jacobs School orchestra makes Asian debut in Seoul

Internationally regarded as one of the world’s most renowned musical institutions, members of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University’s chamber orchestra made their way to Seoul this week for the ensemble’s first ever concert in Asia since the establishment of the school more than a century ago.In honor of the many close ties that the School of Music continues to maintain with local Korean universities, the chamber orchestra ― made up of 36 musicians, including two faculty members and s

PerformanceMarch 22, 2015

‘Whiplash’ tops Korean box office

The 2015 Academy award-winning film “Whiplash” topped the Korean box office over the weekend, replacing previous box office hit “Kingsman: The Secret Service,” according to the Korean Film Council.“Whiplash” sold 228,591 tickets on Friday and Saturday, bringing the total number of viewers to 679,329, pushing “Kingsman” to the third place, with the fairytale-based Hollywood flick “Cinderella” taking the No. 2 spot.“Whiplash” hit the local theaters on March 12 and hovered at fourth place before cl

FilmMarch 22, 2015

[Weekender] Home awakening

Preparing for a foray here last year, Ikea, a global home furnishing giant, did some research on Korean consumers, collecting as many images of their homes as possible. What it ended up with were hordes of images of almost identical-looking apartment units: white wallpaper, cookie-cutter room and furniture layouts and, above all, the decided lack of decorative items. Lee Yu-rim, who runs home interior shops in Seoul, calls this the “dark age” of Korean homes. For decades, furniture was something

CultureMarch 20, 2015

[Weekender] ‘For new look, think outside the box’

 For many people, the coming of spring brings an urge to renew their home interiors. But decorating can be a daunting challenge for those who have not kept up with the latest trends. Revamping one’s home doesn’t necessarily cost a fortune or require much knowledge about what’s in vogue, according to veteran interior designer Kwon Soon-bok. A new look can start with a simple change. One just needs to think outside the box, she suggests. “Don’t buy furniture first. Use your own furniture first. It

Arts & DesignMarch 20, 2015

[Weekender] Inside Korea’s DIY home decor craze

It may come as a surprise how many young people in Korea know their way around a power drill. One example is Kim Ji-eun, a 33-year-old woman who was carefully drilling a small oval into a rectangular piece of wood at Intro M Wood Shop in Dobong-gu, Seoul. “I’m making a cellphone dock. The hole is for the charger,” she explained as she flipped the switch to get the drill going again. As she blew the wood shavings off the finished block, she said she had been coming here for about a year. At Intro

Arts & DesignMarch 20, 2015

[Weekender] The ‘candle effect’: Why Koreans splurge on small home decor items

The demand for home decor items is growing among Koreans today, in a sensation that has been dubbed the “candle effect.” A spinoff of the “lipstick effect,” which refers to a hike in consumption of cosmetic goods during recession, the newly coined term indicates the increasing popularity of small home decor items such as scented candles, cushions and figurines that are more affordable than furniture but effectively liven up the home ambience.Virtually nonexistent just five years ago, the Korean

CultureMarch 20, 2015

Design meets humans

The oversized, domineering gate of rusty steel topped by the nameplate Devil’s Door is never meant to make guests feel at ease. Inside, an awe-inspiring interior of the top-flying brewpub in southern Seoul welcomes beer lovers longing for new tastes, choice and experience. The 10-meter-high ceilings, retro benches and chairs, brick wall art and a web of vintage metal pipe lamps combine to create the feel of a cottage brewery that has breathed a new life into an old abandoned factory in Brooklyn,

Arts & DesignMarch 20, 2015

Calendar

Theater”Cats“: The international production of the Broadway classic “Cats” is having its Seoul run from April 10 to May 10. The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2011, is the second longest-running show in Broadway history. It tells the story of the Jellicles, a tribe of cats who assemble for their annual junkyard gathering when one is chosen to be reborn for a new life. One-by-one the kittens take center stage to make their case for rebirth, singing and danci

CultureMarch 20, 2015

Eyelike: Luke Bryan, Houndmouth, Madonna

Spring break is over for maturing Luke BryanLuke Bryan“Spring Break . Checkin‘ Out”(Capitol Nashville)Luke Bryan opens his annual spring-break album with “My Ol’ Bronco,” a song about an aging vehicle that still gets the job done. The Bronco could be a metaphor for Bryan himself -- both were born in the 1970s and both have outgrown an affinity for kicking up sand at musical beach parties. “Checkin’ Out” is Bryan’s seventh spring-break collection in as many years; that‘s in addition to four full-

PerformanceMarch 20, 2015

Box Office

Foulball (Korea)Opening April. 2Documentary. Directed by Cho Jung-rae, Kim Bo-kyeongThis 87-minute documentary follows the baseball team the Goyang Wonders, South Korea’s first independent club with no league affiliation, and Kim Sung-keun, a former manager of the team and the current manager of the Hanwha Eagles. In 2011, celebrated director Kim helmed a team consisting of baseball players who were undrafted high school and college graduates or were released from other professional teams, offer

FilmMarch 20, 2015