Around the hotels

Mother & Daughter bonding event at Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Sheraton Grande Walkerhill will hold a special dinner party for mothers and daughters on Friday at the European restaurant Clock 16. The “Merry Mother’s Day” event will start with a seven-course dinner, featuring grilled shrimp and tenderloin as the main dish. The dinner will be followed by a jazz performance and a lecture by dermatologist Seo Gu-il, secretary general of the International Society for Dermatologic Surgery, with tips fo

FoodDec. 19, 2014

‘The Interview’ jeopardizes overseas movie villains

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Hollywood loves its overseas villains. Evil forces from Russia, China and North Korea have tirelessly menaced our big-screen heroes in recent years. But, in the wake of the dramatic cancellation of “The Interview,” an entire species of movie baddies might be in danger of extinction. One film already bit the dust. “Pyongyang,” an adaption of a graphic novel set in North Korea, was given the ax Wednesday after distributor Fox abandoned the project and producer New Regency was fo

FilmDec. 19, 2014

CNBLUE, FT Island bask in fame in Taiwan

CNBLUEBoy bands CNBLUE and FT Island made record-high profits in Taiwan this year, proving their overseas fame, a Singaporean media outlet reported Friday. According to My Paper, the two groups earned about 25 billion won ($22.7 million) from concerts and album sales in Taiwan. The four-member group CNBLUE made 2.8 billion won from its Asia tour concerts in the country, matching the record set by idol group Super Junior. Meanwhile, the five-member group FT Island earned about 1.4 billion won fro

Dec. 19, 2014

Sculptures born out of respect for nature

For artist David Nash, trees are more than sources of material for his sculptures. They represent the life cycle of living beings and have certain characteristics and traits, just like humans. “Trees are like us. They have life. They grow from a seed, live and die. It took me a long time to realize that trees are not made of wood. A tree is a living being. While trees are alive, every part of trees work to make them alive,” said Nash at the press preview of his solo exhibition at Kukje Gallery o

PerformanceDec. 18, 2014

Eric Idle brings ‘Not the Messiah’ to Carnegie Hall

NEW YORK (AP) ― And now for something completely different. During a time of year when Handel’s “Messiah” is frequently presented around the world, Eric Idle of Monty Python fame brought “Not the Messiah (He’s a Very Naughty Boy)” to Carnegie Hall, a comedic oratorio based on the movie “The Life of Brian.”From the opening overture of John Philip Sousa’s “The Liberty Bell” ― familiar as the theme of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” on BBC from 1969-74 ― the audience laughed loudly and repeatedly Tu

PerformanceDec. 18, 2014

Seoul to spend big on game industry

The Korean government plans to spend 180 billion won ($163 million) over the next five years to support game developers who have been facing a double whammy of intensifying competition in the global market and tough regulations, and negative perceptions at home. The five-year road map for the development of the game industry, unveiled Thursday by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, envisions efforts to bring about a fundamental change to how the public and policymakers perceive online g

CultureDec. 18, 2014

Audition star Nam So-hyun accused of bullying

When the cameras are off, K-pop star hopeful Nam So-hyun has the daunting reputation of being the bully of the schoolyard; at least, that is what the “K-pop Star 4” contestant and high school student is being publicly accused of by her former classmate ― being a money-taking verbal tormentor. With the fourth season of the popular TV singing audition program recently rolling out, 18-year-old Nam already finds herself in hot water, as it is not her singing talent that is igniting her growing reput

Dec. 18, 2014

James Patterson is on a mission to #saveourbooks

“There’s no evidence at this stage that the great books in our culture can be produced through the Internet right now,” says best-selling writer James Patterson. “If the equivalent of ‘Ulysses’ came along, out it would go on the Internet, it would get like about 12 Fs in a row ― ‘I couldn’t get through the first page,’ ‘Couldn’t get through the first chapter,’ F-F-F-F-F, and ‘Ulysses’ would disappear.”Patterson is not known for Joycean prose ― he’s known for propulsive Alex Cross thrillers ― but

BooksDec. 18, 2014

Author details harsh toll of Alzheimer’s on caregivers

Meryl Comer probably couldn’t tell you the most harrowing moment of her journey through Alzheimer’s. Maybe it happened before her husband Harvey’s diagnosis, when he brandished a carving knife at Thanksgiving.Or maybe it occurred when she watched the brilliant doctor of hematology and oncology at the National Institutes of Health, only in his late 50s, fumble his way through a lecture he once would have delivered with poise and efficiency. Or when he traveled overseas for a conference ― against

BooksDec. 18, 2014

‘Five’ by Ursula Archer is intriguing crime fiction

FiveBy Ursula Archer(Minotaur)Geocaching ― the contemporary treasure hunt in which a GPS is used to find hidden objects ― lends itself to an intriguing melding of a gripping police procedural and an exciting update of the puzzle mystery in Austrian children’s book author Ursula Archer’s crime fiction debut. Archer imbues “Five” with an inventive plot, tense suspense and fully realized characters that seem as if they have been around for years. Archer’s clever use of geocaching proves that the li

BooksDec. 18, 2014

‘Three-Body Problem’ a compelling sci-fi journey

The Three-Body ProblemBy Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu(Tor)If you delight in science fiction that delivers the shock and thrill of something strange, Cixin Liu’s “The Three-Body Problem” is your novel this year. It combines fascinating extrapolations from astronomy and physics with a compelling first-contact story and a remarkable gaming / virtual reality tale — and sets the whole thing in contemporary China, among characters profoundly shaped by the notorious Cultural Revolution.Cixin Liu ha

BooksDec. 18, 2014

‘Killer Heels’ looks at history of high heels

Killer Heels: The Art of the High-Heeled ShoeEdited by Lisa Small(DelMonico Books-Prestel)Shakespeare mentions high heels in “Hamlet,” former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised them and fashion designers from Dior to Manolo Blahnik have bewitched women and men with their versions. “KillerHeels” is a luxurious, fun and sexy look at the history of high heels,and it manages to be eye candy and thoughtprovoking, too. It’s onshelves for the holiday shopping season.Based on an exhibit at the Bro

BooksDec. 18, 2014

‘Red Tent’ author tells of immigrant life in America

The Boston GirlBy Anita Diamant(Scribner)Best-selling author Anita Diamant is having a moment. Her first novel, 1997’s beloved “The Red Tent,” has been made into a two-night Lifetimeminiseries.Now, she’s back with her fifth novel, “The Boston Girl,” a coming-of-agestory narrated by Addie Baum.At age 85, Addie is telling the story of her life to her 22-year-old granddaughter, who has asked her: “How did you get to be the woman you are today?” Divided into years and presented in an oral-history st

BooksDec. 18, 2014

Booyoung chairman publishes history book

Lee Joong-keun, chairman of South Korea’s leading construction company Booyoung Group, has compiled a history book about Korea’s post-independence period.“Independence, 1,775 Days” chronologically documents historical facts and events that occurred on the Korean Peninsula in the 1,775 days from Aug. 15, 1945, when Korea gained independence from Japanese colonial rule, to June 24, 1950, the day before the Korean War broke out. The book details significant events such as Japan’s surrender, U.N.-su

BooksDec. 18, 2014

[Herald Interview] Preserving family traditions in 21st century

ANDONG, North Gyeongsang Province ― In his beautiful old “hanok” property in a famous traditional village, there is a shrine to Lee Pang-soo’s distinguished ancestor Lee Sang-jeong. Every morning, the 64-year-old pays respect to his ancestor ― a prominent 18th century scholar ― before leaving the house. He does the same when he returns home at night. The two visits are his daily rituals and delight.“It gives me peace of mind,” Lee said. “It feels like I am being disciplined to be a better person

CultureDec. 17, 2014

[Herald Interview] Bringing Joseon treasure to light

ANDONG, North Gyeongsang Province ― Scholar Lim No-jig was born in Andong, home to hundreds of “jongga” ― the prestigious households descended from distinguished Joseon-era scholars through the eldest son of each generation.“Although I wasn’t a member of a jongga family, I certainly benefited from the region’s rich culture, which is heavily influenced by Joseon’s Confucianism and ethics,” Lim said during an interview with The Korea Herald in his hometown. The scholar heads the Woodblock Research

CultureDec. 17, 2014