‘Hip flask cocktails’ at Park Hyatt SeoulThe Timber House at Park Hyatt Seoul is serving “hip flask cocktails” in the whisky bottles that people put in their pockets to heat them with body temperature during the cold season. The Timber House is presenting the unique experience of enjoying cocktails in these hip flasks. The hip flask cocktails come in five different kinds. “Talking to Myself” has a bittersweet flavor from a blend of rum, Campari liquor and orange essence. “Butterfly Effect” has s

FoodOct. 17, 2014

Over six years ago, a veteran fashion industry insider-turned-chef turned a tiny little dry cleaning store into an off-the-beaten-path bistro on Seoul’s Garosugil. From that charmed, sweet nook, she churned out lemon pies with bouffant clouds of meringue and cupcakes slathered in coconut-cream cheese frosting, reeling in seriously committed regulars who came back time and time again for her treats.Then she just as quietly slipped away, closing her little cafe this spring for a six-month hiatus,

FoodOct. 17, 2014

Hobakjuk (pumpkin porridge) (Korean Bapsang)With the weather getting colder, we could all use some warm comfort food. For Koreans, juk (porridge) is a popular comfort food either as a light meal or a snack. Hobakjuk is typically made with danhobak and sweet rice. Danhobak means sweet pumpkin or squash and is a variety of winter squash. Traditionally, there are two ways to incorporate sweet rice into this porridge. One is to add small rice cake balls made with rice powder, and the other is simply

FoodOct. 17, 2014

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Seth Rogen let out a loud laugh when asked what he had done with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader who suddenly and inexplicably dropped out of sight about six weeks ago. “It’s all a marketing ploy,” joked Rogen, whose upcoming comedy “The Interview” mercilessly mocks the rotund ruler. “We’ve hid him somewhere, and he’ll be released one week before the movie.” Kim’s absence is at least a bit easier to laugh about now that he has finally resurfaced, appearing in images relea

FilmOct. 17, 2014

CL2NE1 member CL will make her U.S. debut as a solo artist, YG Entertainment confirmed Thursday.The rapper will perform in the U.S. in spring under the support of Scooter Braun, who has managed global stars such as Justin Bieber, Psy and Ariana Grande, the agency added. CL has already prepared a number of songs for her first solo album in the U.S. Her rapping skills, English language fluency and fashion style are said to be what caught Braun’s eye. Meanwhile, 2NE1 is currently holding the world

PerformanceOct. 17, 2014

Super JuniorSouth Korean boy band Super Junior will unveil a special edition of its 7th full-length album “Mamacita” on online music services next week, the group’s management agency said Friday.The special-edition album “This Is Love” will be released online on Thursday and in record stores four days later, S.M. Entertainment said.The new album has 13 songs, including nine tracks from the 7th album and three new songs, the company said.The veteran boy band notched their first No. 1 on a Billboa

PerformanceOct. 17, 2014

LONDON ― Visitors are greeted by a variety of compelling contemporary artworks that defy the perception of an art fair as an art sales venue. Intriguing performances are held throughout the annual Frieze Art Fair that brings some 160 leading contemporary galleries from around the world to Regent’s Park, London. With the influx of high-spending collectors, Frieze London is also one of the most successful art fairs in the world, and its sales have been increasing. Damien Hirst’s 1993 fish cabinet

PerformanceOct. 16, 2014

LONDON ― From a Western viewpoint, Dansaekhwa paintings may seem confusing. They don’t fit into familiar key art movements in Western art history. First created in the 1960s, Dansaekhwa paintings may be in line with minimalism. But behind their simple imagery is much more complex meaning. They resulted from the suppressed freedom of expression that Korean artists experienced under authoritarian governments of the past. Artist Ha Chong-hyun, 80, recalls his selection of materials, looking at his

PerformanceOct. 16, 2014

The husband of former MBC anchorwoman Kim Ju-ha was sentenced to eight months in prison with two years’ suspension, a Seoul court said Wednesday. The Seoul Western District Court found the husband, surnamed Kang, guilty of assaulting Kim four times since July 2008. The court accepted Kim’s claim that her husband slapped her in the face, causing injuries that required up to four weeks to recover. The court also ruled Kang guilty of attempting to forge his wife’s identification in order to review

PeopleOct. 16, 2014

From uploading home-recorded song covers onto YouTube to traveling around the globe and serenading thousands of fans, U.S. R&B singer-songwriter and producer Jeff Bernat has not only been recognized on an international level, but has managed to build himself quite a significant fan base in Korea. The 24-year-old artist from Reno, Nevada, is in Seoul for the second time this year, gearing up for his sold-out, four-show concert series that starts Friday at the Lotte Card Art Center. From marching

PerformanceOct. 16, 2014

The second installment of Ian Bell’s two-part biography of Bob Dylan, “Time Out of Mind,” is a compelling, focused examination of the latter half of the elusive singer-songwriter’s life and career, starting off with his acclaimed “Blood on the Tracks” album in 1975 and bringing readers close to the present day. For Dylan’s many obsessive fans, who have been offered a wealth of analyses of this singular artist over the years, Bell delivers the goods. Chapters are heavy with engrossing and sometim

BooksOct. 16, 2014

Chicago journalist Jonathan Eig got the idea for his new book, “The Birth of the Pill,” from a sermon his rabbi gave many years ago.“He was claiming the (birth control) pill was a bigger deal than the airplane, than the A-bomb,” Eig said of Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, then of the Anshe Emet Synagogue on Chicago’s North Side. “At first, I thought he was crazy. Then I came to think maybe he was right.”Eig wondered how the history of something so important could be so quickly forgotten, especially in Ch

BooksOct. 16, 2014

Full MeasureBy T. Jefferson Parker (St. Martin’s Press)T. Jefferson Parker, known for his crime novels, delivers an emotional and gut-wrenching literary departure that’s miles away from what his fans and readers would expect in “Full Measure.” Patrick Norris returns home after a military tour in Afghanistan. He has been forever changed by the horrors he faced, the people he was forced to kill and the friends he watched die. Patrick is happy to see his family and start a small sport fishing busin

BooksOct. 16, 2014

Murder at the BrightwellBy Ashley Weaver (Minotaur)At the heart of this light, energetic tale of a group of wealthy eccentrics on holiday at a seaside resort in England emerges a story of a marriage. Yes, there’s a juicy scandal, snobbish comments and petty disagreements among people of a certain class feeling carefree and insular in 1932 Kent. It’s all very Downton Abbey. But “Murder at the Brightwell” by Ashley Weaver also proves to be an insightful look at a marriage that started with a stron

BooksOct. 16, 2014

Truth Be ToldBy Hank Phillippi Ryan (Forge)Hank Phillippi Ryan’s latest entry to feature investigative reporter Jane Ryland showcases the author’s ability to balance humor, gripping drama, romance and contemporary issues. In “Truth Be Told,” Ryland is investigating families who have lost their homes due to foreclosure. While onsite at a house that a bank is taking away from a family, Ryland sees police and then the medical examiner arrive. When Detective Jake Brogan arrives on the scene, Ryland

BooksOct. 16, 2014

How Star Wars Conquered the UniverseBy Chris Taylor (Basic Books)“How Star Wars Conquered The Universe” by Chris Taylor is an immensely readable look at the worldwide impact of the “Star Wars” saga over the decades. He calls it “a biography of ‘Star Wars.’”The book covers more than the six movies, cartoons and authorized adaptations. The history includes the fans and their vast creativity and explores the franchise that has become a cultural touchstone with worldwide reach.“I was really very con

BooksOct. 16, 2014