Lotte World Adventure celebrates 25 years with ‘Let’s Dream’ parade

In celebration of 25 years, Lotte World Adventure theme park is holding its special “Let’s Dream” nightly parade, the world’s first multimedia show and parade. The parade took approximately two years to organize and produce, and the newly launched, highly technical and LED light-filled character floats look as though they came straight out of a child’s dream. With an investment of around 15 billion won ($14.58 million), Lotte World Adventure organizers said they pulled out all the stops for its

TravelJuly 25, 2014

[Herald Interview] Gontran Cherrier opens first Seoul bakery

Within four years, Paris-based baker Gontran Cherrier has grown a solitary bakery into an international, multi-location behemoth. While people can now gnaw on Cherrier’s creations in countries as far away from his native France as Singapore, Japan and as of July 17, South Korea, the far-reaching global spread of the star baker’s bread does not seem to have diminished the artisanal bent of his work. If his first South Korean outlet, which opened in Seoul’s Seorae Village last week, is any indicat

FoodJuly 25, 2014

[Weekender] Around the hotel

Peruvian Food Festival at Grand Hyatt Seoul Grand Hyatt Seoul’s signature restaurant The Terrace is inviting guests to a culinary tour of authentic Peruvian cuisine. The Peruvian Food Festival, co-hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Peru, will feature Peruvian and South American dishes cooked by a visiting native chef. To be included in the selection are Ceviche, a lemon-ripened seafood dish, Chicharron, a chewy pork rinds recipe, and Aji de Gallina, a tasty preparation of soft chicken brea

FoodJuly 25, 2014

Oi kimchi (cucumber kimchi)

Oi kimchi (cucumber kimchi) (Korean Bapsang)One of the greatest joys of summer is the abundance of fresh vegetables. Here, I made a quick and easy kimchi with cucumbers. Summer cucumbers are very crispy and tasty! Always look for cucumbers that are firm and slender. Lightly salt the cucumbers first and let them stand for a while to draw out water. This process gives the cucumbers an extra crunch. You can eat this cucumber kimchi 20 to 30 minutes after making it. If you like it mellow, leave it o

FoodJuly 25, 2014

Regrouped KARA to return with new EP

KARA will release its new EP “Day & Night” on Aug. 18. (DSP Media)K-pop quartet KARA will officially return to the music scene with a new EP and a showcase next month, its agency said Friday. KARA, which now consists of the group’s three original members Park Gyu-ri, Hang Seung-yeon and Koo Ha-ra and new member Heo Young-ji, will drop its sixth EP “Day & Night” on Aug. 18 with the album’s showcase to be held the same day. The showcase, slated to feature KARA’s first performances of tracks from i

July 25, 2014

Rain to star in SBS rom-com

Rain. (Cube DC)Korean heartthrob Rain will return to the small screen with a rom-com in September. The TV drama, tentatively titled “The Lady Who Is Lovely to Me,” will go on air from Sept. 17 every Wednesday and Thursday on Korea’s TV network SBS.Popular entertainer will play Hyun-wook, the CEO of a showbiz firm who has lost his lover to an accident. He meets a would-be singer who later turns out to be his past lover’s sister and ends up falling in love. “I was touched by the story of the chara

July 25, 2014

Korean films headed to Venice Film Festival

Korean director Hong Sang-soo’s film “Hill of Freedom” will be competing at the Venice Film Festival in the “Horizons Sections,” dedicated to a score of cutting-edge films, the festival’s organizers said Thursday as they unveiled this year’s lineup.The film depicts a Japanese man, played by Japanese actor Kase Ryo, who visits Korea to track down his bygone love. Korean actress Moon So-ri (“Oasis”) and actor Kim Eui-sung star in the film. Three other Korean films have been invited for the noncomp

July 25, 2014

U-know Yunho not okay with dating publicly

K-pop idol duo TVXQ’s U-Know Yunho revealed Thursday that he is not comfortable about going public with his romantic relationship on a TV show. On the MBC TV show “Star Gazing,” the 28-year-old heartthrob said that he personally thinks that keeping his cherished person out of the public eye is the best way to protect her.  (MBC)“When women are in a relationship (with celebrities), they are envied. But when they spilt up, women get hurt more than men do,” he said during the show. Comedienne Song

July 25, 2014

B1A4 members say they are banned from dating women

Members of the K-pop boy band B1A4 said that they are not allowed to date women on a radio program on Friday. Asked whether there is any rule that prevents the idols from dating someone, they said “Yes, there is” on the radio show “Jo Jung-chi and Jang Dong-min’s 2 O’ Clock” that aired on Friday. (OSEN)The members also confessed that they have no girlfriends, and that’s why they named a recent song “Solo Day.” Launched in 2011, the five-member group recently returned to the K-pop scene with the

July 25, 2014

EXO’s Lay praised for composing skills by Yuen Wei Ren

K-pop sensation EXO’s Lay was highly praised for his compositional techniques by famed Chinese songwriter Yuen Wei Ren, Chinese media outlets reported Friday.“I am so happy to listen to your song in Shanghai. I am surprised by young composers’ outstanding skills these days,” Yuen wrote on his Weibo account. (OSEN)“Creation takes time, but it would be the most powerful weapon for your music. Hope I can listen to more of your songs,” he added. The Chinese member of EXO expressed his appreciation,

July 25, 2014

Leeteuk to be discharged from military next week

Leeteuk of boy band Super Junior will complete his military duty on July 29, his entertainment agency announced on Friday.“An interview with reporters or an event with fans will not be held for Leeteuk’s discharge,” SM Entertainment was quoted as saying. “Leeteuk wanted to be discharged from the military without any attention,” the agency added.The singer started his military service on October 2012. After the discharge, Leeteuk is to participate in “Super Junior World Tour Super Show6,” visitin

July 25, 2014

Yoo Ah-in gets head injury while filming ‘Sado’

Actor Yoo Ah-in was rushed to the hospital after having a head injury while filming his upcoming historical film “Sado.”Yoo was injured by accidentally hitting his head on the floor in a conflict scene, according to local reports on Friday.  (Showbox)The injury occurred on Thursday while filming a scene in which Yoo’s character, prince Sado, has a fiery discord with his father, King Youngjo.The actor was sent to the hospital and had his injury treated. Despite the doctor’s advice, Yoo pushed ahe

July 25, 2014

TV commercial for JYJ goes on air

JYJ became the first K-pop band to advertise themselves through a TV commercial.The commercial to promote JYJ was first broadcast on July 21 right after the closing of MBC’s 23-episode action drama “Triangle,” starring group member Jaejoong.The TV commercial brings JYJ’s three members -- Jaejoong, Yoochun and Junsu -- into the spotlight, with the catch phrases “One for all” and “All for one.” “We invested 1 billion won into this three-week TV commercial campaign to raise JYJ’s brand power,” thei

July 25, 2014

Sulli temporarily leaves entertainment industry

Sulli of the girl group f(x) has decided to temporarily leave the entertainment industry, her agency SM Entertainment announced on Friday.“Sulli has been suffering from endless rumors and malicious comments on the Internet. She is determined to stay out of the entertainment scene for a while,” the agency wrote on its official homepage.“To protect the artist, we have decided to minimize Sulli’s entertainment activities and let her take some time off,” the agency added.SM also wrote that Sulli’s g

July 25, 2014

‘Kundo’ draws 1m viewers in 48 hours

“Kundo: Age of the Rampant” drew a record-high 1 million viewers in its first 48 hours, dwarfing its competitors at the box office.In its first two days, “Kundo,” directed by Yoon Jong-bin and starring Ha Jung-woo and Gang Dong-won, replaced the former records by “Transformer: Dark of the Moon” (2011) starring Shia LaBeouf and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and “Secretly, Greatly” (2013) starring Kim Soo-hyun. “Kundo” is set in mid-19th century Joseon, in the 13th year of King Cheoljong’s reign. Dolm

July 25, 2014