Jung Woo-sung appointed as honorary advocate for UNHCR

Actor Jung Woo-sung (left) poses with UNHCR representative Dirk Hebecker after being appointed the honorary advocate of the agency in Seoul on Thursday. (UNHCR Korea)Actor Jung Woo-sung has been appointed an honorary advocate for the U.N. Refugee Agency in Korea, the agency said.Jung is the first celebrity to serve in the role since the establishment of the agency’s Seoul office in 2001. As the honorary advocate, the actor will help support some 45 million refugees worldwide, by participating in

May 15, 2014

EXO-M’s Kris wants out, files suit against SM

EXO-M leader Kris has shocked fans throughout the K-pop world as he officially filed a lawsuit against his agency SM Entertainment, the country’s biggest K-pop talent enterprise, demanding that his exclusive contract be nullified. The suit was filed with the Seoul Central District court on Thursday, and although representatives at SM Entertainment have not yet released any official statements, it appears it came as quite a shock. A spokesperson told Yonhap News that they were “perplexed by the i

May 15, 2014

Sultan of the Disco, Jambinai to play at Glastonbury

Sultan of the Disco. (Sultan of the Disco Website)Local indie band Sultan of the Disco, Korean traditional/rock music crossover band Jambinai and solo artist Gonne Choi will be making an appearance at the upcoming Glastonbury Festival in England next month.The artists will join internationally renowned headline acts such as Arcade Fire, Kasabian, Jack White, Robert Plant, Skrillex, Dolly Parton, Blondie and much more in the annual five-day music festival that will take place near Pilton, Somerse

May 15, 2014

‘Age of Ambition’ observes China’s split personality

For more than a year, a portion of my apartment complex in Beijing has been a construction zone; squat, old buildings have been razed, and new towers are sprouting in their stead. The area is blocked off by walls covered with large, professionally printed green banners that stretch perhaps 15 feet high. A slogan on one reads: “The China Dream, My Dream.”Such posters ― inspired by President Xi Jinping himself ― can be found all over the country, and in six brief Chinese characters, the motto unwi

BooksMay 15, 2014

Larry McMurtry talks about his new novel

Not quite five years ago, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Larry McMurtry greeted the arrival of his novel “Rhino Ranch” by saying it would be his last, his fiction-writing finale. But on May 7, McMurtry released his 46th book. It, too, is a novel, titled “The Last Kind Words Saloon.”So what changed?“Oh, I don’t know,” the 77-year-old icon said by phone from his bookstore in his native Archer City, Texas. “You never know about these things.”“The title is ripped off from a very legendary blues calle

BooksMay 15, 2014

An atheist ‘Living With a Wild God’

Living With A Wild God: A Nonbeliever’s Search for the Truth About Everything By Barbara Ehrenreich (Twelve Books)“I was born to atheism and raised in it, by people who had derived their own atheism from a proud tradition of working-class rejection of authority in all its forms, whether vested in bosses or priests, gods or demons.” That sounds like the Barbara Ehrenreich we know ― the political activist and author of “Nickel and Dimed,” the feisty champion of the working poor, the professional c

BooksMay 15, 2014

Legal thriller set in Zambia

The Garden of Burning SandBy Corban Addison(Quercus)From the opening scene of a young girl in peril to the rich conclusion of whether justice is served, “The Garden of Burning Sand” gives readers a glimpse inside the government and criminal system of Zambia ― and it may make us appreciate the American system a bit more.After authorities in the city of Lusaka are told that a girl with Down syndrome has been sexually assaulted and seems unable to speak, in comes Zoe Fleming, an American lawyer wor

BooksMay 15, 2014

Members of EXO unfollow EXO-M’s Kris on SNS

The SNS account of EXO-M’s Kris has come into the spotlight as members of EXO unfollowed his Instagram account after he filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment.According to Sinayule, a Chinese entertainment news corporation, Kris sued SM Entertainment to end his exclusive contract. Kris claimed that he was restricted in terms of personal development and the management company was not suitable for him.(Instagram)One of the EXO members, Sehun, posted an image of a question mark with a “…” as a de

May 15, 2014

'SM restricted basic rights of EXO-M leader Kris'

Kris, a Chinese member of boy band EXO-M, has had financial difficulties despite his tremendous workload because SM Entertainment exploited him financially, according to sources close to him on Thursday.“SM (Entertainment) controlled him like a pawn or a control-target rather than offering him opportunities as a celebrity,” an undisclosed source close to Kris told Yonhap News.The clash between Kris and his agency surfaced as Kris in the day filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment, demanding a c

May 15, 2014

EXO-M’s Kris sues SM to end exclusive contract

Kris, a Chinese member of boy band EXO-M, on Thursday filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment, demanding a cancellation of their exclusive contract. The leader of the Chinese subunit of K-pop boy band EXO filed the suit with the Seoul Central District Court. SM Entertainment has not yet released an official statement.  EXO-M leader Kris (SM Entertainment)“We are perplexed by the incident ... we will do our best to keep EXO’s activities on track,” an SM Entertainment spokesperson told Yonhap. Th

May 15, 2014

Kim Nam-gil to replace injured Lee Jung-jae in film “Rouge”

Actor Kim Nam-gil was confirmed on Thursday to take over actor Lee Jung-jae’s main character in the film “Rouge” alongside actress and Cannes Film Festival jury member Jeon Do-yeon. Kim will play Jae-gon, a police detective in pursuit of a suspected killer. Jeon will play Hye-kyung, the suspect’s lover. Despite the clash, the two cannot help but develop personal feelings for each other. Actor Kim Nam-gilKim has played major characters in multiple TV shows, including MBC historical drama “Queen S

May 15, 2014

[Eye on English]The art of translating Korean texts into English

Freelance translator Yi Jin spent some 18 years translating English literature into Korean, but she is now learning to do it the other way around.“Most English novels that are translated into Korean get that opportunity because they are good,” Yi told The Korea Herald. “So it’s been very rewarding and fun to introduce them to the Korean reading public. But after many years of doing that, I thought, ‘How come Korean novels don’t get to be translated into English?’ Whenever I read good Korean nove

BooksMay 14, 2014

[Eye on English]Disputes show importance of translation

Recently, a debate rose in the literary world over the Korean translation of the novel “The Stranger” by French writer Albert Camus. What triggered the debate was the claim by the publishing company Saeum that the original Korean translation had many translation errors. The publisher even argued that “‘The Stranger’ we’ve read so far is not Camus’ original.” The claim instantly drew the attention of readers, with 4,700 copies of the new version sold in just two weeks, according to Saeum. The boo

CultureMay 14, 2014

‘Music of friends’ beckons

Every late spring and summer, chamber music ― a form of classical music performed by a small group of musicians at a small venue ― pops up in the local music scene, which is otherwise dominated by symphony orchestras and solo recitals. This is because, usually around this time of the year, musicians find time out of their busy schedules as soloists or members of large ensembles or orchestras to get together and play music with their colleagues, just by themselves with no strings attached. In cha

PerformanceMay 14, 2014

Zhang Lu to return with romantic comedy ‘Gyeongju’

Renowned filmmaker Zhang Lu is making a comeback with a romance film starring Korean top stars Park Hae-il and Shin Min-a. The third-generation Korean-Chinese filmmaker, who was born and raised in China’s Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, has been living and working in Korea since 2012. In December he showcased his first documentary, “The Scenery,” which explores the lives of migrant workers in Korea.A scene from Zhang Lu’s latest film “Gyeongju.” (Invent Stone)The upcoming comedy, titled “G

FilmMay 14, 2014

Cannes poised for world’s biggest film extravaganza

CANNES, France (AFP) ― Giant portraits of movie stars beamed down on passersby in Cannes on Tuesday as Hollywood heavyweights and first-time directors prepared to pour into the French Riviera resort for the world’s biggest film festival.Hugh Jackman, French actress Lea Seydoux and Natalie Portman were just some of the celebrities whose faces adorned buildings in the city center, as if the lure of real-life stars making their way to the 67th Cannes Film Festival was not enough. Ryan Gosling, Davi

FilmMay 14, 2014

Art at German envoy’s residence augurs hope for inter-Korean ties

German Ambassador Rolf Mafael poses for a photo during an interview with The Korea Herald at his home in Seongbuk-dong in Seoul. (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)This is the first in a series of articles in which foreign envoys to Korea show the art of their countries displayed in their homes. ― Ed.The hilltop garden at the residence of the German ambassador on Mount Bugaksan commands a panoramic view of the elegant homes peppering the landscape of the exclusive Seongbuk-dong neighborhood below.

CultureMay 14, 2014

[Herald Interview] Florist Audrey Oh on haute world of flowers

In her newly minted shop in Seoul’s Cheongdam-dong, florist Audrey Oh starts arranging marigolds, blue delphiniums, shepherd’s purse and stonecrop into a vibrant, spring-appropriate bouquet.The veteran floral designer’s swift movements make it look deceptively easy, yet the marriage of near-violet blue with ruffled golden orange, the carefully spaced exclamations of yellow-green, are portrait-worthy, serving as a testimony to her years of experience.“I like natural and simple designs,” said Oh,

Arts & DesignMay 14, 2014