Crayon Pop returns with red headscarves and ‘Uh-ee’

The playful members of Crayon Pop are leaving their signature helmets behind and returning with a new dance and their fifth single “Uh-ee.”Crayon Pop, which shot to stardom thanks to the surprise hit single “Bar Bar Bar” and the trademark “straight-five engine dance,” unveiled its latest single at a showcase held at the Olleh Square in central Seoul on Friday. The ladies sauntered out onto the stage dressed like a pack of little red riding hoods and revealed that their latest costumes concept wa

March 30, 2014

[Band Uprising] Yellow Monsters encourage listeners to riot and rise against

As the Korean music market is beginning to receive more international recognition, the local band scene is looking to rise up and represent the next generation of Korean music. This is the fifth installment of a series of interviews with Korean rock, acoustic and alternative bands. ― Ed. When it comes to punk rock, Yellow Monsters is everything one would expect from energetic head-banging, rioting and mosh pit catalyst rockers. Well known in the Hongdae rock scene, the trio quickly became one of

March 30, 2014

Corpse surfaces during “Avengers” shooting

 A dead body floated to the surface of the Han River under Mapo Bridge in Seoul, where the American movie crew was filming a sequel to Hollywood Blockbuster “The Avengers,” police said Sunday. “A security member of the movie crew aboard a boat found the body floating and reported it to the police at around 2:10 p.m.,” said an officer at Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. A police team retrieved the badly decomposed body, which was later identified as a 21-year-old man surnamed Yoon. He was report

FilmMarch 30, 2014

‘Avengers’ begins shooting in Seoul

After smashing up South Africa and Italy, the superheroes of Hollywood blockbuster “The Avengers” finally landed here Sunday, causing traffic disruptions on a usually busy Seoul bridge. The shooting for “The Avengers: the Age of Ultron,” a highly-anticipated sequel to the 2012 mega-hit film, began at Mapo Bridge as part of its two-week stint in Korea, blocking all lanes on the bridge for nearly 12 hours from early in the morning. Much of the details are being kept under wraps, including the plot

FilmMarch 30, 2014

Telling stories of ‘incomplete lives’

Webtoon writer Yoon Tae-ho says he barely enjoys his work. But it is his everything. “I never really got to do anything for pure enjoyment or for myself,” he said in an interview with The Korea Herald in his office in Seoul. “I’ve never played StarCraft. I’ve never played billiards. I don’t enjoy work, either. What I want to do is to do it well, do better.”The 44-year-old is best known for his webtoon “Misaeng,” which means “an incomplete life.” The iconic series, which ran from 2012 to 2013 onl

BooksMarch 28, 2014

Calendar

Classical Music“Bang on a Can All-Stars”: Renowned for its ultra-dynamic live performances and recordings of today’s most innovative music, the Bang on a Can All-Stars will hold their first performance here. Consisting of clarinet, cello, electric guitar, piano-keyboard, percussion and double bass, the New York-based ensemble will perform on March 29-30 at the Tongyeong International Music Festival in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, and on April 2 at LG Arts Center in Seoul. Its repertoire

CultureMarch 28, 2014

In the fields of UFW’s birth, farm workers see Chavez film

The audience members stepped off buses waving red UFW flags. Some came straight from the fields. Those from Salinas and Madera and farther away had given up a day’s wages to attend.The first feature film about Cesar Chavez had been screened in Los Angeles and at the White House. On Tuesday evening, “Cesar Chavez” played outdoors and in Spanish for the farm workers Chavez represented.“From the beginning, we said we have to go back and give it to the people,” director Diego Luna said. “I’ve been w

FilmMarch 28, 2014

Eyelike: Lee Sun-hee makes strong return with 'Serendipity'

Lee Sun-hee makes strong return with “Serendipity” Lee Sun-hee'Serendipity'(LOEN Entertainment)Lee Sun-hee, one of South Korea’s iconic veteran singer-songwriters, has released her 15th studio album in celebration of the 30th anniversary of her debut.The 11-track album titled “Serendipity” features Lee’s mature and distinct vocals which have raised her to the peerage of local ballad legends since her debut in 1984. The album covers diverse genres from pop, rock, orchestral and acoustic to gypsy

PerformanceMarch 28, 2014

Box Office

August: Osage County (the U.S.)Opening April 3Drama. Comedy. Directed by John Wells. Violet (Meryl Streep) lives in a rural area outside Pawhuska, Oklahoma, with her husband, Beverly (Sam Shepard), an alcoholic but kindhearted poet. Extremely contentious and bitter, she suffers from oral cancer and struggles with drug addiction. One day, out of the blue, Beverly hires a young Native American woman as a live-in cook and caregiver for Violet, and then disappears from the house. Devastated, Violet

FilmMarch 28, 2014

Incense on a spring breeze

Daegu, Korea’s “City of Apples,” is not generally known for its hiking, and yet a street in the northern outskirts of the city shows that the pastime has taken root, blossomed and begun to bear fruit. Both sides of Palgong-ro are lined with outdoor apparel stores, from foreign brands like Northface, Merrell and Mammut to local companies like Centerpole, Kolping and K2.The commercial enclave is a testament to the popularity of Mount Palgongsan. Like many of Korea’s cities and natural features, th

TravelMarch 28, 2014

Charcuterie pioneer

Last September, a company called Korea Metzgerei Cooperation Institute, or KMCI, launched a brand called Urban Knife to help pioneer the nation’s fledgling deli market. Urban Knife’s first brick-and-mortar space opened near Seoul’s Gangbyeon Station as a restaurant. The restaurant, according to KMCI food and beverages manager Jung Woo-sung, would serve as a launchpad for Urban Knife’s ultimate goal of opening a string of bona fide butcher shop-delis. Later that year, that became a reality, when

FoodMarch 28, 2014

Tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork)

Tangsuyuk is a Chinese sweet and sour pork dish adapted for Korean taste. It can also be made with beef. It is a beloved Korean-Chinese dish that’s often enjoyed along with jajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce) or jjambbong (spicy noodle soup).The potato starch used to make the batter is pre-soaked for several hours. This is a traditional method used to create a slightly chewy yet crispy crust. It is important to deep fry the meat twice for extra crispiness. The key to a successful sauce is

FoodMarch 28, 2014

Around the Hotels

Thai cuisine at JW Marriott Hotel SeoulJW Marriott Hotel Seoul’s all-day dining restaurant The Cafe is offering authentic Thai cuisine made by guest chef Somkiat Dongprateep from JW Marriott Bangkok from March 28 to April 13. Throughout the promotion period, Chef Somkiat will present a range of popular Thai dishes including hot chili and Thai herb salad, yellow curry chicken, traditional satay kebabs, tom-yum goong and pad thai. The special dishes will be available at the restaurant’s dinner buf

CultureMarch 28, 2014

Korean Air wins copyright suit

The Seoul Central District Court ruled on Thursday that the photo Korean Air used for its TV commercial did not infringe on American photographer Michael Kenna’s copyright of the well-known photograph “Pine Trees.” The court admitted similarities but dismissed Kenna’s copyright claim. “Kenna’s photo and the carrier’s commercial photo look similar to each other because both depict the same pine tree island and its reflection on the water, featuring the same natural elements of water, sky and tree

PerformanceMarch 28, 2014

SM defends property deal

The nation’s largest entertainment agency, SM Entertainment, has officially denied allegations that company CEO Lee Soo-man illegally acquired a lavish mansion in Malibu, California, through a joint purchase with a “paper company” in Hong Kong.KBS 1TV’s “News9” on Tuesday reported that the CEO had purchased the mansion in L.A. County for $4.8 million, which surpasses $3 million, the most that an individual could invest in overseas real state at the time. The report claimed that Lee evaded such r

PerformanceMarch 28, 2014

Imperial Palace names new chief

Imperial Palace Seoul has appointed veteran Korean hotelier Kim Jung-suk as its new general manager, the hotel said on Friday. Prior to joining the hotel, Kim held various managerial positions at The Westin Chosun in guestrooms, food and beverages, marketing and promotions. He has also served in marketing, communication and planning positions at major international companies such as Coca Cola and AIG. “We hope Kim will deliver a new energy to the Imperial Palace hotel chain, which is expanding a

PeopleMarch 28, 2014