Hundreds of kids will be convening on Yongin Soccer Center in Gyeonggi Province this weekend for the Asia Soccer Shootout Tournament.It is the first run for the tournament, organized by International Football Education and SporTour Agency, with 64 teams expected from across the country and overseas. IFE is a soccer school in Seoul run by expats. Its director of football Phil Neiland said that they decided to set up the tournament after seeing the effect the center had on the kids there, from sim

Expat LivingOct. 22, 2013

It is a Saturday evening on a street corner in Seoul’s Ahyeon-dong, and a foreign man is handing out baggies of powder to a group of women.This is the Dark Side of Seoul Tour, Seoul’s only ghost walk in English, and host Joe McPherson is concerned about the safety of the women on the tour, after rumors in the area from colonial times.“There were tales of women being harassed by Japanese ghosts, so they used to carry a little bit of chili powder in their purses to throw at Japanese ghosts, becaus

Expat LivingOct. 22, 2013

Six young Korean architects received awards for their work at a ceremony held at Dongdaemun History Culture Park in Seoul on Tuesday.The 2013 Young Architect Awards winners were Shin Hye-won, chief of lokaldesign; Cho Jang-hee, Won Yoo-min and Ahn Hyun-hee, co-chiefs of JYArchitects; and Kim Ju-kyung and Choi Kyo-shik of Owujae Architects. The prize winners, selected by the Korea Architects Institute, had been dedicated to redesigning neighborhoods or communal space into resident-friendly places

PeopleOct. 22, 2013

PeopleOct. 22, 2013

Former International Monetary Fund managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn will be visiting South Korea next week to attend an economic forum, the organizing think tank said Tuesday. The French economist is scheduled to appear at an economic forum to be hosted by the Institute for Global Economics on Oct. 30 and will give a speech on global economic trends and governance overall, the institute said. His visit to Seoul is only to attend the conference, and he will return to Paris as soon as the

PeopleOct. 22, 2013

A five-member family from Ulsan has crossed Eurasia by driving their minibus from Cape Ganjeol in the southeastern city to Europe’s westernmost point Cape Roca in Portugal. Choi Dong-ik, 51, his wife Park Mi-jin, 45, daughter Da-yoon, 19, son Jin-young, 17, and son Jin-woo, 16, arrived at Cabo da Roca or Cape Roca on Sunday, Yonhap News reported. Cape Roca is a well-known European tourist spot where the land ends and the sea begins.They departed from Cape Ganjeol on June 3, took a boat from Kore

PeopleOct. 22, 2013

 Not many people know that the tight-lipped curvaceous lady in Picasso’s “Les Demoiselles d‘Avignon,” multi-faced but primitive and dynamic women of Braque, or the long-faced expressionless ladies of Modigliani were inspired by artifacts from far away central Africa. Perceived as exotic when European colonialists brought back statues from Congo, the full lips with rounded waists ― symbols of fertility, longevity and good fortune ― as well as stern facial expressions captivated the 19th and 20th

CultureOct. 22, 2013

NEW YORK (AFP) ― “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” the much-loved Dutch masterpiece that has intrigued art lovers for centuries, goes on exhibition in New York Tuesday, set to draw huge crowds.Painted by Johannes Vermeer around 1665, it is the highlight of 15 extraordinary 17th-century paintings on loan to The Frick Collection until Jan. 19.The canvas has enjoyed a cult following since becoming the subject of a best-selling novel in 1999 and a Hollywood film starring Scarlett Johansson in 2003. The D

PerformanceOct. 22, 2013

GOYANG, Gyeonggi Province ― Singaporean filmmakers Lynn Lee and James Leong started their documentary “The Great North Korean Picture Show” in 2008 thinking the film would most likely be about the communist state’s film industry.The film, which had its Korean premiere last week at the ongoing DMZ Korean International Documentary Film Festival, turned out to be something more, if not entirely something else. A lot of it had to do with the limitations the filmmakers faced while shooting: They were

FilmOct. 22, 2013

Twenty-three years after his death, fans of the late Kim Hyun-sik, one of the most popular Korean singers of the 1980s, now have a chance to hear previously unreleased singles by the artist recorded from his hospital bed before his passing. On Monday, the late singer’s former agency Donga PR released a 21-track album titled “Kim Hyun-sik 2013 October” that features never-before-released songs, nine of which the artist had written and composed himself including “Lonely Night,” “Luck” and “In the

PerformanceOct. 22, 2013

Brown Eyed Soul member Naul will hold a solo art exhibition at Bangbae-dong’s Gallery Toast from Oct. 25 to Nov. 17. The exhibition, titled “COLLAGEARL,” will showcase collage pieces made from recycled materials such as cloth, sand, wood, paper and furniture artfully arranged together on a canvas. Also included in the exhibition will be Naul’s famous LP Collage series, digital print pieces and eco-friendly bags and phone cases the singer designed himself. “The materials used for my collages are

Oct. 22, 2013

Entertainer Lee Seung-gi is heading to Croatia for tvN’s “Backpacking Project Part 2, Actress Special.” Lee is once again joining producer Na Young-suk after leaving the talk show “Strong Heart” in April of 2012. The program is considered the second season of “Grandpas Over Flowers,” which followed veteran actors Shin-goo, Park Geun-hyung, Baek Il-seob, and Lee Soon-jae on trips led by actor Lee Seo-jin. The group traveled around Europe and then ended the season with a trip to Taiwan with a spec

Oct. 22, 2013

Veteran singer Park Ji-yoon’s newly released “Mr. Lee” has pushed aside tracks by IU and Busker Busker to rank No. 1 on eight major music charts including Olleh, Daum, Bugs and Naver. The track ranked No. 2 on Melon and Cyworld. “Mr. Lee” is a track off the EP “Mr.” which was released online Monday. Park also held a showcase commemorating her comeback on Monday where she performed her song for the first time. The track was composed by hip-hop artist Primary and features rapper San E. Considering

Oct. 22, 2013

Seoul fashion designers had sports enthusiasts in mind for next spring and summer, judging by the collections that hit the runway at Seoul Fashion Week on Friday. With sweatshirts and athletic shorts serving as staple pieces, menswear collections featured relaxed, sometimes elevated urban sporty looks that could appeal to trend-savvy men.Young designers in particular freed men from body-fitting suits, finding their inspiration in gym workouts, and engaging with philosophical concepts. Beyond Clo

Arts & DesignOct. 22, 2013