[Eye plus] Making art out of straw

A giant eagle and gorilla recently took up residence by an outdoor pool in Jungnang-gu in northeastern Seoul. They -- along with smaller animals, scarecrows and other figures arranged on the pool grounds during the offseason -- are all made of straw from this year’s rice harvest. The sculptures are the works of artist Lee Chun-su and the people of Buan County in North Jeolla Province. About 30 works are on display as part of the rural county’s efforts to showcase what it calls &

CultureDec. 13, 2019

[Weekender] Best places to get cakes, turkeys and wine

Christmas meals here do not necessarily involve a whole roasted turkey sitting right at the center of the table waiting to be carved. The festive feast could be on food of any kind from sushi to fried chicken, pizza or a bowl of rice with good old doenjang jjigae. Whatever the choice is, many folks here like to finish it with a cake, since Christmas has somehow become one of the two special days in a year to be celebrated with a cake, the other being the birthday. Here are some ideas for hassle-

FoodDec. 13, 2019

[Weekender] Party at home

December’s party scene has changed in Korea. Some say it’s because of the economy and lifestyle trends that focus on well-being. Others point to young generations’ aversion to old-fashioned, big get-togethers that inevitably involve awkward speeches, toast-making and undesired boozing. In the Dec. 27, 2013, issue of The Korea Herald, the Weekender discussed how Koreans devoted the entire month to year-end parties, which left many drinking copious amounts, despite efforts t

FoodDec. 13, 2019

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Winter Wonderland Afternoon Tea at Millennium Hilton SeoulMillennium Hilton Seoul’s Cilantro Deli, located in the main lobby of the hotel, presents afternoon tea with a winter theme. The tea set includes open sandwiches, scones, a gingerbread man and treats shaped like snowmen, Christmas trees and mittens. It also sells Christmas cakes. Its signature Christmas cake, the Noel Cake, consists of four long rolls: a red velvet roll, a green tea roll, a chocolate roll and a mocha roll. Fruit Spo

FoodDec. 13, 2019

Arko announces 25 performing arts productions for Arko Selection

A total of 25 performing arts productions will go onstage for three months, funded by the Art Council Korea (Arko) under a support program called the 2019 Arko Selection. For the past 12 years, Arko -- affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism -- has operated the Arko Selection program to support the local performing arts scene, covering the production costs for selected productions. The council released this year’s Arko Selection list Thursday.  A total of 25 produc

PerformanceDec. 12, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Frozen 2(US)Opened Nov. 27Animation, Adventure, Comedy Directed by Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee Anna (Kristen Bell), Elsa (Idina Menzel), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Olaf (Josh Gad) and Sven leave Arendelle to travel to an ancient forest in an enchanted land. They set out to find the origin of Elsa’s powers in order to save their kingdom. Jumanji: The Next Level(US)Opened Dec. 11Action, Adventure, Comedy Directed by Jake Kasdan In Jumanji: The Next Level, the gang is back but the game has

FilmDec. 12, 2019

‘The Man Standing Next’ a film about final weeks leading to dictator’s death

Former President Park Chung-hee, a man who ruled over South Korea with an iron fist for 18 years, is a highly divisive figure in the country’s history. So is his right-hand man and eventual assassin, Kim Jae-gyu. The upcoming film “The Man Standing Next,” starring Lee Byung-hun and directed by Woo Min-ho, offers what its creators say is a faithful depiction of the 40 days leading up to the president’s death. “I was pumped up after reading the script and felt that it

FilmDec. 12, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals and sights across Korea

Little Prince Starlight Festival of Petite FranceThe sixth Little Prince Starlight Festival of Petite France will be held at the Petite France Park in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, until Feb. 29. The annual festival is inspired by the southern French town of Montpellier. In addition to lighting decorations at night, one highlight is the 30-meter-long light tunnel installed next to a round structure modeled after asteroid B 612, home of the Little Prince from Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s book.

TravelDec. 12, 2019

BTS symbolizes cross-border pop culture in new media era: scholars

The sensational global ascent of K-pop band BTS has brought to the fore the emergence of a new breed of globally connected, dedicated fans as represented by ARMY, the group's fandom.Powered by the connectivity of the internet and social network services, ARMY engages in organized transnational operations to download BTS songs and vote for the septet en masse, spearheading the band's victories on Billboard and major American music awards.BTS fans also helped spawn a new YouTube "reaction vid

PerformanceDec. 11, 2019

MMCA exhibition highlights Korean video artists, Paik Nam-june and beyond

Paik Nam-june is inarguably the foremost video artist in South Korea. But who else can we talk about when it comes to video art, and what are the distinctive characteristics that other Korean video artists have developed? The exhibition “Korean Video Art from 1970s to 1990s: Time Image Apparatus” at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea’s Gwacheon venue in Gyeonggi Province chronicles video art in Korea between the 1970s and the 1990s, presenting some 130 wo

Arts & DesignDec. 11, 2019

Government launches foreign-language menu website

A website that provides foreign language translations of local menus was launched Wednesday.According to the state-run Korea Tourism Organization, Food Trip in Korea (foodtrip.or.kr) was launched Wednesday afternoon with translations of 8,500 Korean dishes in English, Japanese and Chinese as its main feature. The service had been previously provided via the agency’s Visit Korea (visitkorea.or.kr) site. The tourism organization plans to add a mobile page of the website, various menu designs

TravelDec. 11, 2019

[Herald Review] ‘Jumanji: Next Level,’ plays it safe in funny, unoriginal sequel

Years back when it was announced that a sequel to “Jumanji” would be made, there were skeptics. While the 1995 adventure film had received mixed reviews upon release, its legacy grew over time to claim a place among nostalgic family films.Despite some concerns the sequel would fail to recapture the imagination and spectacle of the original, “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” was a pleasant surprise with a creative premise, lighthearted fun and plenty of visual effects.Its u

FilmDec. 11, 2019

[Video] Korean dance, communication delivered through the body

People dance for many reasons -- for imparting love and joy, in celebration or when they try to overcome something unexpected through passion. Similarly, the aesthetic movement is an art that can work as a form of communication. The bodily conveyance could be directed toward ourselves, but it could also serve others and even play the role of a medium for emotional release. South Korea’s traditional dances, along with its chronicled history, have developed over a long period -- including th

CultureDec. 11, 2019

With Golden Globe nominations under its belt, ‘Parasite’ eyeing more

It was recently announced that Bong Joon-ho’s Palme d’Or-winning “Parasite” was nominated for the upcoming 77th Golden Globe Awards, vying for best motion picture screenplay, best foreign-language motion picture and best director of a motion picture. As this is the first time a South Korean film has been nominated for one of the most prestigious film awards in the US, local fans are wondering how deep a mark the satirical black comedy will make in cinematic history, and i

FilmDec. 10, 2019

Police refer BTS' Jungkook to prosecutors for potential indictment

Police have referred BTS' youngest member Jungkook to prosecutors for a potential legal indictment over a car accident in October, police officials said Tuesday.Yongsan Police Station in charge of Jungkook's case said it has sent the case to the prosecution, advising it to lay formal charges of violating the Road Traffic Act and related laws against the K-pop star.A sedan driven by the 22-year-old rammed into a taxi in central Seoul in October, causing minor injuries to Jungkook and the taxi dri

PeopleDec. 10, 2019

Exhibition reveals imperial life of Qing Dynasty

The National Palace Museum of Korea is holding the exhibition “Treasures from the Shenyang Palace Museum,” featuring national treasures and relics from the Chinese museum in Shenyang. The Shenyang Imperial Palace was the official residence of Nurhaci and Hong Taiji, the founder of the Later Jin Dynasty and Nurhaci’s son, who built the Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1911). After the capital was relocated from Shenyang to Beijing, the Shenyang Imperial Palace remained a secondary capital.

CultureDec. 10, 2019

[Photo News] Nature conservation project

W-Foundation Chairman Lee Wook speaks at the UN Climate Change Conference COP25 in Madrid on Monday, explaining the eco-friendly HOOXI project, which includes the HOOXI app, designed to help preserve nature, and paper-packaged HOOXI Water. Established in 2012, W-Foundation is a nonprofit environmental organization spearheading nature conservation projects in partnership with state institutions and organizations from around the world. (W-Foundation)

PeopleDec. 10, 2019

[Newsmaker] Big Hit denies rumored disputes with BTS

Big Hit Entertainment has denied a recent report that the agency and BTS have been in dispute over profit distribution and the renewal of a contract. On Monday, broadcast station JTBC’s “News Room” aired a report that said the band and its members’ parents have been looking into taking legal action against the agency. A few hours after the news was broadcast, the agency released a statement saying, “The report is groundless.” “BTS and the members&rs

PerformanceDec. 10, 2019

[Herald Review] U2’s 1st outing in Seoul a gift after long wait

As incredible as it sounds, U2 -- one of biggest names in rock history -- has never had a huge following in Korea. The disparity between the band’s international fame and popularity in Korea, among other things, has prevented U2 fans in the country from enjoying the group’s music live. That was until the Seoul leg of the Joshua Tree Tour 2019 in Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on Sunday, held in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of one of their best-received albums, “The Joshua T

PerformanceDec. 10, 2019

'Parasite' earns three Golden Globe nominations

South Korean director Bong Joon-ho's black comedy "Parasite" was nominated in three categories for the upcoming 2020 Golden Globe Awards, organizers said Monday.In the nominations for the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards to be held at Beverley Hills on Jan. 5 next year, "Parasite" was listed in the categories of Best Foreign Language Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay. It is the first time that a South Korean film has made it to the final list of the Golden Globe Awards,

FilmDec. 10, 2019