In South Korea, now is the time to enjoy fresh spring greens, or bom namul.Found everywhere from mountain slopes to roadsides, these wild plants come in many varieties and each has its own unique charm. Although some namul are now cultivated and therefore available year-round, the arrival of freshly foraged leaves -- plentiful and cheap for just over a month -- at local markets is a welcome harbinger of spring.  (Yonhap)“For me, it’s naengi (shepherd’s purse) that tells me winter is almost over,

FoodApril 12, 2019

Plant-based eating is emerging as a healthier and more sustainable alternative amid repeated global warnings about climate change. For most South Koreans, however, the concept is pretty familiar. Despite recent Western influences, for centuries Koreans have been a plant-loving people. “We are indeed a namul people,” said food and nutrition professor Jung Hye-kyung of Hoseo University, referring to edible wild plants and the important role they have played in the Korean diet throughout history.Th

FoodApril 12, 2019

Acclaimed South Korean movie director Kim Ki-duk has been named the president of the jury for the 41st Moscow International Film Festival, the homepage of the event showed Thursday, an appointment likely to stir up controversy over his ethical qualifications.Kim has shunned public appearances in his home country since he was accused last year of sexually assaulting actresses while filming.  Kim Ki-duk (Yonhap)He recently filed damage suits against an actress who raised a sexual violence accusati

FilmApril 11, 2019

South Korea’s oldest throne hall has been opened to the public for the first time, displaying the beauty of the 17th century hall. (Photo credit: Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)The main hall of Changgyeong-gung Palace, Myeongjeongjeon, is where the king attended to state affairs, holding meetings with officials and receptions of foreign envoys.  (Photo credit: Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)Originally built in the mid-15th century by King Sejong of Joseon Dynasty, it was destroyed during the Jap

CultureApril 11, 2019

You won’t find paintings where you expect them to be at Park Kyung-ryul’s latest solo exhibition “On Evenness.” Some are on the floor, leaning against the walls. You will find them in corners, too. The paintings are surrounded by brightly colored objects that get in the way of visitors. “Visitors to art galleries or museums usually know where they will see the paintings, for instance, at the very center of a white wall. I intentionally placed my paintings at less ex

Arts & DesignApril 11, 2019

Following the success of music-related shows “Hidden Singer” and “Phantom Singer,” cable channel JTBC is launching a new audition show, “Super Band.” With its creators lamenting a lack of music by rock bands in Korea, the new Friday night show aims to form a band with the final contenders. The production team is looking into a nationwide or world tour for the band. “Music cannot be created solely with the voice. With the past shows, we asked ourselves why we could not see the entire process of m

TelevisionApril 11, 2019

BTS has paid homage to the iconic film "Singin' in the Rain" in its music video for "Boy With Luv," the main track of the band's upcoming album, a teaser video showed Thursday.BTS released a second teaser video for "Boy With Luv" featuring American diva Halsey early Thursday, one day before the official release of the album "Map of the Soul: Persona." (Big Hit Entertainment)The newly unveiled 28-second teaser video showed BTS members in a theater lobby with posters for "Singin' in the Rain" on t

PerformanceApril 11, 2019

From a comic book contributor to a fine art painter and sculptor, Taiwanese-American visual artist James Jean’s career has been chronicled at the Lotte Museum’s latest exhibition.Titled “Eternal Journey,” the exhibition of some 500 works by Jean includes six large-scale paintings, about 200 drawings, some 150 cover art pieces, as well as installations and sculptures.  Visual artist James Jean poses for pictures during a press conference on April 3 at Lotte Museum of Art, Seoul (Yonhap)“All of my

Arts & DesignApril 10, 2019

In 2013, a woman from Chilgok county, North Gyeongsang Province, fatally abused her stepdaughter and forced the girl’s sister to confess to murder, in a case that shockwaves across the country, sparking a nationwide debate that resulted in a special law on child abuse the following year.Six years later, a film based on the incident is to be released in May, directed by Jang Kyu-sung who has tugged at the heartstrings of moviegoers mostly through comedy. “My First Client,” follows the story of la

FilmApril 10, 2019

“At Dusk” by novelist Hwang Sok-yong, a prominent Korean writer, failed to make the final cut of six for this year’s Man Booker International Prize.Though the novel was included in the longlist of 13 books announced last month, it was excluded from the shortlist, the award’s website showed Wednesday. Originally published in Korean in 2015, “At Dusk” centers on a successful Korean architect looking back on his life and a young theater actor who works part-time jobs to make a living. The English-l

BooksApril 10, 2019

A South Korean scholar said Wednesday he has discovered the original copies of a resolution adopted at the 1919 International Socialist Conference in the Swiss town of Lucerne that show the Korean provisional government's diplomatic efforts to call for Korean independence from Japan.Although the resolution itself has been known to Korean scholars due to reports in Korean newspapers, including the provisional government's newspaper, The Independence Newspaper, the location of the original copies

CultureApril 10, 2019

The upcoming North American tour by boy band NCT 127 will be followed by new stops in Mexico and Russia, the band's management said Wednesday, announcing fresh overseas concert dates.Starting on April 24, the boy band will perform at a total of 12 concerts in 11 American and Canadian cities including Miami, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Vancouver and Toronto. (SM Entertainment)Adding to the global tour, NCT 127 will perform in Mexico City's Teatro Metropolitan on May 21 before hitting Russia's

EntertainmentApril 10, 2019

TONGYEONG, South Gyeongsang Province -- For a foodie, enjoying fresh seafood is a must when lounging near the coast. A visit to the southern port city of Tongyeong, a four-hour drive from Seoul, is a chance to devour a wide range of seafood. Tongyeong is like no other port city here. It has many small islands nearby, and the surrounding waters are warm and shallow. Despite its abundance of fresh seafood, Tongyeong is perhaps best known for chungmu gimbap -- finger-sized rolls of cooked rice serv

FoodApril 9, 2019

Xiumin, a member of K-pop boy band EXO, will enlist in the Army next month, becoming the first EXO member to temporarily leave the band to fulfill his military duty, its management agency said Tuesday.The 29-year-old, whose real name is Kim Min-seok, will start his 21-month military service on May 7 as an active-duty soldier, according to SM Entertainment. But the exact time and place of his enlistment ceremony will not be released to the public in keeping with his desire to make it a quiet affa

PerformanceApril 9, 2019

Robert Holley, a Mormon missionary-turned-TV personality, is facing accusations of purchasing and using unknown quantities of methamphetamine. Since first setting foot in Korea in 1978 as a missionary for the Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormons, Holley has long been known and beloved here for his avuncular image, which is why his recent arrest over meth charges comes as a shock to many.Robert Holley (Holley`s official Facebook account)In his past TV appearances, the 58-year-old has

TelevisionApril 9, 2019

Award-winning actor Joo Jin-mo announced Tuesday his plans to tie the knot with a medical doctor who made a name for herself through TV appearances.The news came after the 45-year-old actor confirmed his romantic relationship with the TV personality and the family doctor, Min Hye-yeon, early this year. (Yonhap)"Joon Jin-mo will wed Min in June," his management agency Huayi Brothers said. But the wedding ceremony will be kept out of the public eye, the company said, without releasing the date or

TelevisionApril 9, 2019

K-pop singer Roy Kim returned to Korea on Tuesday morning to be investigated on suspicions he distributed lewd photos.The Korean singer arrived at Incheon Airport at around 4:30 a.m., and was expected to be questioned by police. Kim’s agency told local media that he is currently seeking an attorney.The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency recently announced that Kim had uploaded lewd photos to a mobile messenger chat room that also included fellow musicians Seungri, formerly of Big Bang, Jung Joon-y

PerformanceApril 9, 2019

Though the beginning was small, things ended up much bigger than expected for fashion designer Paul Smith. It sometimes is still hard for the designer to believe what he has achieved. The celebrated designer’s first store in Nottingham, which opened in 1976, was 9 square meters. It was only open Fridays and Saturdays, as he had to work another job the rest of the week to make his living. Seven years after opening the shop, Smith went to Paris with a small collection of clothes. But he didn’t hav

Arts & DesignApril 8, 2019

Designer Paul Smith’s world of fashion will visit Korea via an upcoming exhibition. Co-hosted by the Seoul Design Foundation and Design Museum of London, fashion exhibition “Hello, My Name is Paul Smith” is slated to take place this summer at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul. “The exhibition is very open and honest,” the 72-year-old designer said, during a press conference on Monday.  Designer Paul Smith speaks during a press conference at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul on Monday. (Seo

Arts & DesignApril 8, 2019