Stone’s throw away from North Korea

Standing atop the Ganghwa Peace Observatory and looking over at the farmland of the most reclusive state in the world unfold in front of my eyes was a strange feeling. In my short days as a travel writer, I’ve literally been to the other side of the planet, yet there was always one place I could never be as a South Korean. That’s North Korea. The “stone’s throw” cliche is only a slight exaggeration – the North Korean shore is just 2.3 km away. That’s how close it had been all this time. Tantaliz

TravelNov. 30, 2018

Korean superhero drama based on Stan Lee’s ideas to be made

Marvel comics creator Stan Lee’s ideas will soon get the K-drama treatment.“The B-TEAM” (working title) will be based on the late creator’s work. The original content centers on B-rated superheroes fighting against a mad scientist who created them. (POW! Entertainment)Korean screenwriter Kang Eun-kyung, best-known for the hit drama series “King of Baking, Kim Takgu,” and her creative group Plot Line will write the script for the upcoming superhero drama series.  POW! Entertainment, an American m

TelevisionNov. 29, 2018

‘Less Than Evil’: A Korean adaptation of ‘Luther’ with a twist

Viewers will soon find out if Shin Ha-kyun has what it takes to pull off a success like the popular British series “Luther” as he plays Idris Elba’s role in the upcoming Korean adaptation, “Less Than Evil.”In the upcoming nighttime MBC series, Shin plays the hardworking and stylish detective Woo Tae-seok, who is not afraid to overstep the bounds of the law if it means catching criminals.Woo’s motto is, “Do whatever it takes to catch the criminals.” This often gets him in trouble and earns him th

TelevisionNov. 29, 2018

[Herald Interview] ‘Chinese chefs are all about respecting masters’

Celebrity chef Marco Pierre White once said, “Cooking is a philosophy, not a recipe.”Chinese chefs in Korea would wholeheartedly agree, divided as they are into different schools somewhat like early philosophers who were divided into stoicism, Epicureanism and more. Cho Nae-sung, also known as Tiao Nai Hsing, recently joined Millennium Seoul Hilton’s Chinese restaurant Taipan. Though the new appointment may look nothing out of the ordinary, it was a big move for Cho, as he was joining the very h

FoodNov. 29, 2018

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Bohemian Rhapsody (US)Opened Oct. 31Biography, Drama, Music Directed by Bryan Singer Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, its music and extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. The film traces the meteoric rise of Queen and its leader Mercury (Rami Malek) through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound, their near-implosion as Mercury’s lifestyle spirals out of control, and their triumphant reunion on the eve of Live Aid, where Mercury, facing a life-threatening illnes

FilmNov. 29, 2018

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Bucheon Aiins World festival  The miniature theme park Aiins World is hosting the World Nightview Fantasy Lighting Festival. The festival runs from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and is closed on rainy days. The last admission is at 10 p.m. The admission fee is 16,000 won for adults and 13,000 won for children. It is open to visitors of all ages. For more information, call the travel hotline at 1330 for Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese services. The homepage (www.aiinsworld.com) is only avai

TravelNov. 29, 2018

[Weekender] Finding the Buddha inside through templestay

Buddhist temples are religious places, but temple stays offer participants a chance to look into themselves and find inner peace, regardless of their religion.For a one-day inner journey, I recently headed out to Heungguksa, located on the mountain ridges of Nogosan in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, an hour drive northwest of central Seoul.  Heungguksa (By Im Eun-byel / The Korea Herald)Because the trip was rather short, I was not expecting much seclusion. Compared to other temples, Heungguksa is mu

CultureNov. 29, 2018

[Weekender] Temple stay, a window into a different world

From ancient structures raised more than 1,600 years ago to modest venues located in commercial buildings, thousands of Buddhist temples dot South Korea.Buddhism is deeply entwined with the history of the Korean Peninsula. At times of oppression, temples secreted away in deep mountains provided refuge to the persecuted. In more modern times, Buddhist temples have provided safe haven for labor and student activists wanted by the authorities. Temples, and life in Buddhism, are also rumored to have

TravelNov. 29, 2018

Nashville-style hot chicken at Brave Roosters

The journey began when five guys decided to take a stab at Korea’s fried chicken market. “Korea is famous for its chicken,” said Brave Roosters director Choi Se-hoon, 44. “We wanted to enter that market.” Choi and his colleagues balked at the idea of jumping into an already crowded and competitive industry without a specific idea of what kind of fried chicken they would be serving.  Brave Roosters, which specializes in Nashville-style hot chicken, soft opened in Seoul’s Sinsa-dong in November. (

FoodNov. 29, 2018

[Photo News] With Christmas near, there is magic in the air

Though an indoor amusement park, it snows twice a day at Lotte World Adventure. With the arrival of the winter holiday season, the park has been showing two Christmas-themed parades every day. Around 100 performers, mostly foreigners, turn into characters from Santa’s village, such as Santa, a tree, elf or snowman. Trains with ice-cream and cookie decorations complete the scene.An hour before the parade, the performers appear at ease, idly spending their time in the dressing room. But 10 minutes

CultureNov. 29, 2018

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Christmas dining at Grand Hilton SeoulGrand Hilton Seoul’s all-day dining restaurant Atrium will host a gala dinner on Christmas Eve.The menu includes fresh oysters, lobster soup, smoked duck, king prawns, tenderloin steak, bass roast and Christmas dessert. The set course costs 150,000 won per person. On Christmas Day, Atrium will offer a special brunch that features an unlimited fresh salad bar, king prawns and steaks, seasonal fruits and detox juices. This will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p

FoodNov. 29, 2018

Margaret Atwood to release 'Handmaid's Tale' sequel

Canadian author Margaret Atwood said Wednesday she will publish a sequel to her novel "The Handmaid's Tale" next year, taking readers deeper into her vision of a dystopian America ruled by a misogynistic theocracy.Atwood said the new book, "The Testaments," will pursue unresolved narratives in the original 1985 novel, delving into the "inner workings" of the fictional nation of Gilead. Activists in favor of the legalization of abortion don costumes inspired by Canadian author Margaret Atwood`s f

BooksNov. 29, 2018

National Museum holds exhibition on Kazakhstan civilization

The National Museum of Korea is hosting an exhibition with the Republic of Kazakhstan, highlighting the civilization of the great plains of Kazakhstan and the cultural heritage of its people.In the exhibition “Kazakhstan-The Cradleland of the ‘Golden Man,’” the National Museum presents more than 450 pieces of relics representing the nomadic civilization’s culture and history spanning prehistoric times to the modern era. Kazakhstan’s iconic “Golden Man” is displayed with full vestment (Yonhap)The

CultureNov. 29, 2018

‘Sunny,’ ‘Miss Granny’ to be remade by Universal Studios, MGM

CJ ENM announced Thursday that the entertainment company is working with Universal Studios and MGM to release US remakes of the Korean movies “Sunny” and “Miss Granny.” (CJ ENM)“Sunny” (2011) attracted over 7 million moviegoers in Korea. The remake will be produced by US comedian Kevin Hart’s production company Hart Beat as “Bye Bye Bye.” Universal Studios will be in charge of investment and distribution.Scriptwriter Amy Aniobi is in charge of the film scenario, according to an announcement Thur

FilmNov. 29, 2018

USAG Yongsan opens gallery to the public after 114 years

A gallery opens at the US Army Garrison Yongsan on Friday, 114 years after the area was closed off to the public. Opened by Seoul City, the Yongsan Park Gallery is located at the United Service Organization building in the US Army Garrison Yongsan, allowing the public to visit the area for the first time since 1904, when the area was designated for the stationing of Japanese troops. US forces began to use the site after the Korean War broke out. The USO building was constructed in 1908 to serve

CultureNov. 29, 2018

Debate heats up as more celebrities hit by parents’ debt scandal

Korea’s entertainment industry has been hit with more debt allegations against celebrities’ parents in recent days as actress Cha Ye-ryun and Wheein of girl band Mamamoo became the latest to find themselves swept up in the furor.As the controversy, fueled by Microdot’s parents accused of failing to pay off debt and fleeing to New Zealand, continues to rumble on, debate is heating up over whether it is fair to hold children accountable for the misconduct of their parents.Rapper Microdot has found

TelevisionNov. 29, 2018

Lee Si-young says ‘No Mercy’ is different kind of action flick

The plot of “No Mercy,” a new action film starring Lee Si-young, naturally draws comparison to another action film featuring a vengeful master hand-to-hand combatant who has a soft spot for a solitary person under protection. The “Taken” series may pop up more frequently for the audience, but the name buzzing among Korean cinephiles is “The Man from Nowhere” (2009). “No Mercy” / Joy N Cinema“Comments about (our film being) a female version of ‘The Man from Nowhere’ is understandable. But we focu

FilmNov. 28, 2018

[Newsmaker] Feminist book ‘Kim Ji-young, Born 1982’ becomes million seller

Though she’s a fictional character, Kim Ji-young is a symbolic figure in Korea. It seems her status will be even more elevated as novel “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982” recently became a million seller. The novel, written by Cho Nam-joo in 2016, has sold more than 1 million copies, publisher Minumsa announced Tuesday. It is now the first million-selling Korean novel since Shin Kyung-sook’s “Please Look After Mom” in 2009. Writer Cho Nam-joo (Minumsa)Since its publication, “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982” has

BooksNov. 28, 2018

Binggrae puts out tangerine-flavored milk

Binggrae, a South Korean ice cream and dessert manufacturer, has released a tangerine-flavored milk.The tangerine-flavored milk follows a mulberry-flavored milk, which came out in February. Both are part of the company’s “Milk that didn’t exist before” series. (Binggrae)All Binggrae’s flavored milk products are sold in jar-shaped plastic bottles, said to look like traditional Korean jars.Binggrae’s banana-flavored milk, its top-selling drink, is the first flavored milk in Korea to surpass 200 bi

FoodNov. 28, 2018

Exhibition sheds light on US journalist who brought March 1 Movement to outside world

The life and times of Albert Wilder Taylor, the US journalist who broke the news of the March 1 Movement and drew global attention to the plight of the Korean people under Japanese rule, are the subject of the exhibition “Dilkusha and Chain of Amber,” which runs through March 10 at the Seoul Museum of History. Albert Taylor, who was in the gold-mining business as well as being a correspondent for United Press International and the Associated Press, arrived in what was then called Joseon in 1896.

CultureNov. 28, 2018