'Avengers' smashes S. Korean box office in first weekend

"Avengers: Infinity War" swept the box office in its debuting weekend in South Korea, selling 95.1 percent of all tickets available in theaters, data showed Monday. This image released by Marvel Studios shows, from left, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr., Dave Bautista, Chris Pratt and Pom Klementieff in a scene from "Avengers: Infinity War." (Marvel Studios-AP-Yonhap)The Marvel superhero mashup collected more than 3.18 million admissions on 2,553 screens around the country from Friday to Sunday, b

EntertainmentApril 30, 2018

SHINee to hold fan meeting, make comeback in May

K-pop group SHINee will make a comeback near the end of May, according to SM Entertainment.The agency said Monday that “SHINee is in its final preparations to release a new album at the end of May.”The group is also scheduled to hold a fan meeting on May 27, celebrating the 10th anniversary of debut.  (SM Entertainment)SHINee made its debut in 2008 with “Replay.” Some of its other hit tracks include “Love Like Oxygen,” “Juliette,” “Ring Ding Dong,” Lucifer” and “View.”The unexpected death of lea

PerformanceApril 30, 2018

Heize promotes ‘Save our Seahorses’ campaign

Singer Heize showcased a strong new look via her photo shoot with fashion and culture magazine Dazed on Friday. In the photos released by Dazed, Heize appealed to the public with her unique fashion sense, wearing vivid red thigh-high boots and matching red-tinted eye makeup. Along with her thigh-high boots, she wore a mini white dress underneath a dark blue silk jacket.  Dazed DazedIn another photo, the singer appeared chic in a sleeveless blue dress, lined with yellow, matched with a white jack

Arts & DesignApril 29, 2018

Remakes of foreign hit series fill up local TV screen

Remakes of popular foreign TV drama series are hitting the local small screen, possibly as they are considered a “safe choice” in the near-saturated current market.  (KBS2) (KBS2)KBS2 recently started to air “Suits,” a remake of the popular US series. The Korean adaptation has marked a favorable start, noting an average viewership rating of 7.4 percent for its two episodes. OCN’s remake of BBC hit series “Mistresses” captured the public’s attention over the weekend. As the original British produ

TelevisionApril 29, 2018

Jeonju International Film Festival to open this week

The 19th annual Jeonju International Film Festival will commence on Thursday showcasing Korea’s largest collection of art-house films from across the world.It will kick off with the screening of “Yakiniku Dragon” directed by Korean-Japanese director Chong Wishing. The film, about a Korea-Japanese family running a small bulgogi (Korean barbecue) joint in Osaka, depicts the hardship and life of ethnic Koreans living in the country. “Yakiniku Dragon” (JIFF)The opening and closing ceremony will be h

FilmApril 29, 2018

Summit banquet menu filled with symbolism

Some of the dishes served at the summit banquet pay homage to the people who strived for the peace and reunification of two Koreas, such as chilled salad made with octopus from Tongyeong, the hometown of internationally acclaimed composer Yun I-sang. Dumplings and bibimbap, prepared with ingredients from the birth towns of the two late presidents -- President Kim Dae-jung and President Roh Moo-hyun -- who visited Pyongyang for previous summits, were served.Swiss-inspired dishes were presented as

FoodApril 27, 2018

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Avengers: Infinity War(US)Opened April 25Action, Adventure, FantasyDirected by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Thanos (Josh Brolin) wants collect all of the Infinity Stones to set what he believes is the perfect balance of the universe, by wiping out half of its population. It is up to The Avenger and their superhero allies to stop him in the deadliest showdown of all time. Dangal (India) Opened April 25Action, Biography, DramaDirected by Nitesh Tiwari Mahavir Singh (Aamir Khan), an ex-wrestler, is for

FilmApril 27, 2018

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Lotus Lantern FestivalKorea’s designated intangible cultural property No. 122, Yeon Deung Hoe (Lotus Lantern Festival) will take place between May 12 and May 23 at Jogyesa Temple in Seoul. The festival includes Lantern Parade from Dongdaemun Gate to Jogyesa Temple between 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on May 12, and a post-parade celebration that will include traditional group dance of ganggangsullae. On sideline of the event, “Eoullim Madang (Buddhist Cheer Rally)” will also take place on May 12 from 4:

TravelApril 27, 2018

[Herald Interview] Respecting food for enlightenment

Considering culinary experience as part of the daily practices of Buddhism, nun-chef Wookwan strives to introduce Korean temple food to a global audience. Temple food refers to cuisine prepared in a religious manner for Buddhism practitioners. Today, in an age of abundance for many, the moderate food style has gained popularity, taking center stage in the global culinary scene. Wookwan speaks during an interview with The Korea Herald. (Photo by Park Hyun-koo / The Korea Herald)As a Buddhist nun,

FoodApril 27, 2018

‘Avengers 3’ translator under fire for alleged mistranslation

A Korean translator for “Avengers: Infinity War,” a Marvel superhero flick that has been conquering the Korean box office, has come under fire for the movie’s alleged mistranslations. The controversy surrounding Park Ji-hoon, who is well known for having translated other Marvel series such as “Captain America: The Winter Solider,” “Ant-Man” and “Avengers: Age of Wultron,” escalated Wednesday as netizens flooded social media with complaints claiming that the movie’s Korean subtitle featured sever

FilmApril 27, 2018

Around the Hotels

Gearing up for summer at Sheraton Seoul In early preparation for the summer, Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel presents variations of bingsu, a dessert made of shaved ice, milk and various toppings. Two seasonal fruits -- mango and coconut -- are separately used as main topping ingredients. Both menus provide the signature lamington cake and traditional red bean paste made by the hotel chef.Bingsu can be ordered at the hotel’s Lobby Lounge.Bar, Feast and Fit Cafe until the end of August. Mango an

FoodApril 27, 2018

[2018 Inter-Korean summit] South Koreans’ lunch today: Pyongyang Naengmyeon

Following the historic meeting between the two Koreas’ leaders on Friday morning at Panmunjeom, North Korea’s Kim Jong-un said something to South Korean President Moon Jae-in that caught the ears of many Koreans watching the conversation via television.The two heads of state met and exchanged handshakes charged with historical significance at the Military Demarcation Line at 9:30 a.m. After a welcoming ceremony and walk to the meeting venue, the Peace House, the two leaders sat down for the summ

CultureApril 27, 2018

Son Ye-jin has never been so blissful as she is with ‘Something in the Rain’

In her mid-30s, veteran actress Son Ye-jin has never felt so blissful in her career that spans more than a decade as she does now. It’s rare for an actress not to feel wistful about the end of a project, Son confessed. But this time with “Something in the Rain,” an ongoing JTBC hit series in which she takes a lead role, her time on the set has never been so delightful. “I’ve starred in many melodramas, but the reason ‘Something in the Rain’ is so special to me is that I feel like I’m living in r

TelevisionApril 27, 2018

20 years on, Kim Bum-soo’s musical journey just starting

There is a famous phrase “Kim-Na-Park-Lee” among fans of Korean pop music, referring to singers Kim Bum-soo, Naul, Park Hyo-shin and Lee Soo who are widely considered the country‘s top vocalists.“It’s an interesting phenomenon. It’s not like there are just four great vocalists in the country, but it has become like a symbol for good singers. I’m honored as it’s a list picked by the public, but I don’t really know what’s so great about me,” said Kim, during a press conference for a new project co

PerformanceApril 26, 2018

Kim Sa-rang injures leg in Italy, undergoes surgery

Actress Kim Sa-rang underwent surgery after fracturing her right leg in Italy last week, her agency said Thursday.According to Leo International, the 40-year-old hurt her leg between April 18 and 19. She returned to Korea on Saturday and received surgery on Monday. Kim Sa-rang (Herald DB)An official from the agency declined to elaborate on how she got injured or how serious it was, but said it did not involve a traffic accident or her falling into a manhole.The official said that the actress was

PeopleApril 26, 2018

[Epicurean Challenge] Unexpected marine delicacies, sea pineapple and sea cucumber

Though famous for raw fish, Korea’s seafood restaurants don’t dish out only fish sashimi. There are many more on the menu, including some that do not look mouth-watering but prove to be unexpected delicacies. Meongge (left) and haesam chopped into edible pieces. (Photo by Im Eun-byel / The Korea Herald)Meongge is one of them. It’s sea pineapple, a type of sea squirt, whose shape strongly resembles a grenade with small fiery-looking bumps. It is red and rubbery and when squeezed, the bumps squirt

FoodApril 26, 2018

Super Junior’s ‘Lo Siento’ debuts on Billboard’s Latin Chart

K-pop act Super Junior’s recent Latin-inspired single “Lo Siento” debuted at No. 13 on Billboard’s Latin Digital Song Sales chart this week.According to Billboard on Tuesday, Super Junior became the first K-pop act to enter the chart with the trilingual single, which incorporates Spanish, Korean and English and features Latin pop star Leslie Grace and DJ duo Play N Skillz. The song has also hit No. 2 on Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart.  (Billboard)Billboard stated that the move could

PerformanceApril 26, 2018

Preorders for new BTS album top 1.44 million

More than 1.44 million copies of BTS' new album have been preordered ahead of its release next month, the group's management agency said Thursday."Love Yourself: Tear," the K-pop sensation's third full-length album, has garnered a total of 1,449,287 preorders as of Tuesday since it became available for preorders on April 18, Big Hit Entertainment said.It is the largest preorder volume for a BTS album, 400,000 more than the band's 2017 hit album "Love Yourself: Her," the first in its band's "Love

PerformanceApril 26, 2018

[Photo News] Graffiti on fashion

Fashion laden with a youthful culture of graffiti was showcased at the second Seoul 365 Fashion Show on Wednesday at Seoullo 7017, Jung-gu. The Seoul 365 Fashion Show links Korean fashion with Seoul City’s iconic locations where foot traffic can give more exposure to the fashion show. This show’s dominating concept was graffiti, a form of art that often represents youth culture and spirit. Graffiti-inspired apparels by designer man.G were put up on stage accompanied on the sides by colorful draw

Arts & DesignApril 25, 2018

Forgetting is bliss, but not always

”White Chrysanthemum“By Mary Lynn BrachtChatto & Windus Books (320 pages, $18.11)One of the victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery passed away Monday at 97. Choi Duk-nye‘s death brings the number of known surviving victims to 28. So far this year, four victims of Japan‘s wartime sexual slavery, including Choi, have passed away. The generation of wartime victims will soon all be gone, as will the people who carry the memories of suffering under Japanese occupation. After one generation and ano

BooksApril 25, 2018