[Weekender] Finding nostalgia and comfort in Korean soul food

The term “soul food” was coined in southern US states by African-Americans in the 1960s. Soul food reflected the sorrow and pain among slaves in the region who had to make do with the food they were given. These days, however, the meaning has somewhat changed to convey nostalgic dishes that give people comfort.The English term is now also commonly used among South Koreans to describe dishes that are quite different to traditional meals that hark back to the Joseon era.As Koreans’ soul food has i

FoodFeb. 2, 2018

[Around the Hotels] Packages and promotions

Strawberry buffet at Courtyard MarriottCourtyard Marriott Seoul Times Square Hotel has collaborated with perfume house Scentlier so that customers can remember the experience of a strawberry buffet with a special scent. Those who dine at “My Sweet Strawberry Buffet” at Momo Cafe in February will receive Scentlier’s Red Sancheong perfume or perfumed sachet. The fragrance note is a mix of wild berries with a hint of camellia. More than 20 varieties of desserts using strawberry as the main ingredie

FoodFeb. 2, 2018

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

Insidious: The Last Key(US)Opened Jan.31Horror, Mystery, Thriller The fourth installment of the “Insidious” series follows parapsychologist Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) on her voyage into the “further.” During her work, Rainier receives a call from a client asking for help on paranormal activities in his house. It is revealed that the client is living in Rainer‘s childhood home. While hesitant at first, she decides to investigate.Psychokinesis(Korea)Opened Jan.31Action, Adventure, ComedyOrdinary mi

FilmFeb. 2, 2018

[Travel bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Anseong Ice Fishing FestVisitors are welcome to participate in various winter activities such as ice fishing, sledding, traditional winter games and barehanded fishing. Gwanghyewon Reservoir, the venue of the Anseong Ice Fishing Festival, is one of the largest reservoirs of Anseong known for its first-class water quality that runs down from Charyeon Mountain Range.The festival lasts until Feb. 25, and admission is 5,000 won per person. Children under 5 are admitted free.Call the travel hotline a

TravelFeb. 2, 2018

Big Star’s Raehwan to enlist on Feb. 5

Raehwan of Big Star will begin his mandatory military service Monday, his agency Brave Entertainment said Friday.The agency said in an official statement that the singer will undergo basic military training at a recruitment training center at Goseong, Gangwon Province, after which he will serve as a full-time reserve solider for 21 months.  Raehwan of Big Star (Brave Entertainment)Raehwan, who had been competing in KBS2’s idol competition program “The Unit” since October last year, also shared a

PerformanceFeb. 2, 2018

[Weekender] Occupation-period restaurant secures ethnic recipe

Soul food and comfort food come in many different forms, from a multitude of recipes and origins. The word first originated from the US southern cuisine that provided comfort to Africans forced into slavery. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the food African slaves ate was said to take root in both triumph and anguish. After laboring all day, soul food was essentially a reminder of the home and family they had left behind.A modern-day reinterpretation of soul food shows that it is a dish that

FoodFeb. 2, 2018

[Weekender] Time travel across modern Korea through food

Each generation of South Koreans seems to cherish a different type of soul food that reflects the socio-economic mood of its respective era.The Korea Herald spoke with people from various walks of life to find out what constitutes soul food for them. The conversations resulted in a wide selection of memory-triggering snacks, and a surprisingly revealing journey spanning the nation’s modern history from 1945.Budding economy, sticky riceFor 58-year-old economic researcher Park Sung-il, chalbap, or

FoodFeb. 2, 2018

Three Korean Instagrammers and why they became famous

A handful of Korean Instagram users have gained popularity for their inspiring content. The following are three Instagram influencers with distinctive personalities garnering global followers on the photo-sharing platform. Longboarding to freedom  Ko Hyojoo(@hyo_joo)님의 공유 게시물님, 2016 5월 10 9:54오후 PDTGliding on the pavement, hair flipping in the wind and arms weaving through the air freely, Ko Hyo-joo grabbed attention on social media in 2016 through her longboarding videos. The 29-year-old former

PeopleFeb. 2, 2018

‘Law of the Jungle’ to explore glaciers, alpine regions of Patagonia

After exploring different parts of the globe from jungles to scorching deserts, the adventurers of the SBS reality show “Law of the Jungle” returned from Patagonia and heralded their most exciting and beautiful survival project ever. “It has been the longest ‘Law of the Jungle’ shooting, as we spent 21 days in the faraway land of Chile. The new edition set in Patagonia aims to present the beauty of Patagonia, while focusing on the cast’s arduous journey and survival,” said production director Pa

TelevisionFeb. 1, 2018

Big Bang’s Seungri, Junkilla join forces with new Asia-based music label

Big Bang’s Seungri and Korean music duo Junkilla have joined forces with Liquid State, an electronic dance music label newly launched by Sony Music Entertainment and Tencent Music Entertainment. According to an official statement released by Sony Music on Thursday, Seungri and Junkilla signed up with the new EDM label to be involved in music collaborations across the dance genre. Seungri has also been tapped as an ambassador to promote the label, along with Hong Kong’s Nicholas Tse and China’s C

PerformanceFeb. 1, 2018

MBC to air pilot variety show ‘Creaking Heroes’ for two weeks

MBC confirmed Thursday it will air a new pilot variety show with the working title “Creaking Heroes,” from Feb. 26. According to the channel, the new program will show ordinary people without special talents transform into “heroes” through various missions and training, under the slogan “everyone can be a hero.” It will feature celebrities including Zion. T, Woohyun, Sam Hammington, Hoshi of Seventeen, Din Din, Yoo Byung-jae and Ahn Jung-hwan.  “Creaking Heroes” (MBC)The show will focus on findi

TelevisionFeb. 1, 2018

[Herald Interview] Memories, regrets bring Typhoon back after 10 years

“Our time as Typhoon, it was like a raging storm that leaves as quickly as it comes. But now that we are back together, we want to last long calmly, rather than sweeping in and out like a storm,” said Solbi, a vocalist of dance hip-hop trio Typhoon during a recent interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul.Despite its successful start, Typhoon lasted less than three years. Consisting of Solbi, Woojae and Jihwan, the co-ed trio made a major impression with its debut single “So” in 2006, coming on t

PerformanceFeb. 1, 2018

Professor advises on ways to become global-minded citizens

Choi Jung-wha, a professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, has released “Global Etiquette,” a book that offers suggestions on etiquette to observe in various circumstances. Through the book, Choi, the founder and president of the Corea Image Communications Institute, provides basic guidelines of proper etiquette while also offering English language expressions that readers can easily use outside of the country. (Yes24)People in Korea appear to have a different concept of ”the other,“ Ch

BooksFeb. 1, 2018

North Korean art exhibition to be held during Gwangju Biennale

This year‘s Gwangju Biennale will have special “guests” -- artwork from North Korea.An authority in North Korean art, US-based BG Muhn is organizing an exhibition of North Korean artworks during the Gwangju Biennale, which kicks off in September. “I decided to organize the exhibition because I wanted to introduce the beautiful aesthetics embedded in North Korean art, which are upstaged by the political meanings attached to them,” said Muhn said in an email interview with The Korea Herald. ”If th

Arts & DesignFeb. 1, 2018

Singer Lee Chang-min stands on his own

Singer Lee Chang-min has decided not to renew his contract with Big Hit Entertainment, and will instead handle the music-related and other promotional activities on his own, the agency said Thursday.“As of Wednesday, the management deal with Lee has expired. After a lengthy discussion with Lee, we‘ve decided to terminate our exclusive relationship,” Big Hit said in a press release, adding that Lee will now establish a one-man agency. Lee Chang-min (Big Hit Entertainment)In an Instagram message t

PerformanceFeb. 1, 2018

[Photo News] A rare lunar show

A rare cosmic display decorated the skies around the world Wednesday as a blue moon synced up with a supermoon and a total lunar eclipse for the first time in 35 years.The following are shots of the moon seen throughout Korea around 9 p.m. Photo credit: Yonhap(khnews@heraldcorp.com) 

TravelJan. 31, 2018

Joseon era cultural artifact repatriated from France after more than 150 years

A royal document from the Joseon era has returned to South Korea, the Overseas Cultural Heritage Foundation said during a press conference at the National Palace Museum of Korea in Seoul on Wednesday.The OCHF, an affiliate of the Cultural Heritage Administration, said that the document returned home on Jan. 20, 152 years after it went missing. It added that the royal document has been handed over to the National Palace Museum of Korea.  The royal document dedicated to Crown Princess Hyomyeong in

CultureJan. 31, 2018

BTS on Billboard 100 record run for K-pop group　

BTS’s “Mic Drop” has stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a ninth straight week as of Wednesday, proving its prominence in the mainstream US music market and reaffirming its position as the hottest K-pop group today.In the chart for the week of Feb. 3, “Mic Drop” stood at No. 84. The song featuring Desiigner and remixed by Steve Aoki had peaked at No. 28 upon its debut in early December.BTS’ “Mic Drop” (Big Hit Entertainment)Despite falling five spots from the week before, “Mic Drop” extend

PerformanceJan. 31, 2018

[Album review] Nice album, but where is Suzy?

Suzy“Faces of Love”(Genie Music)It’s an indisputable fact that the latest album from former Miss A member Suzy is well-made, or “manufactured” by her agency. But why does it sound so shallow? Why does Suzy sound like a trained puppet merely lending her voice without fully understanding the songs herself? When the singer released her second solo EP “Faces of Love,” fans were expecting to hear how the 24-year-old viewed and interpreted various facets of love in the songs that she had a hand in cre

PerformanceJan. 31, 2018