[Weekender] Where soju tastes sweet, and folks reminisce on yesteryear

In director Lee Jang-ho’s 1980 film “A Fine, Windy Day,” the pojangmacha is a place where members of Seoul’s growing underclass meet daily to talk about their pains, gains and fantasies over cheap food and soju.In a country notorious for its die-hard drinking, pojangmacha — meaning “covered wagon” in Korean and referring to a tented outdoor food stall — have been at the center of Korea’s after-work camaraderie. Thirty-seven years have passed since the release of movie that portrayed the country’

CultureDec. 8, 2017

Hyun Bin, Kang So-ra break up

Actors Hyun Bin and Kang So-ra ended their relationship a year after they confirmed they were dating, their agencies said Friday.According to VAST Entertainment and Plum Actors, which represent Hyun Bin and Kang, respectively, the two split due to busy schedules.They met for the first time in October last year and confirmed they were seeing each other two months later. (VAST Entertainment, Yonhap)Hyun Bin's recent movies "Confidential Assignment" and "The Swindlers" fared well in the local box o

TelevisionDec. 8, 2017

[Around the Hotels] Packages and promotions

Cozy staycation at Millennium Seoul Hilton Millennium Seoul Hilton is offering a cozy staycation package for the winter holidays through Feb. 28 next year. The Winter Escape Package offers accommodation in a deluxe room with a view of the city, a buffet breakfast for two at Cafe 395, two gingerbreads and access to a fitness center and swimming pool. The package starts from 240,000 won and is only available to Korean citizens or foreigners with an alien registration card. There is an additional c

FoodDec. 8, 2017

[Weekender] The allure of pojangmacha

A foreign visitor to Korea may wonder what a brigade of what looks to be red tents may be doing lined up on the streets of Jongno-gu, Seoul. These pojangmacha, meaning a “covered wagon” in Korean, refers to makeshift eateries offering booze and food that have been a symbol of the common people here for generations.The origin of pojangmacha is unclear but many trace it back to the street vendors of the 1950s and ‘60s who would drag around their wheeled stalls, selling soju by the shot along with

CultureDec. 8, 2017

[Weekender] Chicken feet and more -- odd, must-have specialties at Korea’s tented bars

Korea’s pojangmacha, or tented bars, have evolved over the years both in appearance and gastronomical offerings, now more polished and offering a wider array of dishes to go with drinks. 　But some distinctly Korean specialties, featuring odd ingredients unfamiliar to most foreign visitors and even many Koreans -- from chicken feet and cow innards to cartilage and squirming fish -- remain staple dishes at the tarp-covered watering holes.　The food dishes, many of them doused in spicy sauces, are o

FoodDec. 8, 2017

Twice’s ‘Knock Knock’ tops most popular music video on YouTube

The music video for “Knock Knock,” the lead track off Twice’s February album “Twicecoaster: Lane 2,” ranked as the most popular music video on YouTube for 2017 in Korea, the video sharing platform revealed Thursday.It marked the second consecutive year that the group topped the list after it snatched No. 1 spot on the list with its music video for “Cheer Up” last year.Following “Knock Knock” on this year’s list was another music video from the group, “Signal,” which is the lead track off the gro

PerformanceDec. 8, 2017

‘Hyori’s Bed & Breakfast’ to get second season

The second season of K-pop diva Lee Hyo-ri’s reality show “Hyori’s Bed & Breakfast” is set to kick off next year, reports said Friday.Lee and her husband, singer-songwriter Lee Sang-soon, have agreed to film the next season of the hit show, which reached up to 9.9 percent viewership on cable channel JTBC during its June-September run. The second season, set to begin shooting in January next year, will feature the couple’s home in the middle of winter on Jeju Island.  “Hyori’s Bed & Breakfast” (J

TelevisionDec. 8, 2017

[Herald Interview] Choi Gonne reflects on last year’s ‘Candlelight Revolution’ in ‘Highlander’

Months have passed since hundreds of thousands of candle-holders declared victory for people power after months of protests to oust President Park Geun-hye in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square.  The air was icy, but what Choi Gonne remembers from the demonstrations is neither hatred nor rage. What she saw were people united, regardless of age or gender, bundled up in coats, singing and chanting tunes calling for Park’s ouster, street vendors selling mattresses and hot snacks and young students marching

PerformanceDec. 8, 2017

[Video] ‘Shark Family’ song tops most popular video list on YouTube

A music video of “Shark Family” ranked as the most popular video on YouTube for 2017 in Korea, Google’s video platform revealed Thursday. The “2017 YouTube Rewind” was made based on views, likes, comments, shares and more. Here is a list of the top 10 most popular videos. 1. Shark Family - Pink Fong (Youtube)The 1 minute 56 seconds animation, which depicts shark family members living under the sea, reportedly garnered more than a billion views. The children’s music creator “Pink Fong” made the v

TelevisionDec. 7, 2017

[Photo News] Winter storm brings blizzard in PyeongChang

The traditional Korean calendars divided a year into 24 solar terms. Today, Dec. 7, matches to “Daeseol,” the 21st term in the calendar, which means “Big Snow” in Korean. Just like the name of the term, a strong winter storm has brought massive snowfall in Gangwon Province since Wednesday night. Ski jump slopes for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics are covered with snow (Yonhap)As of 7 a.m., 4.5 centimeters of snow has accumulated in PyeongChang, where the 2018 Winter Olympic Games will be he

TravelDec. 7, 2017

Int'l award-winning filmmaker faces fine for assaulting actress

Kim Ki-duk, an internationally famed filmmaker, will likely face a fine for hitting and insulting a female actress during a film shoot in 2012, according to prosecutors on Thursday. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said it has indicted Kim on a summary offense with a penalty of 5 million won ($4,570). The actress, whose identity was withheld, filed a complaint with the prosecution in August seeking a probe against Kim. She claimed that while they were filming his new movie, Kim sla

FilmDec. 7, 2017

BTS’ new Japanese single tops Oricon chart

BTS again proved its popularity in Japan, with its eighth Japanese single “Mic Drop/ DNA/ Crystal Snow” notching the No. 1 spot on Oricon’s daily singles chart. The album, released on Wednesday, landed the top spot with a total of 269,861 Oricon points on the first day of release, making this the fifth time the group has shot to the top of the Japanese charts.  “Drop/ DNA/ Crystal Snow” (Big Hit Entertainment)BTS first topped the Oricon charts in June 2015 with its fourth Japanese single “For Yo

PerformanceDec. 7, 2017

Hong Sang-soo’s ‘Day After’ included in Cahiers du Cinema top 10

Hong Sang-soo’s “The Day After” has been selected as one of the top 10 films of the year by Cahiers du Cinema, a prominent French movie magazine.　The film is the sole Korean film to make the list this year. 　Other films by Hong, including “Our Sunhi” and “In Another Country” have in the past been named in the annual top-ten list. 　The film stars Kim Min-hee as Areum, a new employee at a small publishing company, who discovers that her married boss Bong-wan (Kwon Hae-hyo) has been having an affai

FilmDec. 7, 2017

[PyeongChang 2018] Jang Keun-suk named honorary ambassador for PyeongChang Olympics

Star actor-singer Jang Keun-suk has been named honorary ambassador for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and the host province of Gangwon, his agency said Thursday."We have high expectations from Jang Geun-suk as he has played a role bridging cultures in Asia," Gangwon Province Gov. Choi Moon-soon was quoted as saying by Tree J Company. Jang will promote the Winter Olympics and the ensuing Paralympics at his Japanese concerts in Osaka and Tokyo in January.He also promised to buy 2,018 tickets

PeopleDec. 7, 2017

‘StarCraft’ pro gets ‘foot up’ on rival

A Korean professional “StarCraft” gamer got the upper foot, as it were, over his Chinese rival at a recent competition. Lim Hong-gyu, better known by his moniker “Larva,” battled Luo Xian on Monday in the final match of the Zotac Cup Masters playing “StarCraft Remastered” in Los Angeles, California. In the first game of the series, Lim purposely took one of his own characters out of the competition by making it dance, putting himself at a significant disadvantage. In the next game, he rested his

CultureDec. 7, 2017

[Herald Review] ‘Sister Act’ will lift you to hilarious new heights

Two and a half decades ago, a musical movie starring Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer who stumbles upon a murder scene and ends up in a place she does not belong -- a Catholic convent – hit the silver screen. The cast’s performance and music elevated the typical fish-out-of-water story, as it became a box office hit and generation-defining comedy.The musical adaptation of the film landed in Korea last week, bringing with it the humor, music and charm that made the original story so popular amo

CultureDec. 6, 2017

[Album review] Day6 completes puzzle with ‘Moonrise’

Day6“Moonrise”Genie Music　When Day6 announced its yearlong monthly song release project “Every Day6” in December last year, a spell was cast. Fans have been waiting for the group’s new songs every day for the past year, sharing the joy of filling in the 12-piece puzzle along with the band. And with the year-end album “Moonrise,” Day6 has finally completed the world it has been dreaming of with one last remaining piece.As a band known for its versatility, the self-written and composed 18-track al

PerformanceDec. 6, 2017

Super Junior’s web reality show ‘SJ Returns’ to air on TV

K-pop act Super Junior’s web reality show “SJ Returns,” which chronicled the group’s comeback preparations, is now being shown on TV. The show, which was initially streamed on the Naver TV Cast channel and the V Live channel in October, started its six-week run on the cable channel JTBC2 on Wednesday at 9 p.m. “SJ Returns” had topped Naver V Live channel’s monthly chart with more than 24 million views. It showed how the members prepared for the new album over 120 days after a two-year break as a

PerformanceDec. 6, 2017

[Newsmaker] Korea’s last princess dies

Julia Mullock, ex-wife of Yi Gu, the last prince of the Korean Empire, passed away aged 94 late last month in a nursing home in Hawaii.The Ukrainian American was called Julia Lee in Korea after marrying Yi Gu in 1958 in New York where the two met while working at the firm of architect I. M. Pei. Julia Lee with her ex-husband Yi Gu, the last prince of the Korean Empire. (Yonhap)Yi Gu was the only child of Yi Eun (1897-1970), crown prince and seventh son of King Gojong of the Joseon dynasty. King

PeopleDec. 6, 2017

BTS drops new promotional song for Seoul City, website crashes

The release of BTS’ promotional track for the City of Seoul on the city’s official website has sent fans into a viewing frenzy, causing the website to crash.The song, titled ‘With Seoul’ was released for free on Seoul City’s official tourism website visitseoul.net on Wednesday at noon Korea time. Screenshot of BTS` promotional video for Seoul City (Seoul City)When the clock struck noon, the website came crashing down as fans of BTS, collectively known as ARMY, invaded in a bid to check out the n

PerformanceDec. 6, 2017