Actor Kim Soo-hyun to appear in IU's upcoming music video

Kim Soo-hyun, star of hit South Korean drama "My Love From The Star," will appear in a music video for singer IU's new album, according the stars' agencies Wednesday. (Yonhap)According to IU's agency Fave Entertainment, Kim has finished filming for the video to a song on IU's upcoming fourth album. The track, whose name wasn't revealed, was written by singer-songwriter Sam Kim, according to the company."We're producing several videos for the fourth album," a Fave Entertainment representative sai

PerformanceApril 5, 2017

Actor Lee Joon-gi confirms relationship with actress Jeon Hye-bin

Popular actor Lee Joon-gi, who also has a large following in other Asian countries, is dating actress Jeon Hye-bin, their talent agency confirmed Tuesday."Lee and Jeon developed into a couple in the first half of last year," Namoo Actors, which manages both stars, said, hours after an Internet-based newspaper reported that they are in their second year of dating secretly. (Instagram)"The two first met while filming a television drama in 2014 and were a good friend to each other when rumors on th

TelevisionApril 4, 2017

FT Island to rock out at Korea-Japan rock fest

Korean band FT Island will perform at the ‘2017 Korea-Japan Super Rock Great Meeting” rock festival in July, its agency said Tuesday.According to the FNC Entertainment, the five-member band will participate in the festival that will be held on July 1 at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul.Popular bands from the two countries will take part, including Korean band Eve along with rock musician Miyavi, band Spyair from Japan. Japanese band Comodo Dragon will open the gathering of rock bands. FT Island (FNC

PerformanceApril 4, 2017

Korean musicians pay tribute to Chuck Berry

Kim Ban-jang and the Windy City will rock out in Itaewon, Seoul on Saturday, as the band and other musicians pay tribute to late rock ’n’ roll legend Chuck Berry with a tribute music party.According to Windy City’s agency Craft and Jun, the band will host the tribute party at Spindle Market in Itaewon and will be joined by a number of local bands and DJs. Kim Ban-jang, the leader of Kim Ban-jang and the Windy City (Craft and Jun)Singer Samuel Seo will also make an appearance at the event, set to

PerformanceApril 4, 2017

Korea Tour Card growing popular with foreigners

A smartcard allowing foreign tourists to enjoy various benefits is growing popular, Visit Korea Committee said Tuesday, selling over 20,000 just two months after its release.Launched in late January, the Korea Tour Card allows those visiting the country to get discounts on some tourism-related activities, encompassing shopping, sightseeing and performances such as those by Hallyu stars. It also acts as a pass for public transport anywhere in the country, until 2018. Japanese tourists pose with t

TravelApril 4, 2017

Why hospitality students head to Switzerland

MONTREUX, Switzerland -- Park Sung-eun is a Korean student studying hotel management in Neuchatel, a quaint Swiss town whose medieval architecture has been untouched for centuries by war or renovation. She wakes up in a dorm room decorated like a hotel room, located within the International Hotel and Tourism Training Institute.“I love talking to people,” she said, which is why Park wanted to pursue an “interactive” profession in a field where she could at once hone her foreign language skills an

CultureApril 4, 2017

‘The Prison’ surpasses ‘Beauty and the Beast’ at box office

Korean crime action flick “The Prison” outpaced “Beauty and the Beast” at the Korean box office Tuesday, according to the Korean Film Council. “The Prison” topped the list of films, selling 60,713 tickets Monday, followed by “Beauty and the Beast,” which sold 49,484 tickets.  Han Suk-kyu (left) and Kim Rae-won star in “The Prison.” (Showbox)The two films have been competing for the top spot at the local box office since “The Prison” opened in theaters on March 23. The Korean movie stars Han Suk-

FilmApril 4, 2017

Seoul holds job fair for foreign spouses

The Seoul metropolitan government held its Marriage Migrants Employment Exhibition on Friday at City Hall.About 400 job seekers attended. As well as information on employment, the exhibition provided consulting services on how to answer questions in interviews and even fashion advice for would-be employees. In addition, companies ran booths to offer information on employment opportunities and interview prospective candidates.Mongolian job seekers listen to an introduction to job opportunities at

Expat LivingApril 4, 2017

Camarata to remember Sewol with requiem

Camarata Music Company will perform Durufle’s Requiem for its upcoming concert, choosing the modern remembrance piece in recognition of the victims of the Sewol ferry disaster. Conductor Ryan Goessl said he chose the piece as the concert coincided with the anniversary of the sinking, explaining that it layered expressive Gregorian-style chant and solos against an intricately delicate orchestral score.The Camarata Chorale and Orchestra (CMC)The piece will be performed along with Schubert’s Mass i

Expat LivingApril 4, 2017

Seo Tai-ji confirms 25th anniversary concert

K-pop icon Seo Tai-ji will hold his 25th concert in September, according to the artist’s agency Tuesday. Singer Seo Tai-ji (Yonhap)“Seo Tae-ji will present a special performance at the concert for long-awaiting fans and people who still remember him,” Seotaiji Co. said. The agency had said in March that local production companies had approached the artist about a concert. The upcoming concert will be held on Sept. 2 and is part of Lotte Card’s cultural marketing project “MOOV Soundtrack.”It will

April 4, 2017

Seoul Police seeks to reassure undocumented residents

Seoul Police have moved to reassure foreign nationals who are in Korea illegally that they can report crimes without being reported to immigration. In a letter from Seoul Metropolitan Police Commissioner Kim Jung-hoon released by the Filipino Embassy, the city police chief said he was concerned by a lack of awareness about the system, which began in 2013.(Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency)“We are especially focusing on the issues of undocumented immigrants whose human rights are violated by being

Expat LivingApril 4, 2017

Ok Taecyeon finds fun in acting

Ok Taecyeon, a member of the popular boy band 2PM, says he made an acting debut in 2010 simply because his talent agency forced him to. Seven years later, the reluctant actor finds fun in the job because he can create "another me" through a new character each time.   "It was fun to work together with other actors and become a totally different person when taking on a new role," he said during an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Monday.Ok began acting with KBS 2TV's "Cinderella's Stepsister"

TelevisionApril 3, 2017

Oh My Girl’s JinE addresses fans in letter

Oh My Girl member JinE posted a hand-written letter and a picture of her eating, showing gratitude for the fans who have showed concerned over her health problems.JinE, 21, recently stopped all musical activities with the girl group due to anorexia. “I’m being healed and encouraged by your (fans’) messages of love and support...Plus, I recently had dishes from a famous eatery near our company (WM Entertainment),” she wrote on Monday, posting a photo of her sitting in front of a hamburger and a b

PerformanceApril 3, 2017

[Seoul Saunter] Webtoon characters liven up streets

Seoul is a vibrant megalopolis with modern high-rises crowding the city’s major arteries. Nestled among the gleaming buildings are maze-like alleys that appear to have escaped the passage of time. The Korea Herald explores the many nooks and crannies of Seoul, proclaimed the capital of Joseon in 1392, that reveal a multifaceted city. -- Ed. Murals line the Kang Full Cartoon Alley in Seongnae-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, in these photos taken Wednesday. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)On the wall of

CultureApril 3, 2017

80 years on, Picasso’s anti-war ‘Guernica’ still resonates

MADRID (AFP) - Close to 80 years ago, Picasso painted “Guernica” in a Paris attic, a haunting work of art that has become a universal howl against the ravages of war, from 1937 Spain to 2017 Syria.The canvas mixes stark images of agonizing humans and animals to depict the horror of the bombing of the small Basque town of Guernica on April 26, 1937 during Spain‘s civil war.Luis Ortiz Alfau, a 100-year-old Spaniard, was there that day “to pick up the dead and the injured,” he told Agence France-Pr

PerformanceApril 3, 2017