“Cheese in the Trap,” tvN’s drama series based on the eponymous webtoon, which ended Tuesday, garnered great attention when the adaption was announced. That attention, however, turned into a barrage of criticism no sooner than the halfway mark of the 16-episode series. 　The long-running original webtoon released on Naver by Soonkki in 2010 is a romantic thriller featuring a love story between college students Hong Seol, a smart and hardworking young woman struggling with paying tuition and findi

TelevisionMarch 2, 2016

NEW YORK (AP) -- Nobel laureate Toni Morrison has received an honorary prize named for another Nobel winner, the late Saul Bellow.　PEN America, the literary and human rights organization, told the Associated Press on Tuesday that Morrison has been given the $25,000 PEN/Saul Bellow Award for Achievement in American fiction. Morrison, 85, is known for such novels as "Beloved," "Song of Solomon" and "Jazz."　"Revelatory, intelligent, bold, her fiction is invested in the black experience, in black li

BooksMarch 2, 2016

For many years, Dil Kusha was a mystery. 　It sits quietly yet conspicuously near Sajik Tunnel in Jongno-gu, Seoul, a red brick two-story house that blends English and American architectural styles. Everyone knew it was there, but no one knew where it came from or who owned it. When squatters took over, it fell into a dilapidated state.　It was not until 2006 that the history of the house was unveiled by an American named Bruce Taylor. On a visit to Korea, he revealed that the Dil Kusha was his ch

CultureMarch 2, 2016

Busan Metropolitan City and Lotte Entertainment will launch on Thursday a fund investing in “all aspects of the film business” to further develop a sustainable movie ecosystem in the southeastern port city, according to Busan City on Wednesday.　Lotte injected 10 billion won ($8 million) into the “Busan-Lotte Creative Film Fund,” with Busan, Busan Bank and Timewise Investment providing 6 billion won, 4 billion won and 1 billion won, respectively. 　Timewise will be the fund’s asset manager, while

FilmMarch 2, 2016

NEW YORK (AP) -- Roberto Alagna says he always makes a point of stepping forward after a performance to shake hands with the prompter. Never has he had more reason than in his current run of "Manon Lescaut" at the Metropolitan Opera.　When tenor Jonas Kaufmann announced he was canceling because of illness less than three weeks before opening night, the Met turned to Alagna to star in Puccini's opera as the Chevalier des Grieux, a student who falls hopelessly in love with the flirtatious Manon.　On

PerformanceMarch 2, 2016

 ISTANBUL (AFP) - Over 500 years old, surviving fire and earthquakes, it welcomes up to 400,000 people a day and takes pride in being the world's most visited destination -- more popular than the Eiffel Tower.　So it’s hardly surprising that Istanbul's venerable Grand Bazaar, built in the mid-15th century, has suffered some wear and tear over the years. 　The labyrinthine bazaar is now about to undergo a much needed renovation that will last a decade and cost tens of millions of dollars.　But the r

TravelMarch 2, 2016

Sheraton Jinan Hotel’s executive chef Jeffrey She has worked at glitzy establishments such as St. Regis and Le Meridien, but he puts on no airs, creating a first impression that is more in line with the image of the proprietor of a traditional, home-style restaurant. 　He is a big, jolly man with a bright smile. But under that friendly demeanor lies a sharp business mind, as She has honed his skills for 18 years mainly in the demanding hotel business. 　She’s first field of study was hotel managem

FoodMarch 2, 2016

Mingles restaurant in Gangnam-gu, Seoul has been named as one of Asia’s 50 best restaurants by S. Pellegrino and Acqua Panna’s “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants” 2016 rankings list. 　Local chef Kang Min-goo’s Mingles ranked 15th this year. It was also voted best restaurant in Korea. 　Since its opening in April 2014 in Seoul’s glitzy district of Gangnam, Mingles has been serving up modern Korean cuisine, fusing traditional Korean dishes and European influences. Kang is one of the most talked about

FoodMarch 2, 2016

Under the theme of “Endless Friendship,” this year’s 34th annual Yongpyong International Ski Festival will be kicking off its winter sports festivities from March 4 to 6 at the Yongpyong Resort in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province. 　An annual winter sports event and competition for foreigners living in Korea, the Yongpyong International Ski Festival was first held in 1983 for the development of the domestic ski culture and takes pride in being the nation’s only international ski festival. A scene fr

TravelMarch 2, 2016

PARIS (AFP) - Fat ladies tend to be thin on the ground on the Paris catwalk.　But rising Dutch designer Liselore Frowijn made her ready-to-wear debut Tuesday with a colourful collection to light up autumn-winter inspired by the feminist artist Niki de Saint Phalle's proudly voluptuous “Nanas.”　Her show with its eye-catching zebra-striped trouser suits was full of the bold and joyous colors of the sculptor’s liberated ladies.　Frowijn said Saint Phalle “just wanted to make people happy and herself

Arts & DesignMarch 2, 2016

The hold of celebrity chefs over Seoul’s dining scene remains as strong as ever, proving that the era of such culinary stars is far from over. 　With chefs the stars of their own culinary space, dinner as theater has become a part of the dining out experience, with open kitchens serving as a stage for diners to witness chefs in motion. 　Exquis -- a fine dining spot that opened three months ago in Sinsa-dong, Seoul -- takes the concept a step further by seating diners at a counter located above an

FoodMarch 2, 2016