In Korea’s turbulent path toward independence and nation building, there were foreign nationals who stood steadfastly by the Korean people, although their contributions have been largely overshadowed by those of Korean patriots. The Korea Herald, in partnership with the Independence Hall of Korea, is publishing a series of articles shedding light on these foreigners, their life and legacies here. This is the seventh installment. ― Ed.   Horace G. Underwood with his wifeOn the grounds of Yonsei U

PeopleOct. 26, 2015

A former Spanish museum director is among the three contenders short-listed to head the state-run National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, a local daily reported Monday.Chosun Ilbo revealed that Bartomeu Mari, former director of the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, has made it to the final list along with two other Koreans.If selected, Mari will be the first foreigner to be director of the public art museum in Korea.  The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (

PerformanceOct. 26, 2015

Created by one of the original producers of “Saturday Night Live Korea,” tvN‘s new Friday night series “Conte and the City” hopes to reach a bigger audience than “SNL” with comic skits focusing on a wider range of social topics.“The show is an omnibus serialized comic drama,” producer Yoo Sung-mo told press at the Amoris Wedding Hall in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on Monday. “Even though it’s a comedy show, we focused on keeping it high quality. We also emphasized the dramatic narrative aspect, and i

TelevisionOct. 26, 2015

Snoopy and the Charlie Brown gang from Charles Schulz’s timeless comic strip “Peanuts” are some of the most recognized characters in the world, which made it no small task to translate the four-panel strip into a feature-length 3-D movie. After running tests with various production agencies, the Schulz family, who still own the rights to the characters, decided to give that task to Blue Sky Studios -- a small but strong U.S. production company that created the “Ice Age” and “Rio” films. “(The fa

FilmOct. 26, 2015

Yeongwol International Museum Forum, one of the biggest academic events in the field of museum, will be held in the scenic county of Yeongwol, Gangwon Province. The third edition of the forum invites leaders of public museums in 34 countries, including Japan, Vietnam, Australia, China, Ethiopia and Uganda, to share their insights on this year’s theme “National Policy and Role of Museum in Society” from Oct. 28-30. The biennial forum, which began in 2011, is expected to be held annually with incr

CultureOct. 26, 2015

Celebrating a decade since its first Korean premiere in 2005, the French cast of the famed novel-turned-musical, “Notre Dame de Paris,” has returned to Seoul, doling out unforgettably stellar performances of song, dance and even some acrobatics. Not to be confused with the Disney remake, the musical production is based on the eponymous novel by Victor Hugo, with music by Riccardo Cocciante. Without delving too much into spoiler territory, the musical’s storyline is actual

PerformanceOct. 25, 2015

At 43, Bae Sung-woo is no newbie to acting.He says he’s always been working since he graduated from college at 29 -- but it wasn’t until this year that he made his mark with the general public. Bae was the face of a distraught office worker driven to murder in the Cannes-invited “Office.” He played Woo-jin, the man who wakes up with a different appearance every morning in “The Beauty Inside.” He was the leader of an illicit international car dealership in the runaway hit “Veteran.” On Oct. 22, h

FilmOct. 25, 2015

Since the early 2000s, South Korea welcomed a new group of writers who delved into their unique experiences as Korean millennials, as well as the horrors and joys of modern Korean life.Among them, one of the most prominent writers is Kim Ae-ran, who rose to instant literary stardom in 2003 when her short story, “No Knocking in this House,” won the Daesan Literary Award.Kim Ae-ran (Yes 24)It depicted the life of five young women who live in separate rooms at a boarding house but have minimal cont

BooksOct. 23, 2015

The publishing industry might be struggling, but book cafes -- library-like cafes that offer a collection of books for people to read and purchase -- are thriving. Enter most book cafes in the Seoul area on a weekend afternoon, and you will be hard-pressed to find an empty seat.The cafes’ popularity, however, does not necessarily signify an equal love for books among the public, it seems. One glance around the cafes shows the majority of customers working on their laptops or poring over textbook

BooksOct. 23, 2015

If you’re reading a novel from Korea’s best-seller lists now, chances are that it’s not written by a local author. In this country, with a rising global cultural profile and an ambition to rise even further, fiction, the ultimate art of storytelling, is fading. Or more precisely, the serious, high-caliber, literary fiction that Koreans refer to as “pure” literature is fading.Local readers’ appetite for homegrown novels is dwindling amid a fundamental decline in an interest in books, while writer

BooksOct. 23, 2015

A black sedan pulls over by the gate next to a group of men. The seemingly insignificant sight edges over to the realm of science fiction when the door opens to reveal no one sitting in the car, not even the driver.The car turns out to be a fourth-generation prototype of a self-driving vehicle developed by the Automotive Control and Electronics Laboratory at Hanyang University. Yet at first glance, it looks just like any other vehicle roaming the streets of Seoul, with no bulky devices hauled on

PeopleOct. 23, 2015

It started out in the mid-’90s.Web fiction -- written works of literature available primarily or solely on the Web -- began small and intimate on online community sites when people -- amateur writers -- began uploading fan fiction of their favorite stars, romance or fantasy stories for hobbies. Some novelists, who never got a chance at publication, also used this medium under different pen names. In early 2000, Web fiction, then dubbed “Internet novel,” reached its peak, inspiring film adaptatio

CultureOct. 23, 2015

When R-rated flick “Fifty Shades of Grey” opened in theaters here in February, the box-office score was a big disappointment with only 364,410 tickets sold. However, the story was different in the e-book market. The eponymous title, written by E.L. James, nabbed No. 1 in March for several consecutive weeks on major e-book charts, including Yes24, Kyobo Bookstore and Interpark, while the paper copy didn’t even reach the top 10 list. The book’s latest sequel “The Grey” also ranked high on e-book c

BooksOct. 23, 2015

Heading to theaters this week? The Korea Herald gives you a rundown of what's playing on the big screen.This weekend's box office in Korea is full of thrills and action, with Korean flicks such as "The Exclusive: Beat the Devil's Tattoo" and "The Phone" featuring murder, intrigue and mystery. For fist-clenching drama, check out "Collective Invention," which involves a pharmaceutical experiment gone awry.The Exclusive: Beat the Devil’s Tattoo (Korea)Opened Oct. 22　Mystery. Directed by Roh Deok　Su

FilmOct. 23, 2015

Rice festival in IcheonThe 17th Icheon Rice Cultural Festival will be held in the country’s rice production hub of Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, until Sunday.Under the theme of “Joyful Union, Sharing Happiness,” the five day festival, which kicked off Wednesday, will feature a variety of programs and competitions.Visitors will get a chance to learn how to cook rice and rice cakes in a traditional style using conventional cooking utensils, and participate in rice-cooking contests.There will also be

TravelOct. 23, 2015

Autumn is a good time to start eating more root vegetables. Ueong (burdock root) is very popular in Korea and other Asian countries. It’s full of nutrients and an excellent source of fiber. The root has a sweet, earthy flavor and crisp, chewy texture. Ueong jorim is a simple dish to make by lightly braising in a sweet, soy sauce.Gently scrape off the skin with a knife or the back of a knife. Since the root is pretty fibrous, I like to cut it into match sticks. Once it’s cut, the root will turn b

FoodOct. 23, 2015

This is a two-part travel series on a weeklong West Coast road trip from the bay side city wonders of San Francisco, California, to the frills and thrills of Las Vegas, Nevada. -- Ed. 　SAN FRANCISCO/MONTEREY/CARMEL/BIG SUR/DEATH VALLEY, California -- Can’t decide whether your next big trip should be sightseeing and shopping in a thriving metropolis hot spot, finding tranquility by the crisp sea coast, tackling your intrepid spirits in the scorching desert heat or throwing your inhibitions to the

TravelOct. 23, 2015

Spa Package at Grand AmbassadorGrand Ambassador Seoul is offering the “My Spa Package,” providing a comfortable guest room with Prestige Day Spa OCELAS Massage and a brunch set that can be enjoyed through room service.Prestige Day Spa OCELAS Massage comes in two kinds: foot massage and soleus massage. Foot massage is provided for about 30 minutes, promoting blood circulation and helping the body realize the balance of endocrine glands to release tension. The soleus massage is provided for about

FoodOct. 23, 2015