Sweet shops release autumn desserts

With increasingly colder months ahead, popular sweet shops throughout the city are releasing seasonal treats that run the gauntlet from ruby red apple pies and tarts to burnt orange pumpkin pies.  La Pomme’s tarte Tatin is made-to-order and arrives piping hot, with layers of butter puff pastry, custard cream and warm, spiced apples (La Pomme)　Pumpkin and its similar-hued cousins are classic fall ingredients for these colder months and it has practically become tradition for prominent shops like

FoodOct. 23, 2015

[Newsmaker]Artist Chun's life, death shrouded in mystery

Artist Chun Kyung-ja, whose death in the past summer was revealed to the public Thursday, was a female cultural icon in Korea’s male-dominated art society. According to the Seoul Museum of Art, Chun died on Aug. 6 in New York, where she had lived since 1998. The artist, who was 91, reportedly had a cerebral hemorrhage in 2003 and had suffered from poor health since then. “It was reported to me that Chun’s daughter visited the museum on Aug. 20, carrying the remains of her mother,” Kim Hong-hee,

PerformanceOct. 22, 2015

[Herald Review] Mullova captivates Sibelius in BBC Philharmonic’s Seoul concert

Recognized as one of Spain’s most distinguished international conductors, maestro Juanjo Mena and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra took to the stage Wednesday night at the Seoul Arts Center bringing to life the sounds of Britten, Sibelius and Schubert, while also delighting the audience with the evening’s highlight: special guest soloist Viktoria Mullova.  Opening up its return performance in Korea after more than seven years, the orchestra performed Benjamin Britten’s buoyant Simple Symphony, Op.

PerformanceOct. 22, 2015

[Design Forum] Designer Guixe on food for thought

Marti Guixe (copyright knolke/Imagekontainer)For Marti Guixe, a world-renowned designer, food is an object that has to be carefully designed and contextualized to enhance its usability and consumption for the mass.In an interview with The Korea Herald, Guixe, who has been designing food since the 1990s, said food design is beyond art that has to converge different fields of knowledge and studies to create its concepts and ideas.Designers need to consider various political, socioeconomic and ergo

Arts & DesignOct. 22, 2015

[Design Forum] When design thinking meets food

This is the third in a series of articles introducing key features at the upcoming Herald Design Forum 2015 to be held in Seoul on Nov. 10. --Ed. 　Food has certainly been an important part of Korean culture and lifestyle. Try any number of channels on the television these days, and you will find food at any time of the day. Celebrities take mouthfuls of gourmet meals while chefs whip up dish after dish of their secret recipes. No wonder the recent Washington Post wrote an article on how “sexy co

Arts & DesignOct. 22, 2015

[Reporter's column] Seoul Fashion Week has a long way to go

Seoul Fashion Week for spring-summer 2016 was held from Oct.16-21 at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul. (Yonhap)Seoul Fashion Week is arguably the biggest and single most important event in Korean fashion. Held twice a year since 1997 -- once in spring and again in autumn -- it is an occasion for the country’s most visible designers to present their collections, offering style previews for the seasons ahead. This year’s event, which ended Wednesday, was therefore a chance to check on Korea’s pres

Arts & DesignOct. 22, 2015

Park Ki-young leaves ballads for classical crossovers

Korean balladeer Park Ki-young has transitioned into a classical crossover vocalist in her new album “A Primeira Festa.”Included in the album are pop-opera classics such as “Nella Fantasia,” “Caruso” and “Habanera.” The lead track is “One Fine Day,” a remade version of Yoshimata Ryo’s “The Whole Nine Yards.”While classical-based singers like Jo Su-mi have forayed in the pop genre, a pop singer transitioning into crossover -- a genre that combines pop and classical music -- has been unheard of in

PerformanceOct. 22, 2015

Seoul Fashion Week womenswear recap: Holiday luxury and exotic prints

Two themes that stood out in womenswear at Seoul Fashion Week’s 2016 Spring/Summer collections were holiday glamour, reminiscent of the beach and the marina, and intricate prints inspired by both the exotic and the familiar.Luxurious getaway From left: pushBUTTON, Andy & Debb, Steve J & Yoni P, Jain Song (Seoul Fashion Week)A handful of designers chose glamorous holiday looks for their collections this season. “I imagined a rich girl, married young, and her family away on vacation, at a cruise p

Arts & DesignOct. 21, 2015

[Herald Interview] Click-B aims to solidify musical color

Seven-member boy band Click-B joined the ranks of g.o.d, Fly to the Sky and Buzz on Wednesday, becoming the next group from the first generation of K-pop stars to make a long-awaited comeback. Click-B debuted in 1999 during the height of the first wave of idol groups, which included H.O.T, Sechs Kies, Fin.K.L and S.E.S, and had enjoyed hits like “Undefeatable” and “Cowboy” before breaking apart to pursue other solo and smaller group projects. Their new two-track album “Reborn” would be the first

PerformanceOct. 21, 2015

Korean theaters wrap up October with thrillers

After a summer of blockbuster action movies and dramas over the Chuseok weekend, the Korean box office is opening its fall-winter lineup with a healthy dose of thrillers. Three Korean films are poised to open in the last two weeks of October and keep you on the edge of your seat, each with a different kind of story and vibe.　Action thriller: “The Phone”Opening Oct. 22　Presented by new director Kim Bong-joo, time-travel suspense flick “The Phone” offers a cast with excellent thriller credentials

FilmOct. 21, 2015

[Newsmaker] Korean pianist wins Chopin competition

A 21-year-old Korean pianist won Poland’s Chopin competition Tuesday -- one of the most prestigious contests in the piano world and considered a launch pad for an international career. Cho Seong-jin beat 77 other young pianists from 20 countries to take home the gold medal and prize of 30,000 euros ($33,500) at the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, held every five years in the Polish capital Warsaw and named after the 19th century pianist and composer.  Cho Seong-jin (AFP-Yon

PerformanceOct. 21, 2015

From classical scholar to policy adviser

On the cover of Emanuel Pastreich’s “Hangukinman moreuneun dareun Daehanminguk” ― translated by the author as “A Different Republic of Korea” ― bought in preparation for the interview with the author is nothing less than a golden seal of approval from President Park Geun-hye.Well, it isn’t exactly the presidential seal; the golden seal that sits demurely at the bottom left of the book cover claims that the book was Park’s recommended reading. Indeed, the news of how Park read the book during her

PeopleOct. 21, 2015

Handbag-maker Simone launches luxury brand, opens stunning flagship store

While Seoul has in recent years been dubbed a hotbed for luxury brands by various international media outlets, local handbag company Simone -- which for years has manufactured products for global fashion houses like Michael Kors, Tory Burch and Coach -- is now seeking to go beyond supplying to foreign brands to establish a prestigious local label. The lobby of 0914’s flagship store (0914)With 28 years of expertise in leather goods, the company launched 0914, a brand of handbags designed, manufac

PerformanceOct. 21, 2015

V app invites global stars, beauty gurus

 Vietnamese celebrities and beauty gurus will appear on Naver’s live broadcasting app V, expanding the already star-studded app across the globe and diversifying its content, Naver said Monday. Ten Vietnamese stars, including female singer Dong Nhi and actress Chi Pu, confirmed their participation on the app to interact in real time with the global audiences and fans. Also, local makeup artists will teach about hair and makeup to the viewers on the app, starting in November.  (Naver V App)The ap

Oct. 21, 2015

Twice’s ‘Story Begins’

K-pop hit-making label JYP Entertainment has unveiled the first album by its new nine-member girl group Twice. 　 The group is the agency’s first new girl group since Miss A debuted five years ago, and has already gained a substantial amount of publicity by choosing its members through an intensely rigorous audition process broadcast by music channel Mnet through the show “Sixteen.” 　 “We were able to do this showcase today because our fans supported us and waited for us through (‘Sixtee

PerformanceOct. 20, 2015

The best of hallyu in 2 decades

Psy, Big Bang and TVXQ are among the five acts that best represent K-pop, according to a recent survey on the nation’s best hallyu content of all time. According to the Korea Creative Content Agency, which released the poll Tuesday, the remaining two in the top five K-pop acts are Girls’ Generation and BoA; while the list for most popular Korean TV dramas and shows to-date are: “Jewel in the Palace,” “Winter Sonata,” “My Love from the Star,” “Autumn in My Heart” and reality TV show “Running Man.

CultureOct. 20, 2015

Big Bang likely to extend contract with YG

Big Bang, whose contract with YG Entertainment is set to expire in mid-2016, is highly likely to stay with the agency, a local report said, citing unidentified sources at the music industry. “Since the members have to renew their contract, it has been difficult to arrange their next year’s schedule,” said the source. “However, YG officials have hinted that they will stay with the agency.”  (OSEN)Earlier this year, while celebrating the 10th year anniversary of the group’s debut under the label,

PerformanceOct. 20, 2015

Colorful season for men

As Seoul has a reputation for trendy men whose devotion to fashion and skin care tops in the world, menswear collections by Seoul-based designers are some of the must-see shows at the ongoing Seoul Fashion Week.  Beyond Closet (left), Helch es Helch (SFW)Here are the highlights of menswear shows from Friday to Sunday. Munsoo KwonOne of the hottest emerging menswear designers in the Korean fashion scene, Munsoo Kwon presented light, sporty looks for the 2016 spring-summer season Saturday.Inspired

Arts & DesignOct. 19, 2015

Korean design students’ works displayed at Olympic Council of Asia

Two art installations by a handful of Korean college students are on display at the main offices of the Olympic Council of Asia in Kuwait. The students, who all major in design and belong to the design cooperatives Space Bar and Illumination, spent six months creating two pieces ― “10,000 Bolts and Nuts” and “The Spirit of 10,000 Hours” ― which were commissioned by the OCA, the organizer of the Asian Games. Following the students’ wishes, the pieces were donated to the OCA and the students recei

PerformanceOct. 19, 2015

[Herald Review] YB celebrates 20 years

Performing to a sold-out audience at the 1,000-seat LG Arts Center in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul, one of Korea’s most iconic rock bands demonstrated the secret to its vibrant two-decade career: its continued evolution in music with its songs growing together with their fans.“Music is made by musicians,” said YB bassist Park Tae-hee on Sunday, the last day of the four-day Seoul concert “20-years.” “But music also matures the musician. It’s right here, when we’re connecting with our fans, that we

PerformanceOct. 19, 2015