Korean office laid bare

In 2003, Eric Surdej, a French sales expert with experience working at Sony and Toshiba, decided to join LG Electronics, seeking out new challenges in his career.He knew about Koreans’ reputation of being extremely difficult to work with, but didn’t care too much. He was determined to see for himself the inner workings of the enigmatic Korean company he believed would soon pose a major challenge to more established brands from the U.S., Europe and Japan. This company would be unstoppable once it

BooksAug. 6, 2015

Big Bang releases new ‘E’ EP

Big Bang revealed its much-awaited, brand new EP at midnight Wednesday. Titled “E,” the album is the fourth and last installment of the group’s “MADE” series and comprises two tracks -- “Zutter” and “Let‘s Not Fall in Love.”The release came directly following an hour-long live broadcast on Naver’s V, a new app that allows Hallyu celebrities to stream live videos and chat with fans in real time. Also revealed during the broadcast were making-of reels for the new songs’ music videos, which feature

PerformanceAug. 5, 2015

[Herald Interview] Actress Uhm Jeong-hwa eager for more roles, challenges

When people talk about Uhm Jeong-hwa’s career as an actress, they often describe it as having begun with a successful transition from her singing career. Uhm’s long and diverse filmography certainly confirms that it was successful -- but at an interview at a cafe in Seoul on Monday, Uhm emphasized that it wasn’t a transition. “I actually debuted as an actress,” she said. “It just happened to take me eight years to find my second movie.” During that time, Uhm built her name as a sexy and charisma

FilmAug. 5, 2015

Out of the sun

For some, summer might mean a time to strip down and get toasty in the sun; Koreans, however, have developed a myriad of ingenious ways to shield themselves as much as possible from the harsh rays. Granted, the aversion to sun may not be as great as it is in China, where vacationers frequently don “face-kinis” -- rubber masks that cover the skin of the entire face -- when going to the beach, according to recent news reports. A woman veils her face with a scarf to escape the sun in this July 2015

CultureAug. 5, 2015

Enjoy clean-air fitness at Millennium Seoul Hilton

Every summer, Koreans are faced with relatively few options to beat the scorching heat.Some hop on a plane and travel overseas for sightseeing and shopping, while others stay in the country and drive long hours to beaches like Haeundae to enjoy a splash of ocean waves and a suntan.And there are those who would rather work in their air-conditioned office and save their vacation for later, rather than travel and rub shoulders with the crowd.A fresh option is beginning to gain attention ― hotels.No

CultureAug. 5, 2015

Wonder Girls back as a sultry retro band

JYP Entertainment’s signature girl group Wonder Girls are back after three years and two months with their long-awaited third studio album “Reboot.” The Wonder Girls pose for the media at Hyundai Card Understage in Hannam-dong, Seoul, Monday. (Yonhap)Newly reorganized into a four-member band, the Wonder Girls now consists of Lim on guitar, Sunmi on bass, Yenny on the keyboard and Yubin on drums.“It feels really strange and new to be back after three years,” said Lim at a press showcase Monday at

PerformanceAug. 4, 2015

Splendor and simplicity of Korean art

Rare pieces of Korean traditional art, spanning from the Bronze Age to the 19th-century Joseon era, have been brought together to present the exquisite beauty of Korean art this summer. The Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art showcases national treasures of Korea and valuable Korean artifacts on loan from leading foreign art institutions that highlight lavish features, exquisite details and refined artistry.  Crown, 5-6th century, Gaya (Leeum)In contrast to the Leeum exhibition exploring the opulence o

CultureAug. 4, 2015

New musical film festival to kick off

A new festival combining musicals and movies is to kick off at Chungmuro, a district in Seoul traditionally known for its concentration of filmmakers and performers, Chungmu Art Hall announced Tuesday.Titled the Chungmuro International Musical Film Festival, the event will allow participants to view both musicals and musical films -- including theater staples like “The Phantom of the Opera,” the Broadway hit “Jersey Boys,” and classic '70s and '80s flicks such as “Grease” and “Hair Spray.” Also

PerformanceAug. 4, 2015

External beauty in ‘Beauty Inside?’

The upcoming film “The Beauty Inside,” which depicts a man who transforms into a different person every day, questions what distinct inner qualities make up a person’s identity. At the same time, many of the actors and actresses who play the multifarious main character Woo-jin are those typically revered as “handsome” or “beautiful.”“I understand that many in our cast are very attractive. It’s something that I too realized while editing,” said director Baek Jong-yeol at a press conference Monday

FilmAug. 4, 2015

B.A.P returns to their label following legal strife

K-pop boy band B.A.P is back with agency TS Entertainment, ending a nine-month legal battle against the label.　“B.A.P has returned to TS on Aug. 1,” the company said in an official statement Monday. “Faith has been restored,” it said, signaling the end of disputes over their alleged “slave contracts.”   B.A.P (TS Entertainment)　In November, the group had filed a lawsuit against their agency, claiming their exclusive contracts with TS were unfair and demanded their immediate termination.　All six

Aug. 3, 2015

British photographer captures life inside North Korea

Life inside the reclusive North Korean society has remained a mystery to the people outside. To many, the society poses a grim picture with horrific tales of labor camps and the totalitarian regime‘s surveillance of civilians, as told by defectors. Only few foreign photographers have sought to look beyond those fragmented images and capture an unknown side of the society -- how life manages to go on in such isolation.  　British photographer Nick Danziger is one of the few. His 2013 journey to th

PerformanceAug. 3, 2015

Anniversary revitalized ‘The Last Empress’ soaks in nationalism

The first Korean musical shown on Broadway and London’s West End, the first Korean musical to perform more than 1,000 shows and the first Korean musical to reach an audience of more than 130 million worldwide -- “The Last Empress” -- is now on its 20th anniversary open-run in Seoul.After premiering in 1995 at the Seoul Arts Center, the historical production became an unforeseen local and international success never-before experienced in Korea, setting milestones in the country’s relatively short

CultureAug. 2, 2015

Weekend box office guide

Heading to theaters this weekend but not sure what to watch?The Korea Herald offers a summary of the top box office hits now playing or movies that are coming soon.For the first weekend of August, check out "Mission: Impossible -- Rogue Nation" for Hollywood action blockbuster or “Assassination” for an edge-of-your-seat historical thriller. "Veteran," starring actors Hwang Jung-min and Yoo Ah-in, comes out on Aug. 5.Veteran (Korea)Opening Aug.5Action. Directed by Ryoo Seung-wanWhen hot-headed ve

FilmJuly 31, 2015

Travel Bits

Korail launches city toursKorail, the state-run railway operator, has launched nationwide city tour programs.In partnership with regional administrative governments and the Korea Tourism Organization, the Rail City Tour program will enable tourists to take Korail’s trains to local provincial areas and then use regional tour buses for sightseeing and shopping.It will begin offering the tour in cities such as Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan, Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province and Jecheon

TravelJuly 31, 2015

Around the Hotels

Beach-themed partyat W Hotel Seoul - WalkerhillW Hotel Seoul – Walkerhill is presenting the “Summer Escape Party,” a resort-themed summer party with music by local DJs, at the hotel’s stylish WooBar on Aug. 8. For the party, the bar will be filled with beach decorations including sunbeds, beach towels, parasols, surf boards, floating tubes and more. The dress code for the party is “beach attire.”A number of renowned local DJs will perform, including DJ Gio Vanhoutte, who is W Hotel Seoul’s music

TravelJuly 31, 2015

A world of quality red meat

Gather all carnivores: Amid summery salads and the health fad of green juices, one restaurant in the trending Gyeongnidan district is unabashedly exploring the world of quality red meat. From German sausages to Spanish jamon and homemade American bacon, available at the newly opened John Cook Deli Meats Gyeongnidan branch is a plethora of assorted meats, cooked in a variety of styles from all over the world. Texas BBQ Spare Rib (John Cook Deli Meats)“Our idea was to provide authentic meats from

FoodJuly 31, 2015

Melding of music styles

Guitarist Jiro Yoshida poses with his signature Takamine electric guitar on July 7. (Chung Hee-cho/ The Korea Herald) Giving me a copy of his most recent CD, guitarist Jiro Yoshida explained that it uses a high-resolution audio CD format that yields more dynamic sound when played on a special CD player. “It took six months to record because we needed to find just the right setting for this format. For example, the instruments had to be 2 meters away from the microphones,” said Yoshida, who was i

PerformanceJuly 31, 2015