Barbed wires become canvas for art

PAJU, Gyeonggi Province ― Just a few kilometers south of the Demilitarized Zone runs a long line of barbed wire fences, separating the rice fields in the south and no-man’s land in the north. Imjingang River also crosses the world’s most fortified border between South and North Korea. It is a tense and hostile area, with a man shot to death trying to cross to the Nouth in September 2013. In this area, a white signpost reads “Hello” in Korean on both sides. Looking alien in its surroundings, the

PerformanceApril 23, 2015

Namolla Family bringing more than just laughter with ‘Hot Show 2’

The saying “laughter is the best medicine” may just be an old adage to some, but to entertainers Kim Kyoung-wook, Kim Tae-hwan and Ko Jang-whan of comedy trio Namolla Family, it’s a line that sums up their philosophy of life. In fact, they go even further to say that “a world without laughter is a world not worth living.”Following the success of “Namolla Family Hot Show 1,” a live variety show held in the trendy performance hot spot of Seoul’s Daehangno last year, the comedians are back with the

PerformanceApril 23, 2015

SM addresses Tao’s exit rumor

SM Entertainment has expressed its intent to mend a fractured relationship with Tao, a member of K-pop boy band EXO, amid rumors that the 22-year-old would quit the 10-member group. “Lately, we were in the middle of discussing with Tao and his father the possibility of continuing his music career in China, so we feel unfortunate that this kind of letter was posted online,” said EXO’s label SM Entertainment on Thursday in an official statement. “Nevertheless, our company is seeking ways to develo

April 23, 2015

Temple home from home for Korea’s Sikhs

Down a small back street in a run-down suburb in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, is an inauspicious, two-story red brick building. If there were no sign on the outside, it could be mistaken for a school, a factory or even a low-security prison.It is actually the Gurudwara Singh Sabha ― the beating heart of South Korea’s Sikh community. As the country’s only Sikh temple, it is a place where South Korea’s 500 or so Sikhs gather, and is even home to some lay members.For Manjit Singh, 35, a businessman

Expat LivingApril 22, 2015

Tibetan Buddhist leader to speak, host retreat in Seoul

Buddhist leader the Sakya Trizin will visit Korea in early May to give a talk and lead a religious retreat.The Sakya Trizin, who is the head of the Sakya Order, one of the four major orders in Tibetan Buddhism, will arrive in Korea on May 5.The visit is being organized by Shechen Korea, a Tibetan Buddhist group, which has brought several high-level Buddhists to Korea over the last few years.Shechen Korea head monk Yongsoo said his group had been trying to bring the Sakya Trizin since 2007 and wa

Expat LivingApril 22, 2015

Visit Joseon palaces during royal culture festival

Royal life will unfold at Seoul’s four historic palaces during the first Royal Culture Festival in May. From May 2-10, the Joseon-era palaces ― Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung and Deoksugung ― and Jongmyo Shrine invite locals and foreigners to immerse themselves in all things royal. “The Cultural Heritage Administration has held programs that would bring citizens and foreign tourists closer to royal palaces such as the night tour program at Changdeokgung Palace. This festival bring

CultureApril 22, 2015

Soul and Seoul in the ‘Age of Ultron’

Director Joss Whedon dispenses with all introductions and jumps straight into the action in the hotly anticipated “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” The opening sequence kicks off with the Avengers raiding a HYDRA stronghold in the snowy mountains of Sokovia, kicking, punching and blasting their way to capture Loki’s powerful scepter. From there, the action never slows down throughout the 140-minute film screened for the media at CGV Wangsimni on Tuesday. But between the heavy gunfire and scorched metal

FilmApril 22, 2015

The evolution of shopping spaces

Park Jae-hun, 25, heads over to a casual menswear shop in Itaewon to buy some short-sleeve shirts for the upcoming summer season. While browsing, he notices a shelf full of bath soaps by the wall and a display of sunglasses and backpacks nearby. Even though they are not what he originally intended to buy, Park is intrigued and looks through the items anyway. After shopping, he orders a drink and relaxes at the cafe inside the shop. The Series Corner flagship store in Itaewon has been decorated l

Arts & DesignApril 22, 2015

Soprano Hong Hei-kyung to return to local opera stage

Having enjoyed more than three decades at the top of the international opera scene, New York Metropolitan Opera veteran and local soprano icon Hong Hei-kyung has her eyes set on Mozart, rather than retirement. After debuting with Mozart’s “The Clemency of Titus” at the Met in 1984, Hong is making her return to the Korean operatic stage for the first time in a decade, tackling another Mozart classic, “The Marriage of Figaro,” as the Countess Rosina Almaviva. “Unlike performing a recital, an opera

PerformanceApril 21, 2015

[Herald Interview] U.K. piano prodigy Grosvenor to hold first concert in Korea

Benjamin Grosvenor is one of the rising stars in today’s international piano scene, but his playing is not like that of any of his contemporary competitors. Called by some the “Golden Age” pianist for his admiration of the 20th-century piano greats, the British musician has publicly displayed his disillusionment with how today’s piano virtuosi play. Benjamin Grosvenor (Decca/Sophie Wright)“The wonderful thing about that (Golden Age) era of pianists is their individuality,” Grosvenor, 22, told Th

PerformanceApril 21, 2015

[Herald Review] Two families with disabilities, two very different stories

Two films about families struggling with disabilities will hit theaters side by side on April 23, three days after the designated national day to raise awareness about physical disabilities. Despite their common subject matter, the films present a striking contrast in their portrayals of life with disabilities.The first film is “Glittering Hands,” the first full-length feature film from 25-year-old Lee-Kil Bora that received accolades at the Seoul Independent Film Festival and the Persons with D

FilmApril 21, 2015

Ivan Fischer conducts RCO in homage to Beethoven

Pianist-turned-renowned conductor Ivan Fischer has retaken the helm of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, returning to Seoul to showcase his four-day homage to the symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven. Noted as one of the most prominent Hungarian conductors of his generation, Fischer is guest conducting the historic RCO, now in its 127th year, for four consecutive nights in Seoul starting Monday at the Seoul Arts Center.  Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. (Simon Van Boxtel/Vincero)“It’s bee

PerformanceApril 20, 2015

Spring outing in Seoul off the beaten path

This is the fourth and last installment of a series introducing Korea’s springtime tourist destinations. ― Ed.Korea is once again celebrating spring, which provides an opportunity of warm weather amid the country’s tempestuous seasonal fluctuations. For those who want to revel in the outdoors this season, away from the crowds that occupy outing hotspots, The Korea Herald suggests three lesser-known but picturesque locations in Seoul.The Hangdong Railroad, located in Guro-gu, now serves mainly as

TravelApril 20, 2015

Yuri confirmed dating baseball player

Yuri, a member of K-pop group Girls’ Generation, has been dating baseball player Oh Seung-hwan for six months, SM Entertainment confirmed Monday. “Yuri and Oh have developed romantic feelings for each other since they first met at a social gathering late last year,” the agency said through a press release. The confirmation came after a local weekly newspaper reported earlier in the day that Yuri, 24, and Oh, 32, had been romantically involved since November.  YuriAccording to the media outlet, t

April 20, 2015

Jo to make West End debut

Musical actor Jo Sang-woong has been cast for the part of Thuy in the West End musical “Miss Saigon.”According to Cameron Mackintosh, the production company behind the musical’s London revival, Jo will be replacing Korean actor Hong Kwang-ho for the part starting May 11. He will be a member of the new cast for the production’s second year at the Prince Edward Theatre in West End. Jo Sang-woong. (Project H)“Miss Saigon” is one of the world’s most successful musicals. It is an adaptation of Puccin

PerformanceApril 20, 2015

With or without Jobs, Mark Rothko strikes a chord with Koreans

At the Mark Rothko retrospective currently underway in Seoul, Steve Jobs shares the spotlight with the American abstract painter. The introduction wall to the exhibition displays a photo of Rothko (1903-1970) alongside that of the Apple founder (1955-2011), each supplemented by quotes apparently selected to serve a purpose ― linking the spiritual worlds of the two whose life had never crossed. In advertisements and leaflets, Rothko’s paintings are billed as “the paintings that Steve Jobs loved.”

PerformanceApril 19, 2015