Jangpangak, the woodblock archive

ANDONG, North Gyeongsang Province ― They say to see the real Korea, one must visit Andong, the home of Korean Confucianism. But even in this historic city, the real gems are hidden far off the beaten track. One such treasure waiting to be discovered is the collection of tens of thousands of woodblocks housed at Jangpangak, a storage facility in a peaceful little town called Seobu-ri. Tucked away at the foot of a hill overlooking the hamlet and a nearby lake, Jangpangak is the depository of the 6

CultureDec. 21, 2014

[Herald Review] A ballet to bring out the ‘rage’ within

Twenty-five dancers, 70 minutes, 11 frantically energetic scenes and no intermission: “Rage” truly turns classic ballet on its head and gives the poetic dance form a modern, fury-provoking twist. Seoul Ballet Theater’s latest production is not what the general public might expect from a night at the ballet. Unlike a traditional performance, “Rage” is action-packed, nonstop adrenaline with dancers running across and around the stage in a constant state of unrest. The choreography was the brainchi

PerformanceDec. 21, 2014

Coelho says Sony hack threatens all

GENEVA (AP) ― Brazilian author Paulo Coelho says the Sony hack threatens us all if society doesn’t enforce important values: our individual and collective freedom of expression and an unwavering refusal to negotiate with anonymous terrorists. The best-selling author said in an interview Friday with The Associated Press that he was prepared to make himself an example ― even if it meant inviting criticism and potential threats ― if Sony Pictures had taken him up on his $100,000 offer for the right

FilmDec. 21, 2014

Furious at leaks, Madonna releases songs early

NEW YORK (AFP) ― Madonna on Saturday suddenly released six new songs months ahead of schedule, furious that early versions had leaked online in what she had described as “artistic rape.”The songs will appear on the pop icon’s first album in three years, “Rebel Heart,” which comes out in March. The six tracks show Madonna going further in a hip-hop direction and include a collaboration with leading female rapper Nicki Minaj.The Material Girl said she decided to put the songs on sale online after

PerformanceDec. 21, 2014

[Weekender] The rise of cable TV

On any given Seoul subway train on any ordinary weekday morning, the majority of the passengers are engrossed in texting, reading and watching videos on their smartphones.But the gadgets are not the only difference between them and members of the older generation, who used to read newspapers and books on their way to work. Younger Koreans are increasingly becoming addicted not to prime-time KBS dramas, but also to shows like “Misaeng (Incomplete Life)” by cable network tvN. Viewers with increasi

TelevisionDec. 19, 2014

[Weekender] Alternative content draws younger viewers

Kim Jun-hyung, a 32-year-old Seoulite, used to think local TV dramas were for “ajummas” ― a Korean term for middle-aged housewives ― until he accidentally watched the first episode of tvN’s “Misaeng (Incomplete Life).” “I could relate to the characters instantly because I am just as overworked as they are,” he said about the popular show, which is about the everyday lives of office workers at a competition-driven trading company. “I loved how there is no romance for some lazy chaebol character w

TelevisionDec. 19, 2014

[Weekender] French celebrity finds success on cable TV

The increase in cable television networks in South Korea has given rise to an array of new personalities, including ones from other countries. Among them is Robin Deiana, a French national with Italian ancestry who has made Korea his second home.Known among Korean fans by his first name, Deiana is best known as a panelist on the popular JTBC show “Nonsummit,” a program featuring expats living in Korea. The panel discusses Korean issues such as filial piety, education and dating from foreign pers

TelevisionDec. 19, 2014

Calendar

Pop music“All Night Stand”: Just as he did last year, Psy will be returning to the stage for his “All Night Stand” holiday concert series. Psy has held holiday concerts each year for the past decade, with last year’s four-day event attracting a total of 60,000 fans. The man who defined Gangnam style will be hosting a series of shows from Dec. 20-24, with two separate performances on Christmas Eve. The shows will be held at Seoul Olympic Park’s Gymnastics Stadium with ticket prices ranging from 7

CultureDec. 19, 2014

Embroidery elevated to an art form

From the outside, the private museum looks like any other apartment unit in Seoul. Open the metal door, however, and your eyes are dazzled by what unfolds before you: an entire apartment filled with embroideries on the wall, embroidered folding screens, and cabinets and tables decorated with intricate embroideries. In fact, every surface seems to be covered with needlework.Some of them are so fine and intricate that from a distance they appear to be paintings. Some are so hyperrealistic that the

PerformanceDec. 19, 2014

‘Sniper’ brings Eastwood back, a lot closer to the bull’s eye

The acting drops away from Bradley Cooper’s performance as “deadliest American sniper” Chris Kyle. Cooper bulked up, kept a pinch between his lower lip and jaw and became a man of few drawled words, the perfect Clint Eastwood hero in Eastwood’s film “American Sniper.”The director, who has seemed distracted if not downright bored with his recent films ― “Jersey Boys” was sort of a post-orangutan low ― returns to form with a clean kill of a movie, an unfussy combat film that only drifts in a third

FilmDec. 19, 2014

Box Office: The Tailors, The Hobbit, Ode to My Father

The Tailors (Korea)Opening Dec. 24Drama. Directed by Lee Won-suk“The Tailors” is the story of two tailors: Jo Dol-seok (Han Suk-kyu), the head of Sanguiwon, the office in charge of royal attire in the Joseon era (1392-1910), and Lee Gong-jin (Gosu), a rebellious, skilled young designer who sets his fashion career in motion by designing the most outrageous and artistic hanbok of the time. When Dol-seok, an orthodox designer, becomes jealous of Gong-jin’s talent, their friendly competition escalat

FilmDec. 19, 2014

Eyelike: Flaming Lips fail with ‘Sgt. Pepper’ cover

Flaming Lips fail with ‘Sgt. Pepper’ coverThe Flaming Lips“With a Little Help from My Fwends”(Warner Bros.) Ever wonder what “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” would sound like sung by robots? Me neither, but here’s the answer.The Flaming Lips have recorded a full-length tribute to the Beatles’ 1967 album, and the music is even more far-out and psychedelic than the landmark original. This daft pop is silly, bombastic, druggy, irreverent and rude, with lots of bleeps and blasts, but it’s not

PerformanceDec. 19, 2014

Holidays are merry moneymakers for theme parks

LOS ANGELES ― While children waited in line to snap photos with Santa Claus, the aroma of freshly steamed tamales and hot cocoa lingered in the warm fall air.“Yay, it’s snowing,” a teenage girl screamed at the tiny bubbles that masqueraded as the white stuff sprayed from electric blowers hidden in nearby trees. Christmas tunes blared from outdoor speakers, the music mixing with the rumble of a roller coaster speeding along steel tracks.The holidays have arrived in a big way for the first time at

TravelDec. 19, 2014

Public art aplenty in Boulder City, Nevada

BOULDER CITY, Nevada ― Your savvy, but ultimately foolhardy, tourist on his way to Hoover Dam will take a sharp left on the Highway 93 bypass and avoid this city’s “historic” downtown altogether.Yet what the traveler saves in time and gas mileage, always important in these frugal times, he will lose in the immeasurable realm of the sublime. He will miss a lovely Art Deco-drenched, Depression-era town forged by the New Deal, a town that takes aesthetics so seriously in its urban core that it coul

TravelDec. 19, 2014

Festive holiday eats in Seoul

With the holiday season in full swing, restaurants and hotels throughout the city are celebrating with special dinners, drinks and parties. Here’s a guide to where to go for some festive grub and refreshments. Holiday dinnersChristmas Eve at the BeastroOn Christmas Eve, pastry-encased braised beef cheeks with a red wine bone marrow sauce and gingerbread cake with egg nog panna cotta will be featured as special additions to the Hongdae-based restaurant the Beastro’s menu, which will also be spinn

FoodDec. 19, 2014

Blue cheese, walnuts take chicken to another level

A dish that comes together quickly can not only look pretty, but wow in the flavor department as well. That is, if you don’t overcook the chicken.But here’s my tip for getting moist boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Sear first, then bake them. To do this, it’s a good idea to use a skillet that’s not nonstick but is ovenproof. You’ll get a better sear on the chicken if it’s not nonstick. First, sear the chicken in the ovenproof skillet and then transfer it to a preheated oven to finish the cook

FoodDec. 19, 2014