Calendar

Dance“Prince Hodong”: The Korean National Ballet is slated to restage its production of “Prince Hodong,” an original work based on the traditional Korean tale “Princess Nakrang and Prince Hodong” ― a dramatic cultural tale of love, war and death. The ballet is a modernized retelling of the classic tale, combining elements of Western artistic culture with traditional Korean culture. “Prince Hodong” will be staged on Aug. 29 and 30 at the Sungnam Arts Center in Seoul. For more information, call (0

CultureAug. 8, 2014

Chef in ‘Hundred-Foot Journey’ serves up feast for the eyes

When chef Floyd Cardoz arrived in France last year, he knew he’d spend most of his time cooking. What he didn’t expect was a quest for the perfect Hollywood shot that would force him to roast a wild bird artfully stuffed with truffles ― 12 times.“I asked someone, ‘Do you really need this amount of food?’” Cardoz said. “There were takes and retakes, and a lot of the food just gets thrown out. For me, that was a learning experience.”Cardoz spent five days working elbow-to-elbow with eight other ch

FilmAug. 8, 2014

Eyelike: Ra.D returns with groovy beats

Ra.D returns with groovy beats“Soundz” Ra.D (LOEN Entertainment)Ra.D is back at last with his signature mellow tunes and relaxing beats. And it seems that the singer has been busy over the last six years, for his third studio album features 12 tracks, all written and produced by the artist himself. Ra.D brings many variations of love-inspired music on his new album, which overall is best described as calm yet groovy. The lead single “For Me” is a light and funky R&B track featuring pronounced ba

PerformanceAug. 8, 2014

Box Office

The Fault in our Stars (U.S.)Opening August 13Drama, Romance. Directed by Josh BooneBased on John Green’s best-selling novel of the same name, “The Fault in our Stars” centers on a 16-year-old thyroid cancer patient Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley) who attends a cancer support group because her parents insist that she make some friends. It is at the group that she serendipitously meets Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort), an 18-year-old teen whose basketball career was cut short when he lost

FilmAug. 8, 2014

Craving peace on the DMZ train

As the train pulls out of Seoul Station and begins moving down the tracks, the scenery seems all wrong. Instead of crossing the Hangang River, we’re passing the Severance Hospital. It’s a strange sensation, after years of departing on southbound trains for Daejeon or Busan, to be heading northward now to the DMZ.Launched in May, the DMZ Peace Train runs twice a day to Dorasan Station, across from the North Korean city of Gaeseong. Now South Korea’s northernmost train station, the $40 million fac

TravelAug. 8, 2014

Greek isles: Views, beaches, sunsets and crowds

SANTORINI, Greece (AP) ― Whitewashed houses stacked like sugar cubes on the cliffs. Colorful sunsets and black-sand beaches. Donkeys, windmills and a local winemaking tradition that goes back to ancient times. These are some of the things that stood out on a visit to the Cyclades, a Greek island chain in the Aegean Sea. Little wonder the place draws gaggles of visitors ― enough to make even crowd-loving extroverts long for a peaceful island paradise. Oh, wait ― that’s why we were there. And that

TravelAug. 8, 2014

Summer fruit crumble at Canvas Cake

There is a method to Canvas Cake pastry chef Choi Yoon-young’s nectarine crumble, a dish that appears deceptively messy at first glance but, after that first bite, proves to be a studied interplay of textures and flavors. The veteran baker keeps the skins on the summer fruit to give the dessert a “pinkish hue.” Heaps of brown and white sugar and plenty of butter are used unsparingly to give the topping sprinkled over the juicy nectarines its crisp sweetness, while toasted almonds and Tahitian va

FoodAug. 8, 2014

Around the hotels

Seafood Night at Conrad Seoul Conrad Seoul’s buffet restaurant Zest is holding a seafood night every Tuesday during the month of August. Zest’s open kitchen and live cooking stations will showcase seafood dishes from around the world. Highlights include marinated chili crab in the Korean section, a tuna-carving table at the Japanese corner, and fresh seafood ingredients cooked to order at the Teppanyaki station. In addition, guests can sample steamed snow crab and grilled scallops, to name just

TravelAug. 8, 2014

Hobak buchim (zucchini pancakes)

Hobak buchim (zucchini pancakes) (Korean Bapsang)One of my favorite things to make with summer zucchinis is hobak buchim. Like pajeon and kimchijeon, hobak buchim (also called buchimgae) is a variation of savory Korean pancakes. You can make this recipe simply with zucchini, or add some other vegetables such as perilla leaves, chili peppers, scallions or onions to complement. I added sliced sweet onions in this recipe. Salt the julienned zucchinis and squeeze out the liquid for a crunchy texture

FoodAug. 8, 2014

Psy filming ‘Daddy’ music video

PsyRapper Psy is currently shooting the music video for his upcoming track “Daddy” around major cities in Korea, local news outlets reported.Filming for the music video kicked off in Seoul on Aug. 3 and took place mainly in the capital and Busan.News about the filming went viral after some Busan residents posted what they saw on social networking sites. Psy was seen making monkey-like dance moves for an hour with an electric sign that read “Psy in the sky” and a slew of skyscrapers in the backgr

Aug. 8, 2014

2PM to come back with self-composed song

South Korean boy band 2PM will make a grand return to the K-pop scene in September, the group’s agency JYP Entertainment announced Friday. 　The six-member band plans to drop the fourth studio album and EP in Korea and Japan, respectively, more than a year after it released the third studio album “Grown.” The soon-to-be-released albums will include different songs apart from the title track. 　The upcoming album is attracting a bigger spotlight than ever as its title song was written by 2PM’s memb

Aug. 8, 2014

Park Gun-hyung to marry noncelebrity 11 years younger

Actor Park Gun-hyung and a female model appear on the photo editorial for fashion magazine Gentleman.Actor Park Gun-hyung will tie the knot in October with her noncelebrity fiancee, NAMOOACTORS Co. confirmed on Friday.Park, 37, and his fiancee have been dating for two years, the agency said. The bride-to-be is 11 years younger than Park. The marriage on Oct. 20 will be a private affair, inviting only family and close friends.“He has commenced a new life as a man. We ask for your support with Par

Aug. 8, 2014

‘It’s Okay, That’s Love’ Lee Sung-kyoung flaunts funky threads

Model and actress Lee Sung-kyoung has appeared in a photo shoot for fashion brand LAP. Lee matched various patterned items and showed off a unique, funky vibe. She also wore unique hairbands. Lee has enjoyed rising popularity through her latest drama, “It’s Okay, That’s Love,” on SBS. By Cho Han-na, Intern reporter (hnncho@heraldcorp.com)(Picture credit: LAP)

Aug. 8, 2014

Lee Jong-suk says he is ‘blooming’

Actor Lee Jong-suk shared a few photos showing his recent life for fans on Friday.　“How are you doing? I am lost and wandering for the last month. ... Just like you said, I am blooming while being shaken. ... Hmm!!! Thus, I am growing up well!” Lee wrote on Weibo. In the photos, thought to have been taken in the U.S., the 26-year-old heartthrob is beaming while making V-signs in exotic streets. 　The model-turned-actor made his drama debut in 2010. He recently gained acclaim for his role as a Nor

Aug. 8, 2014

JYJ’s new album ranks 4th on Billboard

K-pop boy band JYJ’s long-awaited new album “Just Us” reached fourth place on the latest Billboard world album chart on Thursday.The global music chart is ranked in terms of sales data compiled by music sales tracker Nielsen Soundscan. Irish band Gaelic Storm topped the latest chart with its greatest hits compilation album, “Best of Gaelic Storm.” JYJ (C-JeS Entertainment)Released on July 29, “Just Us” is the group’s second full-length album, released three years after its debut record “The Begi

Aug. 8, 2014

Son Dam-bi shows 'sexy healthiness'

K-pop singer Son Dam-bi mixed her charming looks with a healthy theme for style magazine High Cut. Released on Aug. 7, the singer posed in sports jackets, leggings and sneakers, carrying bags of fruit and vegetables.By Cho Han-na, Intern reporter (hnncho@heraldcorp.com)(Picture credit: High Cut)

Aug. 8, 2014

Lee Hyori keeps fame in sexy summer editorial

K-pop diva Lee Hyori’s sexy charisma won over readers in a recent photoshoot for fashion magazine 1st Look. The K-pop star showed off her new hairdo — a short bob. She also wore a range of outfits, including a blue top and a pair of “boyfriend-style” jeans from SPA brand JOE FRESH. By Cho Han-na, Intern reporter (hnncho@heraldcorp.com)(Picture credit: 1st Look)

Aug. 8, 2014