[Weekender] Taking pause from 30 years in top gear

After working nonstop for 30 years, Sohn Ji-ae, former president and CEO of Arirang TV and Radio, who left her post at the end of February after two and a half years, is relishing what she calls her “mid-life time out.” “March 1 marks my independence from institutions,” said Sohn on Wednesday in an interview with The Korea Herald.“My career has been so fast, in top gear,” she said of her whirlwind career that started at Business Korea, a monthly magazine, saw her as a correspondent for the New Y

PeopleApril 25, 2014

Calendar

 Classical musicJordi Savall and Hesperion XXI: Early-music heavyweight Jordi Savall will bring his Hesperion XXI ensemble to Korea for a concert titled “Orient & Occident.” He will play music composed in the Mediterranean area from the 13th to 18th centuries as part of his efforts to bridge the gap between the Islamic Arab region and Christian Europe through music. The Hesperion XXI, an ensemble Savall put together, will feature three players of traditional Arab instruments. Savall himself will

CultureApril 25, 2014

Captain Comics: Look back for the history of ‘Winter Soldier’

“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” has blown the doors off theaters across the world. But it didn’t spring out of a screenwriter’s brow: A lot of it has happened before in comics, most of which has been collected in one form or another.Warning: Spoilers ahead. But, honestly, is that necessary? Boxofficemojo.com says “Winter Soldier” earned $317.7 million abroad and $159 million domestically by April 14; is there anybody who wants to see it but hasn’t yet? Well, if so, the 89 percent positive

FilmApril 25, 2014

Box Office: 10 Minutes, My Father's Emails, Han Gong-ju

10 Minutes (Korea), Opened April 24Drama. Directed by Lee Yong-seung. Ho-chan (Baek Jong-hwan) takes an internship position at a state-run agency, while dreaming of becoming a TV producer one day. He works hard as an intern, just as hard as full-time workers, volunteering to work overtime and even giving up his weekends to attend his senior colleague’s social gatherings. He feels conflicted when he is asked to work as a stable full-time worker, as he doesn’t know if the job offer is worth giving

FilmApril 25, 2014

Eyelike: MC5‘s Wayne Kramer returns with jazz album

MC5’s Wayne Kramer returns with jazz albumWayne Kramer“Lexington”(Industrial Amusement)It’s been 14 years since Wayne Kramer released an album, and the former MC5 guitarist says he expects fans of his work with that seminal punk-metal band might be annoyed with his journey into improv jazz in “Lexington.”Baffled might have been a better word choice, but those who stick around until the end will be pleasantly surprised -- and rewarded.Kramer, who in recent years has been busy scoring films such a

PerformanceApril 25, 2014

Courtyard by Marriott Seoul Pangyo to open

As more travelers pursue efficiency, new hotels opening in Korea have become smaller and more functional.Courtyard by Marriott Seoul Pangyo is the latest example of such functional hotels that aim to meet modern travelers’ expectations. Its target customers are young business travelers and tourists wishing to stay close to landmarks and attractions. It is scheduled to open on April 29 in the newly developed residential city of Pangyo, which is home to Korea’s major IT companies. NCsoft, AhnLab a

TravelApril 25, 2014

Attempting to answer the unanswerable at Magoksa Temple

In traditional Korean culture, people bow once when greeting the living, twice when paying respect to the dead and three times when venerating a Buddhist shrine or a senior monk or nun. “So why do we bow three times to a monk?” an instructor asked in a bowing tutorial session during a three-day templestay program at Magoksa Temple in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province. “Because they are more than human,” one Chinese exchange student hesitantly replied, unsure whether her answer was correct. “Goo

TravelApril 25, 2014

Italian with a nose at Gallina Daisy

Gallina Daisy, a new Italian restaurant that opened in Seoul’s Tongin-dong near Gyeongbokgung Palace, is a subtle charmer of a spot. Low on flamboyance and high on quality, owner-chef Daisy Park’s 30-seat establishment serves up carefully executed fare that slowly unfurls its layers of flavors and textures one bite at a time. There is no big pop of flavor or fancy plating, just tasty, earnest food that treads lightly on the palate, leaving behind a delicate medley of aromas, a feat made possible

FoodApril 25, 2014

Jangjorim (soy-braised beef)

Jangjorim is a soy-braised beef dish. It’s a slightly sweet, salty side dish that’s meant to be eaten in small amounts. So, a little bit of meat goes a long way. Back in the day, when beef was scarce, jangjorim was an economical way to put some beef on the table for the whole family. It’s also a popular side dish for lunch boxes. Growing up, it was the most exciting thing to see in my lunch box.Beef eye round is commonly used, but I prefer brisket (yangjimeori) or shank (satae) because they are

FoodApril 25, 2014

Around the Hotels

Mongolian BBQ at Grand Hilton SeoulGrand Hilton Seoul’s buffet restaurant is kicking off the spring season with an outdoor Mongolian BBQ promotion at the restaurant‘s terrace. Guests will be able to select from a range of quality meat including beef, pork, chicken and lamb, as well as seafood such as shrimp, scallops and squid. The chefs will be barbequing the meat selected by the guests in Mongolian style on the spot. The restaurant’s ingredients are all purchased from Agrosuper, one of the fir

FoodApril 25, 2014

YG CEO to donate W500m for families of Sewol victims

YG Entertainment CEO Yang Hyun-suk will donate 500 million won ($480,000) to help the families of those killed in the ferry sinking last week.The donation will be made through YG’s charity project WITH, which has long used some of YG’s annual profits to help those in need in Korea, according to YG Entertainment.“As a parent myself, it was heart-wrenching to follow the Sewol accident. I know that there are no words that could console the parents who lost their children in this tragedy,” Yang was

April 25, 2014

‘Rebuilding broken lives’

In the wake of disasters, people, whether directly involved or not, are affected in one way or another. For Sendai-based Japanese artist Aono Fumiaki, the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami was an unforgettable disaster. The tsunami washed away parts of his studio and his wife’s family home, leaving only linoleum flooring and some bathroom tiles. The artist started to collect debris and destroyed objects from tsunami-hit areas. He restored them, not to their original forms, but as repu

PerformanceApril 24, 2014

Bach meets modern ballet

After its season-opening gala “Thank You!” in February, Korea’s Universal Ballet Company is premiering a new piece choreographed by Spanish artist Nacho Duato. Titled “Multiplicity, Forms of Silence and Emptiness,” the dance features well-known Baroque compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach and aims to deliver the emotional essence of his music and important moments of the legendary composer’s life. Universal Ballet is the fifth troupe to perform the piece choreographed by Duato, following the Na

PerformanceApril 24, 2014

Bok Geo-il’s novel, play published in English

Two books written by Korean author Bok Geo-il have been published in English, the Literature Translation Institute of Korea said.One is Bok’s sci-fi novel “The Jovian Sayings,” which the author first penned in Korean in 2002. Bok translated the novel into English himself. The story is set in the 29th century, where robots and human beings live on a satellite near Jupiter called Ganymede.The other book, “The Unforgotten War,” is a play depicting the Battle of Jangjin Lake, also known as the Battl

BooksApril 24, 2014

Baekhyun of EXO to star in SM-produced musical

Baek-hyun of EXO. ( SM Entertainment)Baekhyun, a member of K-pop boy band EXO, is venturing into a new genre ― musicals.He will take the lead role in “Singin’ in the Rain,” to be produced by SM Culture & Contents Co., a subsidiary of SM Entertainment.Baekhyun will play Don Lockwood, the male protagonist, in the stage production based on the 1952 namesake musical movie directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen.Fellow SM stars including Super Junior’s Kyuhyun and SHINee’s Onew will also be in the c

April 24, 2014

Michael Bay reboots ‘Transformers’

NEW YORK (AP) ― Summer is the season of Michael Bay. As much as anyone else, Bay ― in movies like “Armageddon,” “Pearl Harbor” and “Transformers” ― has shaped what the summer movie is: its quick-cutting bombast, its visual-effects flourish, its capacity for mass destruction. This summer, he’ll release “Transformers: Age of Extinction” (June 27), the fourth film in the franchise, with a revamped cast led by Mark Wahlberg. The 49-year-old Bay, who also produces “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (Aug.

FilmApril 24, 2014