Lawmakers misspell Obama’s name

What is the name of the U.S. president? Barraco Barner, as a British beautician spelled it in her now world-famous tweet in March? Well, ask some lawmakers in Korea and you might get this: Barak Obama. Rep. An Min-suk and 39 other members of the National Assembly misspelled the U.S. president’s name in a letter they sent to him through an official channel. In the letter, dated April 4, the lawmakers asked Obama to bring a 16th-century royal seal, stolen from Korea and now in the custody of U.S.

CultureApril 7, 2014

‘Captain America’ sets April record with $96.2m

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Disney and Marvel could be one of the finest teams around. Continuing the success of their superhero franchise, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” has set a record as the biggest domestic April release ever. The Disney sequel debuted with $96.2 million, topping the previous record-holder, 2011’s “Fast Five,” which opened with $86.2 million. “The Winter Soldier,” which stars Chris Evans as the shield-wielding superhero and Scarlett Johansson (whose science-fiction film “Unde

FilmApril 7, 2014

K-pop stars big in Japan, bridge diplomatic divide

TOKYO (AFP) ― Thousands of K-pop fans flocked to a major concert by top South Korean music stars in Japan last week, with organizers and fans alike calling it a “bridge” for two nations locked in a never-ending diplomatic squabble.The K-pop juggernaut has been spreading around the world with South Korean music, television and movies making a big splash in countries with few ties to Seoul.But the country’s offerings are particularly loved across the sea in Japan, whose own unique culture has long

April 7, 2014

Akdong Musician tops charts with debut album ‘Play’

“K-pop Star 2” winners Lee Chan-hyuk, 17, and Lee Soo-hyun, 14, of the brother-sister duo Akdong Musician finally released their debut album “Play” on Monday after taking the “K-pop Star” crown more than a year ago. Within hours of its release, the album hit the top of the K-pop charts. It took the top 11 spots on Naver’s real-time music chart while a handful of the album’s singles ranked in the Top Ten list on various online charts with the single “200%” topping all nine local charts.  Chan-hyu

April 7, 2014

‘The Fatal Encounter’ to open in North America in May

A new South Korean historical thriller starring Hyun Bin will open in North American theaters next month, the film’s local distributor said Monday.Directed by Lee Jae-gyu, “The Fatal Encounter” is set to be shown on 25 screens across the region on May 23, Lotte Entertainment said.The movie follows a real-life assassination attempt on King Jeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in his first year on the throne. Jeongjo is portrayed by Hyun Bin in his first role in a period drama and first actin

FilmApril 7, 2014

Crowds gravitate to Nell shows after release of ‘Newton’s Apple’

South Korea’s signature alt-rock band Nell delivered a series of live performances last week at the Blue Square Samsung Card Hall in Seoul, showcasing its new studio album “Newton’s Apple.”Nell’s concert on Friday night was best described as intimate, emotional and sentimental. Throughout the entire performance, the band’s dreamlike sounds and heartfelt lyrics drew in listeners like gravity, living up to the theme of its recent album.Since its debut 15 years ago, Nell has had a distinct style th

April 7, 2014

Grand Hyatt Seoul names new general manager

Grand Hyatt Seoul said Monday that it had named veteran hotelier David Pacey its new general manager. The former general manager at Grand Hyatt Taipei will succeed Peter Walshaw, the longest-serving general manager of Grand Hyatt Seoul. The Australian has served as general manager of the hotel for the last 23 years. On his first assignment to Korea, Pacey served as the general manager of the Hyatt Regency Incheon from 2002 to 2007. Later, he moved on to participate in the openings of Grand Hyatt

PeopleApril 7, 2014

‘Han Gong-ju’ wins top prize in Fribourg

After winning seven trophies from Rotterdam, Marrakech, Busan and Deauville, Korean helmer Lee Su-jin’s award-winning feature debut “Han Gong-ju” nabbed another award this month, this time at the Festival International de Films de Fribourg.The film, which tells the tragic tale of a teenage gang rape victim, had its world premiere at the Marrakech International Film Festival in November, where it won its first international prize, given by a jury headed by Martin Scorsese.Born in 1977, Lee made s

FilmApril 6, 2014

3-D omnibus film to open this year’s Jeonju film festival

A 3-D omnibus film collaborated on by three Korean filmmakers will open this year’s Jeonju International Film Festival, its organizers announced last week.The opening film, titled “Mad Sad Bad,” consists of three short films, each directed by Kim Tae-yong (“Late Autumn,” “Family Ties”), Ryu Seung-wan (“The Berlin File,” “The Unjust”) and Han Ji-seung (“Papa”). While Ryu’s “Ghost” deals with a murder revolving around university students, Kim’s “Picnic” tells the story of a little girl whose young

FilmApril 6, 2014

What art can tell us about society

Hundreds of students take a nap with their heads down on wooden desks. There are piles of books, Coke and juice bottles on the long rows. Posted on the wall are slogans encouraging students to stay awake and study harder. The sight offers a hint of strict study plans and the weight of pressure on students before their big exam day. The exhausting scene recalls the intensive study that Korean students endure in their final year of high school. “The competitive college entrance exam poses a lot of

PerformanceApril 6, 2014

Soprano debuts in two Met Opera roles in 24 hours

NEW YORK (AP) ― Soprano Kristine Opolais has made Metropolitan Opera history, becoming the first singer in its 131 years to debut in two major company roles within 24 hours.The 34-year-old Latvian soprano sang Cio-Cio-San in Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” on Friday night, went to dinner and got to bed at 5 a.m. Met General Manager Peter Gelb called 2 hours later, asking if she could replace ailing Anita Hartig as Mimi in a performance of Puccini’s “La Boheme” that was broadcast live to movie theat

CultureApril 6, 2014

[Band Uprising] Lucite Tokki: classmates-turned-bandmates

As the Korean music market gains more international recognition, the local band scene is looking to rise up and represent the next generation of Korean music. This is the sixth installment of a series of interviews with Korean rock, acoustic and alternative bands. ― Ed. Cho Ye-jin and Kim Sun-young of the acoustic duo Lucite Tokki first met during a college music-writing course. Cho majored in singing while Kim was a guitar major, and as part of a class assignment, the students were asked to spl

April 6, 2014

How Drew Barrymore’s life changed as a new mom

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― As a new mom, Drew Barrymore felt she might sacrifice her famous free-spirited nature for the safety of her 15-month-old daughter. “I try to have a sense of humor about how ... (much) you need to learn and tackle,” she said, “and how to remain fun-loving and not, like, uptight because there’s so much to care about and to learn about.”Though becoming a parent is “the greatest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Barrymore says it’s brought a new level of anxiety. “I’ve never been

FilmApril 6, 2014

Chris Gelken, former Korea Herald editor, dies

Chris Gelken, a former senior associate editor of The Korea Herald, died of cancer on Friday. He was 58.“Today (Friday) at 1:45 p.m. Chris Gelken quietly passed away,” read a message on his Facebook account posted from Limoges, France. “The last few months were very difficult, but he fought every step of the way.”Gelken had been battling adenocarcinoma after a stage-four diagnosis last August, according to his friends. He is survived by wife Shirley Han Ying.  A veteran journalist whose works sp

PeopleApril 6, 2014

[Photo News] Design Market

CultureApril 6, 2014

[Weekender] Seoul Forest: A grassy woodland with waterfront views

Looking to get a break from the metropolitan pandemonium of gridlocked streets, deafening noise and the never-ending labyrinth of mile-high concrete buildings? Now that spring is finally here and the foliage is starting to return, it is the perfect time for you to venture outside and see the cherry blossoms and remind yourself of what you have been missing all winter. From peaceful strolls down dirt paths surrounded by sprawling trees to biking or rollerblading, Seoul Forest offers visitors oppo

TravelApril 4, 2014

[Weekender] Trees: Food source, medicine cabinet and climate saver

Trees, or at least large plants similar to modern-day trees, have been around for hundreds of millions of years. As primary producers ― organisms that produce organic matter from inorganic compounds ― trees and plants in general have always been the primary food source in the food chain. With the rise of mankind trees came to have much more diverse uses. For man, trees became sources of construction materials and fuel, and of medicines, some of which are still in use today. One of the best-known

Expat LivingApril 4, 2014

[Weekender] Green Ranger leads push for conservation

For Kim Myung-jeon, the chairman of Green Ranger, a nonprofit organization that helps young people take part in environmental campaigns, planting trees goes beyond wanting to provide people with fresher air.He considers it an educational practice that can help promote well-rounded citizens who will contribute to society in ways that truly matter.“It is ultimately the people who change the world,” Kim told The Korea Herald in an interview. “And guiding the youth so that they may grow up to become

PeopleApril 4, 2014

Sexy variety show for women, by a woman

The 70-minute show billed as a “sexy variety show” exclusively for women left many in the audience reeling from giddiness even after the curtain had gone down.The sight of eight good-looking young men with ripped bodies ― six-packs, pecs, deltoids and biceps ― tearing off their shirts with abandon, pulling down their pants in the blink of an eye, and lap-dancing for women pulled on to the stage from the audience had the women, ranging in age from 20s to 60s, clapping wildly, squealing with delig

PerformanceApril 4, 2014

Calendar

Dance“Vortex”: The National Dance Company of Korea, which has been solely focusing on Korean traditional dance, is collaborating with a foreign choreographer for the first time since its inception in 1962. Their upcoming performance, “Vortex,” is choreographed by Finnish artist Tero Saarinen. Participating dancers include Kim Mi-ae, the troupe’s principal dancer, and Park Hye-ji, an apprentice who was surprisingly selected by Saarinen to play one of the leading characters in the piece. “Vortex”

CultureApril 4, 2014