Hyundai launches youth service corps

Hyundai Motor Group will send 500 university student volunteers abroad. The group launched its 12th youth service corps at its headquarters in Seoul on Thursday.Founded in 2008, the corps is one of the largest civilian volunteer groups in Korea. So far, 5,500 university students have volunteered for previous corps, visiting a total of 18 countries. “What’s important in life is not speed but direction. I hope overseas services will give new momentum in setting the right direction of life and lear

PeopleDec. 26, 2013

Consulate in Shanghai issues 500,000th visa

The South Korean Consulate General to Shanghai issued more than 500,000 visas this year, becoming the first overseas diplomatic mission to top the number. The figure is equivalent to the combined number of visas issued by all diplomatic and consular offices abroad in 2003. The Consulate General to Shanghai issued 178,000 visas in 2010, 241,000 visas in 2011 and 367,000 visas in 2012. The number rose 36 percent this year from last year. This year’s figure reflects setbacks due to North Korea’s mi

PeopleDec. 26, 2013

Ex-IOC executive Ericsson dies at 94

LAUSSANE, Switzerland (AP) ― Gunnar Ericsson, a long-time International Olympic Committee executive and former member of the executive committee, has died. He was 94. The IOC says on its website that the former Swedish parliamentarian died Tuesday but does not provide a cause of death. IOC President Thomas Bach says Ericsson “personified the Olympic values and was a true Olympic gentleman. The IOC will always remember him with deep gratitude and great respect.” An IOC member since 1965, Ericsson

PeopleDec. 26, 2013

No more ‘bean curd dregs’ ― Korea to standardize food translations

It goes without saying that expats living in Korea or international travelers have all experienced the tribulations of going into a Korean restaurant, reading the translated descriptions of the dishes and still having no idea exactly what they ordered. With the hopes of minimizing these struggles for non-Koreans, the government will soon establish its latest project to release a descriptive guideline on Korean cuisine.The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is planning to release an official

CultureDec. 26, 2013

Record-breaking work displayed at Portland museum

PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) ― The most expensive artwork ever sold at auction is on display at the Portland Art Museum.In New York last month, an anonymous collector paid more than $142 million for the “Three Studies of Lucian Freud,” a 1969 triptych by Francis Bacon. The museum is exhibiting the work for three months before it heads to the owner’s private collection.Two drivers transported the panels across the country, ensuring the climate-controlled truck was always on the move and never left alone

PerformanceDec. 26, 2013

Rare story by Zelda Fitzgerald published

Here’s a look at what’s buzzing in the book world:Tip of the iceberg: The New Yorker has published a “recently unearthed” story by Zelda Fitzgerald (written before she was the wife of Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald). Titled “The Iceberg,” Fitzgerald (then known as Zelda Sayre) wrote the story in 1918, when she was about 17 or 18 years old. It tells the tale of a young woman named Cornelia who comes from a rich Southern family, but is seeking something more. It was published in her high

CultureDec. 26, 2013

Period blockbusters to fill silver screens next year

The Korean film industry attained a meaningful achievement this year by selling more than 200 million tickets for the first time in history. Following this year’s success, the country’s major film producers recently announced their lineups for 2014. And it seems like local moviegoers will be bombarded with period blockbusters next year.Some of the most anticipated films of 2014 are period dramas, including Cannes-winning actress Jeon Do-yeon’s upcoming martial arts flick “Hyeopnyeo” and “Battle

FilmDec. 26, 2013

Deulgukhwa to split after drummer’s death

The legendary rock group Deulgukhwa, dubbed the Beatles of Korea, has reportedly decided to disband, just one year after reuniting with a sold-out concert series.The death of drummer Joo Chan-gwon earlier this year is seen to have played a major role in the band breaking up, insiders said. According to sources, the band, originally with three members but now consisting of lead vocalist Jun In-kwon and bassist Choi Sung-won, has been under great stress since Joo’s sudden death in October. Joo, co

PerformanceDec. 26, 2013

[Photo News] 2PM's Nichkhun being kissed on the cheek by his sister

2PM’s Nichkhun shared a photo on Twitter of him being kissed on the cheek by his sister Cherreen.“Look at what I got this Christmas,” the idol star wrote o n Wednesday. 　Nickhun looked sulky in the photo despite the hearty kiss from his sister.　Ock Hyun-ju, Intern reporter(laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)　

Dec. 26, 2013

Barrier-free mountain trail dedicated in Busan

A mountain trail has been blazed free of physical barriers in Busan so that even those with limited mobility can go along the full path.The office of Bukgu district said Wednesday that the barrier-free trail consisting of four stages will be dedicated in Gupo on Dec. 30.It is a wooden deck path set up on 272-meter-high Beombangsan Mountain with a low grade of slope and no barriers along the way.The trail is 1.9 kilometers long and 1.5 to 2 meters wide, enough for electric scooters, wheelchairs o

PeopleDec. 25, 2013

N.Y. mayor’s daughter confesses to drug, alcohol use

NEW YORK (AFP) ― The teenage daughter of New York’s incoming mayor confessed on Christmas Eve to smoking pot and underage drinking in a video aimed at helping others battling depression.Nineteen-year-old Chiara de Blasio features alone in the nearly five-minute video, announcing that she suffers from clinical depression, had smoked weed and drank alcohol.The professionally produced, slick video was posted on YouTube and emailed to reporters by her father, Bill de Blasio, who takes office as New

PeopleDec. 25, 2013

Korean galleries bet again on Chinese art market

It was ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics when the Korean galleries’ ambitions for entering the Chinese art market were at their highest. From 2005, major Korean galleries flocked to China in search of big spenders and potential buyers in the booming art market. The reality was different. Galleries struggled to make ends meet with skyrocketing rent, complex shipping processes and different art-market dynamics. Now Pyo Gallery 798 remains the sole Korean gallery in Beijing, once a hopeful place f

PerformanceDec. 25, 2013

The pretty to the ugly: fashion round-up

NEW YORK (AP) ― It was a year for pixie haircuts, chunky flat shoes, bangs on our first lady and bare skin ... lots of it, on movie actresses and pop stars. Fashion always has its royalty, and this year, Kerry Washington was a queen. For real royalty, we had Kate Middleton, making the rest of us mortals feel a little better by flashing her mommy tummy. If Kate made us feel good, Lululemon didn’t, when its chairman appeared to blame women’s own bodies for problems with those popular yoga pants. A

Arts & DesignDec. 25, 2013