Beauty of Korean, Turkish wrapping cloths shown side by side in Ankara

A rare exhibition that compares the culture of wrapping cloths of Korea and Turkey will be held next week in the Turkish capital Ankara, as part of the celebration of the year of cultural exchange between the two countries. The exhibition, scheduled to be held from June 12 to July 27 at the State Art and Sculpture Museum in Ankara, presents a rare collection of Turkish wrapping cloth “bohca” along with Korean “bojagi.”  “We always thought the culture of wrapping cloth was unique to Korea and Jap

PerformanceJune 5, 2013

Psy scores yet another Guinness World Record

Korean rapper Psy continues to ride his invisible horse in the fast lane, setting a new Guinness World Record for the largest mass horse-riding dance.Psy’s large-scale outdoor concert at Seoul City Hall last year was given the title “Largest Gangnam Style Dance” by the London-based organization on May 24, the Korea Record Institute announced on Tuesday.The free concert that celebrated the singer’s shot to international stardom attracted some 100,000 enthusiastic fans who joined in a mass perform

June 5, 2013

Rainbow Island Music and Camping back for more ‘healing’

Rainbow Island Music and Camping will be back on Nami Island this weekend with an eclectic lineup.Now in its third year, the three-day outdoor festival kicks off Friday with international artists scheduled to perform on three stages: Rainbow Stage, Island Stage and Forest Stage. Korean band Clazziquai, electronic trio Idiotape and R&B singer Junggigo are scheduled to perform on the first day. DJ duo Squatters will also excite fans with their unique style of electronica. The most anticipated line

PerformanceJune 5, 2013

Girls’ Generation to embark on first world tour

The nine starlets of girl group Girls’ Generation are set to kick off their fifth concert tour and first world tour this weekend. Titled “Girls & Peace,” the tour will begin in Seoul with live performances on Saturday and Sunday at Olympic Park Gymnastics Stadium. This weekend will also mark the first time in two years that the ladies are holding a dedicated concert for local fans.  Representatives of S.M. Entertainment have offered special global package deals exclusively for international fans

PerformanceJune 5, 2013

Tiananmen crackdown mayor dies: report

BEIJING (AFP) ― The former Mayor of Beijing who was believed to have played a prominent role in the Tiananmen crackdown died at the weekend, it was reported Tuesday, 24 years after the military repression.Chen Xitong died in Beijing on Sunday at 9.54 a.m., according to Hong Kong China News Agency, an outlet which is linked to the state run China News Service.Chen fell from grace in one of China’s biggest political scandals and was widely seen as the official who pushed for the use of military fo

PeopleJune 5, 2013

Student from Daegu crowned Miss Korea

A 21-year-old college student from Daegu won Miss Korea 2013, the annual national beauty pageant, at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul on Tuesday. Yoo Ye-bin, who is majoring in clothing and textiles at Gyeongsang National University, won the Miss Korea title after competing against a total of 20 finalists.“I would like to be someone who focuses on her inner beauty,” Yoo said after being crowned, bursting into tears.The winner said she had no plans to break into the entertainment in

PerformanceJune 5, 2013

New consul general to Shanghai to boost economic diplomacy

South Korea’s new consul general to Shanghai on Wednesday pledged to take the lead in rendering support for economic activities by Korean people and companies doing business in the Chinese financial hub. Gu Sang-chan, the new consul general to Shanghai who will take up the post this week, said his consular office would spare no efforts to support Korean firms in a creative and active manner with the perception that his mission is an outpost of economic diplomacy.“I will put my priority on solvin

PeopleJune 5, 2013

Wedding of Lee Byung-hun, Lee Min-jung set for August

Actor Lee Byung-hun is to tie the knot with his girlfriend Lee Min-jung, one of Korea’s most sought-after actresses, in August. The two have been together for seven years since 2006, during which time they broke up once but got back together last year. The wedding will take place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul on Aug. 10, the two celebrities’ agencies confirmed in separate statements on Wednesday. “In love and trust, the two have decided to become lifetime companions to each other. Thanks for

June 5, 2013

Samsung chairman’s mother-in-law dies

Kim Hye-seong, mother of Hong Ra-hee, director of the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, and Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee’s mother-in-law, died of old age on Wednesday. She was 90. Kim, a Won-Buddhist, was the wife of Hong Jin-ki, who served as justice minister from Feb. 20, 1958, to March 23, 1960. Won-Buddhism is an indigenous religion founded in Korea as an amalgamation of Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism.She is survived by four sons and two daughters: daughter Hong Ra-hee; son Hong Seok-hyun, pr

PeopleJune 5, 2013

Han Hye-jin, Ki Sung-yueng to wed in style

Swansea City soccer star Ki Sung-yueng and actress Han Hye-jin are going all-out for the couple’s upcoming wedding ceremony next month. The two will hold a private ceremony at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, where they reportedly shelled out around 79 million won ($70,000) for the venue. Ki first met Han, who is eight years his senior, at a charity soccer event hosted in Vietnam two years ago. The couple met once again on a local talk show a year later and made their relationship public

FilmJune 4, 2013

Kim Gu-ra finally returns to ‘Radio Star’

Comedian and presenter Kim Gu-ra is finally returning to MBC’s “Golden Fishery-Radio Star” after a 14-month absence, Kim’s agency Line Entertainment revealed Monday. Kim will be replacing Yoo Sae-yoon, who stepped down due to a drunk driving incident last week. “It is a very precious chance. He is ready to do his best in every episode,” his agency stated. Kim also spoke through his agency saying, “I am very thankful that I was given a chance. I can only think to do my best.”  Kim, who is well kn

June 4, 2013

Korean fast fashion advances in Asia

Korean fast fashion brands are expanding overseas, hoping that tailoring items for Asian consumers will be a winning strategy. Korean fashion retailer E.Land Group has taken an aggressive lead, opening Japanese and Chinese stores of its women’s apparel brand Mixxo in March and May, respectively. In China, Mixxo has stores in Super Brand Mall in Shanghai, a prime retail spot, directly competing with fast fashion brands such as Spain’s Zara, Sweden’s H&M and Japan’s Uniqlo. Riding on the back of K

Arts & DesignJune 4, 2013

Actress Kim Yun-jin to feature in InStyle magazine

Korean-born actress Kim Yun-jin will be featured in U.S. fashion magazine InStyle’s upcoming issue, according to her local agency Zion Entertainment. The actress, who is best known in the U.S. for her role as Sun on the American TV series “Lost,” is currently starring in ABC drama series “Mistresses,” which premiered on Monday. Based on the 2008-10 British series of the same title, the series features the lives of four female friends who are all having extramarital affairs. According to her agen

FilmJune 4, 2013

Expats aim to be first to Himalayan peak

Bryan Hylenski has come closer than anyone to the summit of Janhukot in the Himalayas, but he still hasn’t made it.He’s hoping this will be his year.Coming within just 300 meters of the 6,850-meter peak in 2010, Hylenski was forced to head back down. A second attempt on a more difficult route the next year was also abandoned.But coming so close has confirmed to Hylenski that success is possible, and he is planning a third and hopefully final attempt to conquer the summit.“It’s one of the most am

Expat LivingJune 4, 2013

‘Noises off!’ a whole other story for Dionysus

Dionysus Daejeon Drama has literally taken things to a new level with its production of “Noises Off!” ― adding a second story to the stage.The production follows a festival of short plays at the end of last year put on to try to revive the group, the success of which let them put on Michael Frayn’s elaborate comedy. “We were able to put on a much more ambitious production,” said Elissa Jo Roberts, one of Dionysus’ organizers. “We wanted to move forward and we decided to move forward in a very bi

Expat LivingJune 4, 2013

Concerts to heal scars of Korean War

In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the cessation of the Korean War, musicians and activists from around the world will gather at Cheolwon, Gangwon Province, and Seoul to call for peace and harmony on the Korean Peninsula. The “Concerto for Peace” will be held at the front garden of the former Workers’ Party headquarters building in Cheolwon on June 22 at 6 p.m. and on the following day at the Seoul Sejong Center for the Performing Arts at 5 p.m. featuring world-class musicians and the K

PerformanceJune 4, 2013

Fashion world applauds de la Renta ― and Clinton

NEW YORK (AP) ― The big winners at the Council of Fashion Designers of America awards on Monday night were Proenza Schouler for womenswear, Thom Browne for menswear and Phillip Lim for accessories, but the crowd seemed to have the most love for Hillary Rodham Clinton.Clinton received a standing ovation at the Lincoln Center ceremony before she presented the CFDA’s highest honor, its Founder’s Award, to Oscar de la Renta, whom she called “a dear friend.’’ She recounted first meeting him as first

Arts & DesignJune 4, 2013