BTS' Jungkook booked for alleged involvement in car accident

Jungkook, a member of K-pop boy band BTS, was booked as a suspect for allegedly causing a car accident last month, police said Friday.A car driven by the 22-year-old singer crashed into a taxi on a road in central Seoul in October, according to police. Both Jungkook and the taxi driver suffered minor injuries. Police said they booked Jungkook on charges of violating the traffic law, adding that they will call in him in the near future for questioning.Police earlier said he was not driving under

PeopleNov. 8, 2019

Cartoon penguin with attitude charms Korea

A few years ago, Korea’s cartoon industry saw arguably its biggest triumph with “Pororo the Little Penguin.” The cute, innocent penguin character was a massive hit across the nation and in other countries.Over the past few months, another penguin character has charmed Koreans. This time, the penguin character is far from innocent. Rather, it is blunt, careless and tough. Pengsoo debuted six months ago under Educational Broadcasting System, a public broadcasting station tha

TelevisionNov. 8, 2019

Collaboration between Nike, G-Dragon creates buzz

Sportswear brand Nike will soon release a new edition of the iconic Air Force 1 sneaker in collaboration with G-Dragon. Named AF1 (Air Force 1) Para-Nose, the sneakers mark the first project for the leader of Big Bang since being discharged from the military last month.  Air Force 1 is Nike’s signature line, touted as an icon of street fashion and beloved by sports fans around the world since its release in 1982. Trendsetter G-Dragon has been leading his fashion label Peaceminusone s

Arts & DesignNov. 8, 2019

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Wrap up 2019 at Park Hyatt SeoulPark Hyatt Seoul presents year-end promotions suitable for those planning gatherings to wrap up the year. Guests who make a booking from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3 can choose from a festive menu (buffet or set), a beverage package, or a welcome canape set. All promotional sets are available for events with eight to 60 guests. Prices vary depending on the options. Benefits offered to all guests include vin chaud welcome drinks (one per person), festive table centerpieces, C

FoodNov. 8, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals and sights across Korea

Chrysanthemum Exhibition of the Garden of Morning CalmVisitors to the Chrysanthemum Exhibition can enjoy the blazing fall foliage of nearby Chungnyeongsan and the golden waves created by the pine trees, as well as the myriad fully bloomed chrysanthemums covering just about every corner of the 330,000-square-meter outdoor garden. The festival runs through Nov. 24 and is open to visitors of all ages.For more information in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese, visit www.morningcalm.co.kr.Seoul Lan

TravelNov. 8, 2019

[Weekender] How open is Korea to men’s makeup?

Male makeup could be the beauty world’s next big thing. And Korean men are leading that revolution as the world’s top consumers of grooming products, according to data and surveys. Men with flawless skin and colors on their eyes and lips often appear on TV here. It has even become the norm for male K-pop celebrities to apply makeup on their full face.  But off-screen, how open is Korea to male makeup? “For me, a little something to fix the complexion is OK, but eye an

CultureNov. 8, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Weathering with You(Japan)Opened Oct. 30AnimationDirected by Shinkai MakotoThe summer of his high school freshman year, Hodaka (Kotaro Daigo) runs away from his island home to Tokyo, and quickly finds himself pushed to his financial and personal limits. Then one day, Hodaka meets Hina (Nana Mori) on a busy street corner. This bright and strong-willed girl possesses a strange and wonderful ability: the power to stop the rain and clear the sky.Terminator: Dark Fate(US)Opened Oct. 30Action, Sci-fiD

FilmNov. 8, 2019

[Weekender] Male shoppers gripped by lure of luxury

Lotte Department Store threw a party for some 200 of its VIP customers last month. About 10 luxury brands, including watchmaker IWC and designer clothing brand Thom Browne, set up booths, and models presented top styles for the upcoming season at a mini fashion show. Only men with annual purchases of over 100 million won ($86,485) were invited. Gone are the days when men were just an afterthought for retailers. They are emerging as power shoppers who exercise their spending power with a new sens

CultureNov. 8, 2019

Girl band IZ*ONE postpones release of new album amid vote-rigging scandal

K-pop girl band IZ*ONE has postponed the release of its new album amid snowballing vote-rigging allegations at "Produce 48," a popular K-pop competition show.    "Off the Record, the management agency of IZ*ONE, has decided to delay the release of the group's first full-length album, originally scheduled for Nov. 11, out of respect for the opinions of fans," cable channel Mnet, which runs the K-pop competition show, said in a release on Thursday.  &nb

PerformanceNov. 7, 2019

[Eye Plus] Legacy of 1st Korean pilot remains in Yeouido

In the financial and banking district of Yeouido in the center of Seoul, part of the oldest airport in the country is preserved to remind people of South Korea’s aviation history.Korea’s very first airport was constructed in 1916 on Yeouido, which was a barren sandbank in the capital city, known as Gyeongseong at the time. In the times when the idea of flying was unfamiliar to most Koreans, tens of thousands gathered in Yeouido to watch world-famous American stunt pilot Art Smit

TravelNov. 7, 2019

[Herald Interview] Actress knocks up marionette story in directorial debut, ‘Judy and Punch’

BUCHEON, Gyeonggi Province -- When director Mirrah Foulkes finished her first feature film, “Judy and Punch,” just before it was due to premiere at Sundance Film Festival in January, she put together a small screening in Sydney for the cast, “just so they could make sure they liked it -- decide whether or not to go to Sundance.”After a pause and moment of relief, “They all went,” Foulkes said. The premise of the Australian flick from Vice Films -- a relat

FilmNov. 7, 2019

[Herald Interview] Shaping crude warmth into tableware and more

For a pottery artist leading a tableware brand, the table is where the magic begins, then spreads to the whole house. Yido, launched in 1990, is a pottery ware brand led by Yi Yoon-shin. Yi has achieved a unique success with Yido. As the local upscale tableware market was ruled by foreign brands, Yido carved out its place as a handcrafted brand inspired by traditional practices.“Though we have worked on interpreting traditional pottery in a modern language, the innate characteristic of pot

Arts & DesignNov. 7, 2019

‘Barefoot diva’ celebrates 30 years of singing

Singer Lee Eun-mee is celebrating the 30th anniversary of her debut with a nationwide concert tour and the release of an album.The 53-year-old debuted in 1989 as a guest singer of band Sinchon Blues. Three years later, she began a solo career and has since released more than 10 albums. In 1993, she took her shoes off onstage “to be free.” She has since been performing barefooted, earning the nickname of “barefoot diva.” Two tracks from her upcoming album were prerele

PerformanceNov. 7, 2019

[Weekender] Kensington resort opens new European-themed branch in Seorak

Kensington Hotel & Resort, which opened its 23rd branch up in the mountains of Seoraksan last week, has mostly adopted a strategy of acquiring existing brands and remodeling them instead of building from scratch. This has both pros and cons, but it does result in diversity in terms of the look and features of each hotel and resort under its umbrella.Kensington Resort Seorak Valley, the newest edition to the brand, shoots for a relaxing getaway in nature. The officials say the buildings are m

TravelNov. 7, 2019

BTS becomes 1st K-pop act to spend 1 year on Billboard 200

International K-pop sensation BTS has become the first act from South Korea to spend a year on the Billboard 200, setting a record in a career already full of many.The group's "Love Yourself: Answer" reentered Billboard's main albums chart at No. 165 on Monday.According to Billboard, the album has now spent 52, non-consecutive weeks on the chart, making it the first K-pop album to be on the Billboard 200 for a full year.Citing Nielsen Music, Billboard said the album has also sold 1.1 m

PerformanceNov. 7, 2019

Let it go? Disney thaws 'Frozen' for blockbuster sequel

LOS ANGELES (AFP) -- Six years ago, "Frozen" shattered box office records, melted the hearts of youngsters and spawned a franchise so popular Disney was never likely to let it go.And so Queen Elsa and Princess Anna return this month in "Frozen II" -- a sequel its creators promise will be "even bigger and more epic," with its world premiere taking place in Los Angeles Thursday night.Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen," the original follow

FilmNov. 7, 2019

Director Park Chan-wook recognized at Geneva film festival

Korean director Park Chang-wook on Tuesday received the Film and Beyond award at the Geneva International Film Festival, commended for his works including “The Handmaiden,” which will be screened at the festival until Sunday.The award was given to the director in recognition of Park’s body of work to the field of cinema, at the 25th annual event at the Swiss city from Nov.1-10.“This is an award usually given to a director with a long career who is about to retire, but I w

FilmNov. 6, 2019

Foreign envoys get a glimpse of Korea’s architectural tradition

Kim Bong-ryol, president of Korean National University of Arts, gave a lecture on the history of wooden architecture in Korea, at the Hungarian ambassador’s residence in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday. Organized by the Corea Image Communication Institute, a private institution that promotes Korean culture around the world, the event was attended by 26 participants, including Hungarian Ambassador Mozes Csoma, Kuwaiti Ambassador Bader Mohammad Al-Awadi and New Zealand Ambassador Philip Tuner.

CultureNov. 6, 2019

Where and why we move

In 1957, a dog was put on Soviet spacecraft Sputnik 2, becoming the first live animal to orbit Earth. Some five decades later, it was revealed that Laika, the dog, died a few hours after the launch, due to overheating in the payload caused by a mechanical failure. Kim Se-jin’s video work “Messenger(s)” (2019), on show at SongEun ArtSpace, pays tribute to Laika, as well as those who had to move as part of mankind’s relentless efforts to conquer alien worlds.The work i

Arts & DesignNov. 6, 2019

Experimental play ‘Human Fuga’ looks at 1980 Gwangju massacre

A “fuga” -- Italian for fugue -- is a musical composition that introduces two or more themes in the beginning that recur throughout the piece.In the play “Human Fuga,” which began its run Wednesday at the Namsan Arts Center in central Seoul, the themes are the painful memories, scars and ill health of the victims of the 1980 Gwangju massacre, the dictatorial government’s response to the Gwangju Democratic Uprising.Theater troupe Tuida’s production takes its le

PerformanceNov. 6, 2019