[Herald Review] Seoul Forest carried away by jazz music

Over the weekend, jazz music took over Seoul Forest, a park in eastern Seoul. The third Seoul Forest Jazz Festival took place Saturday and Sunday, and one of the highlights was a performance by the legendary jazz vocalist Park Sung-yeon. Park paved the way for jazz musicians in South Korea with Janus, the first jazz-only club in the country.    At 76, Park appeared onstage in a wheelchair but her voice was as powerful as ever, with soulful touches that gave the songs a sorrowful y

PerformanceSept. 30, 2019

FT Island's Lee Hong-gi enlists in Army

Lee Hong-gi, a member of K-pop boy band FT Island, temporarily left the music scene to join the Army on Monday.The 30-year-old started his mandatory military service at a boot camp of the Army's 21st Division in Yanggu, Gangwon Province, as an active duty soldier."I am really grateful (to the fans) and will be back safely," Lee told journalists and fans who came to the site of his enlistment.  "I will be safeguarding my voice as I promised. ... We will meet again someday,&quo

PerformanceSept. 30, 2019

Director says ‘Kim Ji-young, Born 1982’ a story that ‘must be told’

A book dealing with the hotly debated topic of gender equality has been made into a film, challenging the audience to ponder the issue of discrimination as the controversial source material did upon its 2016 release.“As a mother of two, a daughter and someone living in this society, there were a lot of parts (in the book) that I could relate to,” said director Kim Do-yeong of “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982,” her first feature film.“Since the book had presented several top

FilmSept. 30, 2019

Bauhaus designs shown in Seoul

Le Corbusier, who was one of the French responses to the Bauhaus school, used to experiment with furniture with his colleagues at his studio to come up with pieces that would fit in well with his architectural works. On view at the Kumho Museum of Art in Seoul’s ongoing exhibition is Charlotte Perriand’s 1952 kitchen module that was installed in Unite d’Habitation in Marseille, a landmark apartment building by Le Corbusier. The kitchen by Perriand provides visitors a glimpse in

Arts & DesignSept. 29, 2019

BLACKPINK's 'Kill This Love' video tops 600m YouTube views

The video for BLACKPINK's latest song, "Kill This Love," surpassed the milestone of 600 million YouTube views on Sunday. The music video topped the threshold Sunday morning, 177 days after its official release on YouTube in April, according to the K-pop band's management agency, YG Entertainment.  It is the shortest period a K-pop music video has amassed more than 600 million YouTube views. Previously, BLACKPINK's "Ddu-du Ddu-du" held the record as the K-pop video that a

PerformanceSept. 29, 2019

Sony, Marvel strike deal for new 'Spider-Man' film

LOS ANGELES (AFP) -- Spider-Man will spin his web on the big screen once again.A breakdown in talks between Sony Pictures and Marvel had imperiled the web-slinger's celluloid future, but the two companies announced a deal Friday for Marvel Studios to produce the third Spidey film starring British actor Tom Holland.The film -- which follows up on "Spider-Man: Homecoming" and "Spider-Man: Far from Home" -- is set for release on July 16, 2021, the studios said.Marvel Studios pre

FilmSept. 29, 2019

A journey to find memories, origins

Global silver reserves are shrinking fast and may run out as early as 2029 if we continue to mine the metal at the current rate without finding any new deposits, according to some experts.Korean-French artist Daphne Nan Le Sergent recalled reading reports about diminishing silver supplies earlier this year and worrying if the depletion of silver would mean the disappearance of traditional photography.Sergent’s exhibition “Silver Memories: How to Reach the Origin” at Atelier Her

Arts & DesignSept. 27, 2019

[Herald Review] Send in the clowns: ‘Joker’ pokes where it hurts for a fiendish joke

This film is f---ing intense. I apologize for the vulgarity, but there is just no other way to put it. There are films that push you to the limit, have you on the edge, and then there’s “Joker,” starring the brilliance of Joaquin Phoenix.Unlike films like “Requiem for a Dream” -- for which honestly I don’t even know “intense” is the right word -- director Todd Phillips’ new film doesn’t have a lot of extreme in-your-face moments. That i

FilmSept. 27, 2019

Philippines eyes 2 million Korean tourists by year-end

The Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Korea announced a recent jump in the number of Koreans visiting the country, saying it aims to attract 2 million Korean tourists by the end of the year.“Last year, we were able to achieve 1.6 million (Korean) tourists. Because of that we aim to work for 2 million Korean tourists this year of 2019. By the end of 2019, in December, I will be proud to say we achieved 2 million. I look forward to that,” Ambassador Noe Albano Wong, who too

TravelSept. 27, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Battle of Jangsari(Korea)Opened Sept. 25Drama, WarDirected by Kwak Kyung-Taek, Kim Tae-Hoon During the height of the Korean War, Capt. Lee Myeong-jun (Kim Myung-min) and his 772 student soldiers take the North Korea-occupied Jangsari beach to provide a diversion for UN forces ahead of the Battle of Incheon. But their ship runs aground, forcing them to hold back a massive wave of North Korean retaliation with no means to escape.Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood(US)Opened Sept. 25Comedy, Drama Dir

FilmSept. 27, 2019

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Fiery seafood at JW Marriott DongdaemunJW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul’s all-day dining restaurant Tavolo 24 presents the Taste of Sea promotion featuring Sichuan-style seafood favorites. The menu includes cold dishes made with fan mussels, sea squirts, abalone, white sea snails, clams, squid and conch, flown in fresh from China. There are also hot dishes including steamed scallops, snow crab and blue crab, Sichuan specialty mala crawfish, crispy deep-fried sea cucumber and eel, and Hu

FoodSept. 27, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

1. Everland ‘Blood City’ Halloween festival Everland theme park is holding the latest edition of its zombie-themed Halloween festival “Blood City” until Nov. 17.Parts of the park feature a horror theme, with around 100 staff dressed as zombies, clowns and monsters. Performances and photo spots are available, including at the recently unveiled Raptor Ranger attraction. Some of the most popular attractions, including T-Express, have a horror theme as well.For more informati

TravelSept. 27, 2019

[Eye plus] Traces of ancient kingdom in Seoul

The soul and spirit of an ancient kingdom reside in the center of Seoul’s Songpa-gu. The ancient tombs in Seokchon-dong -- a set of stone mound tombs believed to have been built during the early Baekje Kingdom (18 BC-AD 660) -- sit among modern buildings, in a reminder that Seoul was the kingdom’s capital city. The tomb site is among several archeological sites in Seoul that offer hints about the Baekje Kingdom, its customs and culture, its golden period during the fourth c

CultureSept. 27, 2019

Not so lonely September in Jeju

Come fall, Jeju Island is a wonder to behold.  Skies clear up to reveal a horizon that stretches as far as the eye can see, as the cool breeze of September chases away the heat of summer. This is indeed a good time to visit the island historically known for its abundance of wind, rocks and women widowed by the sea. The first two are remnants of the volcanic island’s environment, which has made it such a unique travel destination.Hwasun GotjawalHundreds of thousands years ago, Hal

TravelSept. 27, 2019

[Weekender] N. Korean rice cakes and candies anyone?

INCHEON -- Hong Eun-hye carries on the tradition of her late mother and grandmother, crafting rice cakes, snacks and candies the North Korean way. Born in Hamhung, the reclusive state’s second-largest city, she grew up watching them prepare “finger sticks” -- stick-shaped donuts coated in sugar -- and bean candies -- tiny bean curd balls stir-fried and glazed in sugar -- to sell at local markets. “My mom and grandma used to make these to support my family,” Hong sai

FoodSept. 27, 2019

[Weekender] Three restaurants for contemporary North Korean cuisine

Restaurant Bukhyang (Songdo, Incheon) Bukhyung is a bright, inviting restaurant with a vintage vibe that sits among trendy eateries and cafes in Songdo’s multiplex shopping center Triple Street. However, its specialty -- North Korean home-style meals -- does not conform to South Korea’s fast-changing food trends. A joint venture between traditional liquor bar Wolhyang and spicy sausage stew franchise Nolboo, Bukhyang is the first real attempt here to market North Korean cuisine

FoodSept. 27, 2019

Gyeongju certified as a key Silk Road city

ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- The heads of a group of universities located on the Silk Road have certified that the Korean city of Gyeongju which was the capital of the Silla Kingdom was part of the ancient trade routes that connected the East and West. The certification was authorized by university presidents, rectors and chancellors and their deputies who participated in the fifth General Assembly of the Silk Road Universities Network held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Sept. 18-21.  The certificate of r

CultureSept. 27, 2019

BTS' J-Hope releases collaboration with Becky G

J-Hope, a member of K-pop boy band BTS, will release Friday a hip hop single featuring American musician Becky G, his management agency said. The song, "Chicken Noodle Soup," set for release Friday evening through BTS' official social media channels, is a recreation of the namesake song released by American musician, DJ Webstar and rapper Young B.  The new song will also come with a music video featuring J-Hope and Becky G, according to Big Hit Entertainment. J-Hope wrote Kor

PerformanceSept. 27, 2019

[Weekender] Taste of the North

North Korea is a forbidden land for South Koreans. But there is a way to experience the contemporary culture of the reclusive communist state without actually crossing the border: Visiting restaurants here that specialize in North Korean cuisine. With over 32,000 North Korean refugees calling South Korea home now, such eateries, either targeting fellow homesick defectors or curious South Korean diners, are easy to find with a quick search on the internet. “Having been separated for nearly

FoodSept. 27, 2019

A journey to find memories, origins

Global silver reserves are shrinking fast and may run out as early as 2029 if we continue to mine the metal at the current rate without finding any new deposits, according to some experts.Korean-French artist Daphne Nan Le Sergent recalled reading reports about diminishing silver supplies earlier this year and worrying if the depletion of silver would mean the disappearance of traditional photography. Sergent’s exhibition “Silver Memories: How to Reach the Origin” at Atelier He

Arts & DesignSept. 26, 2019