Korea’s Oscar-tipped ‘Parasite’ sets French box office record

PARIS (AFP) - The South Korean satire “Parasite” has become the most successful Cannes-winning film at the French box office in 15 years, new figures show.Director Bong Joon-ho became the first Korean to lift the Palme d’Or in May for his brilliant class war black comedy, and is an early favorite to lift the best foreign language movie Oscar. More than 1.6 million people have paid to see the film in France so far, according to the site CBO box office, a feat not achieved by a C

FilmSept. 22, 2019

Book of late S. Korean poet Cho's poems published in English

A book of more than 80 poems of late renowned South Korean poet Cho Ji-hoon was published in English in New York more than half a century after his death, his family said Friday. A ceremony celebrating the publication took place in New York on the day with the attendance of South Korea's Ambassador to the United Nations Cho Tae-yul, the third son of the poet, and his other family members.The publishing company, Cross-Cultural Communications, published the book, entitled "Shedding of the Pet

BooksSept. 21, 2019

’10x10,’ international curatorial exchange program kicks off at MMCA

“10x10,” an international symposium that invites up-and-coming curators from Korea and abroad, kicked off its two-day run on Friday at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s main branch in Seoul.”10x10” was started last year as part of a Korean Culture and Information Service program that invites outstanding researchers from Korea and other countries to ramp up exchanges between experts with different backgrounds. This year, 10 curators from foreign co

Arts & DesignSept. 20, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in Theaters this week

The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos (Korea) Opened Sept. 11Crime, ActionDirected by Son Yong-hoAfter the events of OCN drama “Bad Guys,” legendary gangster Park Woong-cheol (Ma Dong-seok) is back behind bars, and maverick policeman Oh Gu-tak (Kim Sang-joong) -- who put together a team of incarcerated criminals to catch evildoers -- is bed-ridden, struck down by liver cancer. But The “mad dogs” are called upon once again when a police bus flips over and some of the country’

FilmSept. 20, 2019

[Eye Plus] Peaceful Buam-dong rises as hip place

Nestled between two mountains -- Bugaksan and Inwangsan -- Buam-dong in Jongno-gu, Seoul, is a quiet neighborhood often described as an oasis of tranquility not far from the city center. While a large number of Seoul’s residential villages have turned into giant fortresses of high-security high-rise apartment complexes, Buam-dong has kept its old-town feel with low-lying houses, curved roads and ample greenery. Not accessible by Seoul’s massive web of subways, the villages were

CultureSept. 20, 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 crafted from fan mussels, sea squirts, abalone, white sea snails, clams, squid and conch flown in fresh from China, plus hot dishes including steamed scallops, snow crab and blue crab, as well as Sichuan specialty mala crawfish, crispy deep-fried sea cucumber and eel, and

FoodSept. 20, 2019

[Weekender] From eyesores to hot spots

Rusty, abandoned factories and warehouses are often massive eyesores, shunned by neighbors for safety concerns. But increasingly, some of these run-down structures are finding new life as venues for the arts, drawing artists, hipsters and tourists with their remarkable aesthetic combination of old and new and historic backgrounds. More than just the visual appeal, creative repurposing is a very economic decision, according to one construction industry insider. “It doesn’t just c

Arts & DesignSept. 20, 2019

Hyodo, fried chicken contender with plenty up its sleeve

Korean fried chicken can be easily found most anywhere in Seoul. So when Kim San -- who was racking up experience at a Michelin-starred restaurant at the time -- was offered a chance to take a stab at an already saturated, highly competitive market, one might wonder why he didn’t hesitate. Perhaps it was because he had been waiting for a moment like this, building up experience at prominent restaurants known for their cerebral eats, all the while dreaming of taking his skills and parlaying

FoodSept. 20, 2019

[Weekender] Top repurposed spaces in Seoul

Seoul is keen on repurposing and reinventing city infrastructure, embracing adaptive reuse as an innovative way of unlocking the hidden potential in old buildings, warehouses and factories. According to real estate consultancy Cushman & Wakefield, this trend of transforming old industrial factories and warehouses into new, hip cultural spaces is still very much popular for developers and consumers alike in Seoul, and is spreading to other aged pockets of the city. Here are some of the inspir

Arts & DesignSept. 20, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

1. Everland’s ‘Blood City’ Halloween festivalEverland 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 the T-Express, have a horror theme as well.For mor

TravelSept. 20, 2019

[Weekender] Bank branches reinvented

As banking goes mobile, retail banks are trying to figure out what to do with their increasingly empty branches. One idea is to give customers more reasons to stop by, like a cup of Paul Bassett coffee, a Krispy Kreme doughnut or a chance to browse through some new books. Woori Bank, one of South Korea’s three major retail banks along with Kookmin and Shinhan, was the first to sublet space in its branch to a retail business in 2016, opening up a corner of its branch in Seoul’s Ichon-

CultureSept. 20, 2019

Kaan show attracts Pattaya visitors

Pattaya on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand may be better known for its nightlife and water sports. But the city also offers the Kaan show, a theatrical experience that combines live-action and cinema, stage performance and advanced technologies. The 60-minute show is inspired by classic Thai literature. It features more than 90 actors performing magic supported by production staff with international experience, advanced technologies and a state-of-the-art audiovisual system. 

CultureSept. 19, 2019

Actress Kim Tae-hee gives birth to second daughter

Actress Kim Tae-hee and singer Rain, one of South Korea's most prominent star couples, had their second daughter on Thursday, the actress' management agency, Story J Company, said."We would like to share good news about Kim Tae-hee and Jung Ji-hoon couple's new family member. Kim gave birth to her second child, a daughter, today at a hospital in Seoul," the agency said in a statement. Jung Ji-hoon is Rain's real name."Both mother and daughter are in good health, and are resti

TelevisionSept. 19, 2019

MU:CON to connect K-pop musicians with the world

The 2019 Seoul International Music Fair, also known as MU:CON, will take place from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 at Coex in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. Seventy-four acts will participate in the event, hosted by the Korea Creative Content Agency, including rock bands Daybreak and South Club, girl group Laboum, rhythm-and-blues singers Sam Kim and Suran, known for her collaboration with BTS’ Suga, pop singer Sunwoojunga, and boy band JBJ. “I thought of myself as someone who has ears open to chec

PerformanceSept. 19, 2019

As international galleries look for Hong Kong alternative, KIAF 2019 gets boost

Korea International Art Fair 2019 will be held Sept. 26-29 at Coex in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.A total of 175 galleries from 17 countries, including China, France, the US and Mexico, are participating in the 18th edition of the annual fair.“As the crisis in Hong Kong continues, there are many foreign galleries that are seeking an alternative market to introduce their works. And the art market in Korea appears to be one of their options. It is expected that there will be several representatives fr

Arts & DesignSept. 18, 2019

Lotte Foundation for Arts launches organ competition

The Lotte Foundation for Arts is to launch the International Organ Competition of Korea next year. The foundation and the Korean Association of Organists will co-host the annual competition to recognize talented young organists around the world.  The Lotte Concert Hall, located in Jamsil, eastern Seoul, is home to a grand pipe organ, composed of almost 5,000 pipes installed across three floors. Built by the Austrian company Rieger, it took three years to design and install and cost 2.5 bil

PerformanceSept. 18, 2019

Fall wine fair at hotel offers 150 varieties of wine

The Mayfield Hotel in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul, is to host the Dionysos Wine Fair at its outdoor gardens Sept. 21-22.The biannual event, held every spring and fall, allows wine aficionados to taste 150 varieties of wine, paired with barbecue plates, caprese salad with burrata cheese and Iberico jamon (Iberian ham) with melon.  A wine concierge service will be offered along with discounts on wine purchases. Pop-jazz band Get Alright will take the stage.Winners of the best dresser award -- o

FoodSept. 18, 2019

'Lord of the Rings' show to start filming in New Zealand

WELLINGTON (AFP) -- US-based streaming giant Amazon announced Wednesday its big-budget "Lord of the Rings" series will within months start filming in New Zealand, home to Peter Jackson's movies of the fantasy epic.Amazon is reportedly spending $1 billion-plus on the series as it seeks to emulate the runaway success enjoyed by "Games of Thrones".Showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay said the South Pacific nation offered the "primordial beauty" of Middle Earth, the s

FilmSept. 18, 2019

King Sejong Institute to open 1st Seoul center

The first King Sejong Institute center in Seoul will open next month to meet rising demand for learning Korean language and culture from foreigners living in South Korea, its operator said Wednesday.King Sejong Institute Foundation said it will test run Yongsan Sejong Institute in Yongsan, central Seoul, from Oct. 14 for three months in cooperation with the district office, the first time that the foundation has partnered with a local government to run an institute in South Korea. The foundation

CultureSept. 18, 2019

Holliger, Saariaho win Isang Yun International Composition Award

Heinz Holliger and Kaija Saariaho have won the 2019 Isang Yun International Composition Award, the Isang Yun Peace Foundation announced Tuesday, which marked the anniversary of Yun’s birth. The foundation launched the annual award in 2007 to support and recognize composers, continuing Yun’s musical legacy. However, the event was halted in 2014 due to difficulties faced by the foundation’s management. After a six-year hiatus, the award resumed this year.  Heinz Holliger is

PerformanceSept. 17, 2019