[Epicurean challenge] Spring greens bring nature to table

Namul, which means seasoned vegetables, is an essential part of every Korean meal. Koreans even have an old saying, “The same namul and the same rice,” which means it’s the same thing over and over again. All kinds of “grass” are eaten in Korea, especially in the spring season, when new tender shoots emerge. Nature is brought straight to the kitchen table in various shades of green.(Shot and produced by Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald)Wild vegetables without names are enjoyed too, as long as they

FoodMay 24, 2018

Monsta X to embark on world tour Saturday

Monsta X is set to meet fans around the world this week with the group embarking on its second world tour.The act’s agency Starship Entertainment on Thursday said that the group would kick-start its upcoming world tour “2018 Monsta X World Tour The Connect” starting from Seoul from Saturday to Sunday at Jangchung Arena in Seoul.  Monsta X (Starship Entertainment) 　According to the Monsta X’s world tour schedule, shared recently on the group’s official web site, the act will then head to Europe a

PerformanceMay 24, 2018

Momoland to return in June after Japanese debut

Girl group Momoland is set to debut in Japan as well as make a comeback to Seoul next month.The group’s agency, Dublekick Company, said Thursday that Momoland will return with an upbeat dance track on June 26 in Korea. According to the company, Momoland again partnered with the producer of “Bboom Bboom,” which was released on the group’s third EP in January. The song gained much popularity, with its music video topping 100 million views on YouTube in April. (Dublekick Company)Prior to its comeba

PerformanceMay 24, 2018

BTS says ‘competition within group’ is its driving force

One of the most frequently posed questions to BTS in the last few years has been about the secret to its global success: The act started out as a lesser-known hip-hop group for whom a crossover felt like a far-fetched dream. There have been countless efforts to analyze the act’s grand saga, but BTS gave a rather clear and down-to-earth answer to that ubiquitous question: “Competition.” BTS poses during a press conference for its new album “Love Yourself: Tear” in Seoul on Thursday. (Yonhap)“We c

PerformanceMay 24, 2018

Hwang Jung-eum, Nam Goong-min to create feel-good romantic comedy

Backing the classical theory that spring is the best season for love, SBS’ new romantic comedy “Handsome Guy and Jung-eum” hopes to hit the small screen as the ultimate feel-good series that is free of any complications or sadness. "Our drama focuses on dating. Rather than depicting romance’s complex and heavy sides, the series is more about being comical and incorporating cartoonish elements,” said director Kim Yu-jin during a press conference for the drama in Seoul on Wednesday.  (SBS)“It’s ju

PerformanceMay 24, 2018

Lee Chang-dong's 'Burning' sold to over 100 countries at Cannes

"Burning," the latest movie from award-winning South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong, has been sold  to more than 100 countries around the world, the film's local distributor said Wednesday.Producers of the mystery-thriller signed deals with  distributors from about 100 countries within two days of it  receiving its world premiere at the 71st Cannes Film Festival on  May 16 (local time), according to CGV Arthouse. Director Lee Chang-dong and the cast of "Burning" (Yonhap)The deals were made in a

FilmMay 23, 2018

[Newsmaker] ‘Google thought Panmunjeom was in North Korea’

Over 300 Korea-related errors found in recent foreign media coverageWhile it is not uncommon for a foreigner to confuse South and North Korea, it appears that a number of foreign media outlets have also been dumbfounded by the complicated nature of the countries occupying the peninsula.The Korea Culture and Information Service announced Wednesday that it did an extensive study on news articles on Korea by foreign-based media published between April 2 and May 10 and found 312 errors in 253 storie

CultureMay 23, 2018

Former Wonder Girl Yubin to launch solo career

Eleven years after her debut K-pop artist Yubin is finally standing on her own, gearing up for the release of her first album as a solo artist.JYP Entertainment on Wednesday released the teaser image for her upcoming record, which will be released at 6 p.m. on June 6. The image features Chinese characters that translate to “city woman,” and “Yubin.”The agency noted that Yubin has been “carefully considering” what image to take for her new album, as this is her first step towards a solo career. T

PerformanceMay 23, 2018

[Album review] BTS’ new album shows what truly matters

BTS “Love Yourself: Tear”IRIVERFor artists who have become a household name, facing a tremendous burden over musical creativity and the relentless question “What should I do next to satisfy fans?” is nothing new. But BTS, one of the most popular boy bands in the world, seems to have a clear answer to the question. Since the start, BTS’ focus has always been on connecting with listeners and using its members’ own stories as leverage. And the group has not deviated from that in its new album “Love

PerformanceMay 23, 2018

Changwon biennale to bring sculptures down from pedestal

Changwon Sculpture Biennale this year will attempt to make sculptures more relatable to the audience. Under the title of “The Balance of Non-Sculpting,” Changwon’s sculpture festival features sculptures and installation works by some 70 artists from 13 countries. The biennale runs from Sept. 4 to Oct. 14.“In the past, sculpture parks put a distance between the viewers and sculptures, forcing and obligating viewers to revere the artworks like shrines,” said Youn Bum-mo, artistic director and chai

Arts & DesignMay 23, 2018

SPO may get new music director by year-end

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s new CEO Kang Eun-kyung said that the orchestra is considering six candidates for the position of artistic director, raising the possibility that the once embattled orchestra may be able to appoint a new artistic leader by the end of the year.  Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra CEO Kang Eun-kyung speaks at a press conference at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap)“The orchestra has recently initiated discussions over a six-candidate l

PerformanceMay 23, 2018

3 Korean social media influencers who open consumers’ wallets

The advent of social media provided individuals with a platform on which they could showcase their own content. Then came the birth of social media stars, who amassed hundreds of thousands of followers and fans without ever having appeared on television or film. Such online celebrities are increasingly being sought after by brands for their ability to drive huge hikes in sale.Online influencers’ fame may not be on as large a scale as celebrities on traditional media, but their ability to propel

CultureMay 23, 2018

BTS producer Bang Si-hyuk joins Billboard’s list of international power players

Producer-CEO Bang Si-hyuk of Big Hit Entertainment, the label of K-pop heavyweight BTS, has made it to Billboard’s annual list of international power players. According to Billboard’s list on Monday, Bang, one of 73 music industry executives on the list, is included in the recording category.  (Big Hit Entertainment)The US magazine mentioned the massive global success of BTS’ albums, highlighting that the act’s “Love Yourself: Her” album, produced by Bang, has sold over 1.6 million copies worldw

PerformanceMay 23, 2018

Philip Roth, fearless and celebrated author, dies at 85

NEW YORK -- Philip Roth, the prize-winning novelist and fearless narrator of sex, death, assimilation and fate, from the comic madness of "Portnoy's Complaint" to the elegiac lyricism of "American Pastoral," died Tuesday night at age 85.Roth's literary agent, Andrew Wylie, said that the author died in a New York City hospital of congestive heart failure.Author of more than 25 books, Roth was a fierce satirist and uncompromising realist, confronting readers in a bold, direct style that scorned fa

PeopleMay 23, 2018

Chief of BTS talent agency joins Billboard list of Int'l Power Players

Bang Si-hyuk, the chief of the talent agency managing K-pop boy band BTS, has been chosen as one of Billboard's "International Power Players." The CEO and executive producer of Big Hit Entertainment was one of 73 music industry executives who "are in the vanguard," according to the list posted on Billboard's website on Monday (US time).Bang was chosen for the "recording" category of the list, which Billboard has announced since 2014.  Big Hit Entertainment CEO Bang Si-hyuk (Twitter)"Produced by

PerformanceMay 23, 2018

Ahn Eun-me creates anew traditional dance from North Korea

Korean contemporary dancer and choreographer Ahn Eun-me will premiere her interpretation of North Korean dance in Seoul next month.Under the title of “North Korea Dance by Eun-me Ahn,” Ahn reimagines traditional Korean dance, in particular that of North Korea. Korean contemporary dancer Ahn Eun-me rehearses “North Korea Dance by Eun-me Ahn” at the Korea National University of Arts on May 14. (Korean Traditional Performing Arts Foundation)“I hope this work offers us opportunities to rethink what

PerformanceMay 22, 2018

New form of scarlet letter in Korean entertainment scene

Actor Yoo Ah-in cautions against ‘men vs. women’ debate on feminism A star of critically acclaimed film “Burning,” Yoo Ah-in recently talked about being branded “anti-feminist” by the public. He is among a growing line of Korean celebrities who -- upon being labeled “feminist,” or “anti-feminist” -- get thrown into the line of fire by the public. In a recent interview with BBC News Korea, the actor expressed concerns over feminism-related discussions in Korea degenerating into a battle of the se

CultureMay 22, 2018

Twice marks a hit in Japan for 3rd straight time

Twice’s new single “Wake Me Up” sold over 200,000 copies within the first week of its release in Japan, marking the third straight hit for the K-pop act.The girl group has so far released three singles in the country, with “One More Time,” “Candy Pop” also selling more than 200,000 records in their first week. According to Oricon News, this makes the K-pop the first foreign artist in Japan to accomplish such feat in its first three records. Cover art for “Wake Me Up” (JYP Entertainment)The 262,5

PerformanceMay 22, 2018

[Video] Koreans flock to temples to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday

Brightly colored lanterns hang in the air at Jogyesa Temple in central Seoul. Seoul citizens flocked to the chief temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday, a national holiday here that falls on May 22.People joined their hands in prayer, wishing for good fortune and blessings in the future, along with family members’ health and peace on the peninsula.Thousands of Buddhist followers and citizens attended the morning ceremony, according to Jogyesa Temple. Childre

CultureMay 22, 2018

‘Miss Hammurabi’ to search for warmhearted justice

While foreign superheroes and people with supernatural powers are taking up the local cinema screens, stories of desperate ordinary people will propel JTBC’s new series “Miss Hammurabi.” The series is an adaptation of a best-selling novel of the same title, written by real-life judge Moon Yoo-suk, who also participated in the scriptwriting of the series. The story will center on three judges with completely different perspectives. Go A-ra plays a rookie judge while Kim Myung-soo, better known as

TelevisionMay 21, 2018