Is Hongdae going south? Only to Hapjeong, Sangsu and Mangwon

Hongdae, the pinnacle of youth culture in Seoul, is best known as a hub for fashion, food, music, culture and clubs. However, some Seoulites are shunning Hongdae for neighborhoods south of the area, such as Mangwon, Sangsu and Hapjeong. “Hongdae is too overcrowded and is becoming too commercial. People want something new and frankly Hongdae is so yesterday,” said Kim Se-Jung, a student at Ewha Womans University.“It used to be made up of small, privately owned retail shops but recently we’re seei

TravelAug. 9, 2017

Cast of ‘Infinite Challenge’ reunites with Jack Black

The cast of popular MBC variety show “Infinite Challenge” were reunited with American actor Jack Black. On Wednesday, Black dropped a group selfie with the five “Infinite Challenge” members -- Yoo Jae-suk, Park Myeong-su, Jeong Jun-ha, Haha and Yang Se-hyeong -- on his Facebook with the caption “Long time no see, Infinite Challenge! Welcome to LA.” From top-left: Jeong Jun-ha, Yoo Jae-suk, Jack Black, Park Myeong-su, Haha and Yang Se-hyeong pose for a photo. (Jack Black‘s Facebook)Black appeared

TelevisionAug. 9, 2017

[Photo News] Comic Con wraps up with fans wanting more

Comic and game fans across the country had a field day last weekend, as the international pop culture festival known as Comic Con landed in Korea for the first time.Comic Con Seoul 2017 allowed the some 40,000 fans to geek out from Friday to Sunday, featuring an extravaganza of subculture never before seen here.It presented business opportunities as well, as total of 113 companies and artists hosted various comic, movie, animation and game related content at 345 booths. Renowned actors Mads Mikk

CultureAug. 9, 2017

Slimy ‘liquid monsters’ captivate Korean adults

Poke it and the dents slowly disappear; stretch it, and the strings droop lazily; mold it all back together, and it returns to its original shapeless blob form, evoking a strange sort of satisfaction. Such is the quality of slime, a squishy, glue-based substance that has become a sweeping global fad of late. Online clips featuring the multicolored, dough-like form -- which comes in all sizes and can be transparent, opaque, glittery or gravelly -- have been appealing to a wide audience, free from

CultureAug. 9, 2017

BIFF chairman, director to leave beleaguered film fest

Busan International Film Festival’s Chairman Kim Dong-ho and Executive Director Kang Soo-youn will resign from their posts after hosting this year’s edition.“We will be leaving after the festival closes on Oct. 21, after making our best efforts to hold the festival, which will take place two months from now, because we firmly believe that the festival should take place this year no matter what,” the two said in a joint statement issued Tuesday.Kim, one of the founding members of BIFF 22 years ag

FilmAug. 9, 2017

Whitewashing? Racism rampant in Korean job market

Despite ongoing efforts to embrace multiculturalism in Korea, racism against non-whites and non-Koreans is still common here, particularly in the job market for English teachers.An advertisement looking for teachers to work at an English camp was posted on Seoul Craigslist on Tuesday. Native-speaking English teachers pose in this photo, which is not directly related to the article. (EPIK)There was one glaring problem, a phrase that clearly stated “No Black.”The employers who posted the ad could

CultureAug. 9, 2017

Jung Yong-hwa releases second solo album in Japan

Jung Yong-hwa of the band CN Blue on Wednesday released “Summer Calling,” his second album in Japan.The eight-track album marks the first time in 29 months that he has released a solo album in the country.  Jung Yong-hwa (FCN Entertainment)The title track “Summer Dream” is a trendy dance number that will “cool off the summer heat,’ said Jung’s agency FNC Entertainment. Jung and Japanese model Laren Tsai played lovers in a fledgling romance in the recently-released music video.“Summer Calling” wi

PerformanceAug. 9, 2017

‘Memoir of a Murderer’ features a twitching, emaciated Sol Kyung-gu

Sol Kyung-gu has undergone another drastic transformation in the upcoming thriller “Memoir of a Murderer.”　The 50-year-old veteran actor, who was in Cannes in May with “The Merciless,” shed several kilograms to play a “retired” serial killer in his late 50s to early 60s, suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. “My memory has forgotten but my hand remembers murder, like a habit,” says the movie’s tagline. 　“When I was in ‘Oasis’ and ‘Silmido,’ I was young, so it was easier to lose weight,” Sol said o

FilmAug. 8, 2017

Kim Jae-hwan signs with CJ E&M for post-Wanna One career

Kim Jae-hwan of the boy band Wanna One has inked a management deal with CJ E&M, officials confirmed Tuesday.According to CJ E&M, the deal was made “on the foundation of the mutual trust between the company and Kim, during his appearance on ‘Produce 101 Season 2.’” Kim Jae-hwan (Yonhap)Kim finished fourth in the competition program on Mnet, a subsidiary of CJ E&M. The company will serve as Kim’s official agency after Wanna One disbands in December 2018.Wanna One, currently managed by YMC Entertai

PerformanceAug. 8, 2017

Wanna One stamps name on K-pop history with debut at Gocheok Sky Dome

(YMC Entertainment)Gazing out at the packed 20,000-capacity as the crowd chanted each of their names out loud, Wanna One couldn’t help but be overwhelmed. “We’ve always dreamed of how it would be like to be on the stage of Gocheok Sky Dome. I can’t believe our dream has come true,” said Wanna One during the group’s debut concert at Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul on Monday. Wanna One is a project boy band formed with the 11 finalists of Mnet TV competition show “Produce 101,” in which viewers

PerformanceAug. 8, 2017

BTS among top 50 that Americans love: New York Times

BTS was named one of the 50 most watched musicians on YouTube in America. The K-pop group ranked No. 44 on a list of music Americans love the most, released by the New York Times on Monday. It was the only group of Asian artists on the list. The list featured 50 artists on the Billboard Top 100 chart who were the most watched on YouTube in the United States between January 2016 and April 2017.  (Big Hit Entertainment)According to the New York Times, the boy band was especially popular in Hawaii

PerformanceAug. 8, 2017

KOTESOL gears up for international conference

Korea TESOL has opened registrations for its international conference in October.The conference is an annual gathering at which around 1,000 professionals in English education discuss issues and research in the field and develop their skills.Keynote speakers at this year’s conference will be Andy Curtis of Anaheim University and Nicky Hockly of Consultants-E, an online training and development organization. Curtis is an intercultural communications expert and the author of several books who will

Expat LivingAug. 8, 2017

TOPIK applications to open Monday

Applications to take the Test of Proficiency in Korean will open Monday, ahead of the exam day on Oct. 22.The test is available in two formats, TOPIK I, which covers levels 1 and 2, and the more challenging TOPIK II, which covers levels 3-6. The test costs 35,000 won for the TOPIK I and 40,000 won for the TOPIK II. There are 46 test centers in Korea, covering all provinces and metropolitan cities except Ulsan and Sejong. The test is also available in 72 other countries. Tests outside Asia are he

Expat LivingAug. 8, 2017

Cultural center hosts free movie screening

Seoul Global Cultural Center is hosting a free screening of the Korean film “Sunny,” with English subtitles, Saturday.The 2008 film is set during South Korea’s involvement in the Vietnam War.  Poster for "Sunny" (Showbox)The protagonist is Soon-yi, a young woman whose husband, Sang-gil, is a soldier who leaves his wife for his college sweetheart. After Sang-gil is sent to fight in Vietnam, Soon-yi decides to join a band heading there, performing as a singer with the stage name Sunny, to save her

Expat LivingAug. 8, 2017

Victim denounces director Kim Ki-duk for sexual harassment, demands punishment

Film director Kim Ki-duk’s alleged assault and coercion of an actress into an unscripted sex scene constitute sexual harassment and are a severe violation of human rights, a group representing the victim said Tuesday.The joint group -- consisting of a women’s rights group, legal representatives and film workers’ groups -- that represents an actress who has filed charges against Kim held a joint press conference in Seoul, denouncing Kim and urging measures to prevent further violation of human ri

FilmAug. 8, 2017

Black Pink's 'As If It's Your Last' hits 100 mln YouTube views

Black Pink's "As If It's Your Last" music video surpassed 100 million views on YouTube on Tuesday, the group's agency said.The song, released in June, became the fourth music video by the act to hit the milestone after "Boombayah," "Playing with Fire" and "Whistle," YG Entertainment said. The milestone was reached in 46 days. (YG Entertainment)The four-member K-pop team, which includes Thai national Lisa, made its debut with "Square One" in August of 2016 and became last year's breakout rookie s

PerformanceAug. 8, 2017

Taylor Swift in court as trial begins in groping case

Pop superstar Taylor Swift was in court on Monday as trial began in a case pitting her against a DJ accused of groping her at an event.Eight jurors were selected Monday with Swift looking on in the courtroom, a court employee confirmed to AFP. According to local media, she sat with her lawyers, dressed in a light top and dark blazer.Swift, 27, could take the stand to give details of the alleged assault during a meet and greet four years ago. Tree Paine, publicist for pop singer Taylor Swift, wal

PerformanceAug. 8, 2017

'A Taxi Driver' tops 5 mln on 7th day

A Korean film about the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising surpassed 5 million in attendance Tuesday, the 7th day of its run, the film's distributor said."A Taxi Driver" hit the threshold at 8:30 a.m., becoming the fastest film to reach the milestone this year, according to Showbox. The pace is one day faster than eight days for "The Battleship Island."The film accounted for 35.8 percent of tickets sold on Monday, considered a high rate for a weekday, and 42 percent of tickets reserved for Tues

FilmAug. 8, 2017

‘Descendants of the Sun’ stars to wed at The Shilla

The much-anticipated wedding of Hallyu mega-celebrities Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo will take place at The Shilla Seoul, on Oct. 31, a Blossom Entertainment source confirmed Tuesday.　“Only the date and the venue have been decided for now,” said the executive from Blossom Entertainment, Song Joong-ki’s management agency. “Specific details and whether or not they will hold a press conference are yet undecided.”The ceremony will take place at the hotel‘s Yeong Bin Gwan, an annex built in the sty

FilmAug. 8, 2017

[Seoul Saunter] Hagwon, road to freedom, or serfdom?

High schooler Jini Kim’s mother couldn’t escape a heavy-hearted and guilt-ridden feeling for her daughter.A third-year student, Jini studies from dawn to dusk, day in and day out, to secure competitive scores in school and in the nationwide university entrance examination held in November. “I feel so sorry for her,” the mother told The Korea Herald in Daechi-dong in southern Seoul, a mecca of private educational academies, known as hagwon here. “Forget about play!” she lamented. “Jini has barely

CultureAug. 7, 2017