Swedish comedy 'The Square' is surprise Cannes winner

   CANNES -- Swedish satire "The Square", a send-up of political correctness and the confused identity of the modern male, won the Palme d'Or top prize at the Cannes film festival Sunday.    In a stunning upset, the nine-member jury led by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar and including Hollywood stars Jessica Chastain and Will Smith awarded the trophy to director Ruben Ostlund.Swedish director Ruben Ostlund poses during the Award Winners photocall after he won the Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) Prize

FilmMay 29, 2017

[Herald Review] Fans beat early summer heat with music at Dream Station festival

The loud exciting EDM rhythm at the Dream Station Live for Now festival on Saturday pounded as visitors made their way to the venue. The all-day festival attracted more than 20,000 people to Nanji Hangang Park, who wanted to cool down from the early summer heat with music. “What’s unique about Dream Station is that unlike any other adults-only EDM festivals, people who are 15 years old and up can come and enjoy it,” said an official from DreamMaker Entertainment, which organized the event. “From

PerformanceMay 28, 2017

BTS wows fans in Asia-Australia tour

Fresh off last week’s win at Billboard Music Awards, Bangtan Boys on Friday held a concert in Sydney as the last leg of its tour across Asia and Australia.  BTS performs during its concert in Jakarta on April 29. (Big Hit Entertainment)Big Hit Entertainment, the agency of the K-pop sensation, said Sunday that the boyband had wrapped up “2017 BTS Live Trilogy Episode III: The Wings Tour.” The group entertained some 90,000 fans across Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Australia,

PerformanceMay 28, 2017

Music festivals to set Korea on fire

From EDM to rock, the music festivals across the country are set to further fuel the blazing heat this summer.With Ultra Korea 2017 just around the corner, music lovers of all genres are gearing up for events that will dial the excitement all the way up to 11. Fans will be treated to an opportunity to release the burden of everyday mundanity and lose themselves in a frenzy of beats and melody.Organizers for Ultra Korea, set to take place in Jamsil Olympic Stadium in southern Seoul, says this yea

PerformanceMay 28, 2017

B.A.P’s Daehyun, Jongup in album coordination

Daehyun and Jongup of B.A.P will collaborate on a new project album, according to TS Entertainment.  (TS Entertainment)The agency teased Friday that the two band members will drop a special album in June, unveiling an image that showed “Daehyun x Jongup” via its official social media account. "Daehyun and Jongup will pay tribute to fans who have supported the group through its multicity world tour through the album,” said an agency official.B.A.P recently wrapped up its 2017 world tour “Party Ba

PerformanceMay 26, 2017

[Eye Plus] Party for the family

Pets have become an important part of our lives, welcoming us when we return home and showering us with affection at all times, happy or sad. 　To return the unfaltering love, many people turn to lavish things, buying high-end pet food, cool toys and equipment for their pets. But pets do not want material things. They need your time.A new campaign where owners can spend quality time with their pets is gaining traction in South Korea -- the D.Pet Party organized by D.Media & Company and sponsored

CultureMay 26, 2017

Searching for inheritors of Korean cultural heritage

Korea has long boasted an abundance of beautiful scenery and rich culture. But the local tourism industry has been trying to offer something more: talented people and their stories. Since 2015, the state-run Korea Tourism Organization has selected dozens of experts in traditional arts for tourism agencies to come up with programs. This has allowed people to experience first-hand the time-tested art and culture of the 4,000-year-old country.The gurus are chosen for their expertise in their respec

CultureMay 26, 2017

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Yangpyeong Strawberry Festival The Yangpyeong Strawberry Festival is being held through the end of May. Visitors can pick their own strawberries at the strawberry farms and participate in a variety of activities and programs in the village. Reservations are required.Exclusive events for bloggers are on offer at blog.naver.com/yp_nadri. Up to 50 teams can participate. The festival is open to visitors of all ages. Visit www.yp21.net for information provided in Korean, English, Japanese and Mandari

TravelMay 26, 2017

[Herald Interview] The many shades of Lee Jung-jae

Actor Lee Jung-jae has come to symbolize the sleek, sophisticated modern male in Korean cinema. But in his most recent film “Warriors of the Dawn,” directed by Jeong Yoon-chul, Lee sheds his usual slim-fitting suit for rags, dirt and disheveled hair.“Appearances are important for viewers,” Lee said at an interview Thursday at a cafe in Palpan-dong in central Seoul. “Then, only afterwards, are viewers able to feel the emotion of scenes.”Lee plays To-woo, the rugged leader of proxy soldiers that e

FilmMay 26, 2017

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Get Out(US)Opened May 17Mystery, horror. Directed by Jordan PeeleChris (Daniel Kaluuya) and Rose (Allison Williams) have been dating for awhile, finally reaching the meet-the-parents point in the relationship. Rose invites Chris to a weekend mini-vacation in an upstate home with her family. At first, Chris believes Rose’s parents are being uncommonly kind to overcompensate for their awkwardness with their daughter’s interracial relationship. But in a series of disquieting discoveries throughout

FilmMay 26, 2017

[Movie Review] Latest ‘Pirates’ movie follows the formula

Since Hollywood loves a nostalgic reboot, it’s no surprise that the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise is setting sail once again, six years after 2011’s “On Stranger Tides.” For this film, subtitled “Dead Men Tell No Tales,” Disney has hired a lesser-known filmmaking duo to reanimate the series -- a pair of Norweigan filmmakers, Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg, who helmed the 2012 oceanic adventure film “Kon-Tiki.” What they’ve delivered is a cookie-cutter “Pirates” movie that faithfully f

FilmMay 26, 2017

[Movie Review] ‘Obit’ is a compelling look at the craft of newspaper obituary writing

Most journalists stifle a laugh when we hear somebody denounce a newspaper as a product of organized conspiracy.Because everyday we see the reality -- the mistake-filled atmosphere of chaos, rancor, disagreement, systemic technological failure, desperate last-minute alteration. The paper comes out, but nobody knows how, or cares, because yet another deadline looms.One useful attribute of the new documentary “Obit” is the way it illuminates this process. The movie literally peeks over the shoulde

FilmMay 26, 2017

[Weekender] Our fascination with crime

Crime dramas have been running rampant in Korean film and television.In cinema, 2017 opened with such flicks as “One Line,” the tale of a surprisingly simple but effective bank scam; “The Prison,” about inmates behind bars that control the outside world; and “Fabricated City,” featuring a team of hackers uncovering a massive digital conspiracy. The list goes on and on. Two of the five Korean films currently screening at the Cannes Film Festival are crime thrillers: “The Merciless” is about the p

FilmMay 26, 2017

‘Don’t look back in anger’: Manchester’s musical message to the world

MANCHESTER, England (AFP) -- “Don‘t look back in anger.” The now poignant words of legendary Manchester Britpop band Oasis rang out in a flower-filled square on Thursday, as a grieving crowd broke out in song after a minute’s silence to remember the 22 people killed in Monday‘s suicide bombing. In a city with a proud musical heritage, this was a spontaneous message of defiance from people trying to come to terms with the heartbreaking massacre of innocent young victims who were themselves enjoyi

FoodMay 26, 2017

Fiber is under the radar, but still boosts health

Dietary fiber is so 20th century.Important research published and widely publicized in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s highlighted fiber’s role in reducing the risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders including diverticulitis, and some cancers -- all while helping to control weight. Save the world with fiber.Here in the 21st century, fiber no longer gets the attention it once commanded -- save for the occasional fiber bar commercial. The spotlight now has shifted to the long l

FoodMay 26, 2017

Zenzero churning out small batch gelato

Gelato charmed Kwon Jeong-hye when she was studying Italian cuisine in South Korea.Kwon remembers being initially drawn to the canvas of gelato as a conduit through which flavors could be channeled.  Now Kwon is sharing that charm with shopgoers at the small gelateria she opened with her husband in Seoul. Zenzero -- a gelateria that specializes in artisanal, small batch gelato and sorbet -- opened this March in Seoul‘s Samseong-dong (Photo credit: Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)"I went to learn

FoodMay 26, 2017

TVXQ’s Yunho to star in upcoming drama ‘Meloholic’

Yunho of TVXQ is set to return as an actor with the upcoming drama “Meloholic” (unofficial translation), according to S.M. Entertainment. Yunho of TVXQ (Yonhap)The agency said Thursday that Yunho will play Yoo Eun-ho, a heartthrob who has the special power to read people’s minds, in the rom-com drama based on a web comic. In the series, Yoo falls in love with a woman who has a split personality. The drama marks the singer-turned-actor’s first project since he was discharged from military service

PerformanceMay 25, 2017

Tech meets art in McGregor’s ‘Atomos’

How can modern-day technology be integrated into art? According to decorated choreographer Wayne McGregor, the mix of science and art can be quite “poetic.”“We’re interested in technology, not necessarily on stage, but a way it’s inspiring process,” said McGregor while explaining the production of his show “Atomos,” which is set to be performed at LG Arts Center in southern Seoul on Friday and Saturday. During the press conference on Thursday, McGregor said he and other artists at Company Wayne

PerformanceMay 25, 2017

Kriesha Chu debuts with high-energy album ‘Trouble’

After nearly two years preparation in Korea, 18-year-old Filipino-American teen Kriesha Chu took to the stage for a sweet but energetic debut.   Chu, once a runner-up on audition program “K-Pop Star 6,” delved into the experience of falling in love for her two-track debut album “Trouble,” released Wednesday. The lead track also titled “Trouble” and “I Wish It Were You” from the album both portrait a girl in love, while they differ starkly in musical styles.Kriesha Chu performs at a press showcas

PerformanceMay 25, 2017