[Home Cooking] Dak cheonggyeongchae bokkeum (Stir-fried chicken and bok choy)

This Chinese-style stir-fried chicken with baby bok choy (cheonggyeongchae) is quick and easy to put together, making it perfect for a weeknight meal.First, coat the bite sized chicken with cornstarch and egg white. This keeps the chicken moist and tender, and gives it a nice sheen. Then, the chicken is quickly pan-fried before the actual stir-frying happens with the sauce and vegetables. The sauce is light yet rich in flavor. I used good quality chicken broth as a sauce base, but water is fine

FoodMarch 24, 2017

[Travel Bits] Festivals and sights around Korea

Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival will be held in the area of Jeonnong-ro and the entrance of Jeju National University. The peak of the King Cherry Tree blossoms lasts for only 2 to 3 days, but the beautiful blossoms can be seen for weeks, from March 31 and continue until April 9.There are no admission fees or age limit.For more information, call the travel hotline at 1330 for Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese services, or visit www.visitjeju.net for information provi

TravelMarch 24, 2017

Dylan says Amy Winehouse was last ‘individualist’

NEW YORK (AFP) -- Bob Dylan has hailed Amy Winehouse as the last great artist with an individual style as the rock legend shared his views on music in a rare interview.In a lengthy dialogue with writer Bill Flanagan posted on Dylan’s website, the new winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature hailed the English soul singer who died in 2011 at age 27.“She was the last real individualist around,” Dylan said.Dylan, 75, also praised two living female singers with blues and folk influences, Valerie Jun

PerformanceMarch 24, 2017

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Prison(Korea)Opened March 23Crime, action. Directed by Na HyunIk-ho (Han Suk-kyu) reigns as king at a local prison, whose inmates escape outside at night to commit undetectable crimes throughout the country. Former police officer Yoo-geon (Kim Rae-won), accused of a hit-and-run, burying evidence and bribery becomes incarcerated there. Ik-ho sees a potential criminal mastermind in Yoo-geon’s ruthless grit and temper. Together, the two plan a grand plot. Ordinary Person(Korea)Opened March 23Dr

FilmMarch 24, 2017

[Movie Review] Gang’s still all the rage in ‘T2 Trainspotting’

Looked at logically, “T2 Trainspotting” should not work as well as it does. In fact, it shouldn’t work at all. But up there on the screen, where it matters, the dark magic remains intact and logic be damned.When it was released in 1996, the original “Trainspotting” seemed the very definition of a one-shot phenomenon. Exuberant and pitiless, profane yet eloquent, flush with the ability to create laughter out of unspeakable situations, this look at the dead-end lives of a quartet of Edinburgh junk

FilmMarch 24, 2017

[Movie Review] Terrence Malick’s ‘Song to Song’ finds beauty, frustration and hope in Austin music scene

There comes a moment in “Song to Song,” the latest cinematic symphony written and directed by Terrence Malick, when Ryan Gosling pauses to tell Cate Blanchett, “You’re beautiful.” It’s a supremely redundant statement, this beautiful man telling this beautiful woman how beautiful she is in a movie that, like every Malick enterprise, is a hymn to the beautiful interconnectedness of all things.Beauty and redundancy have become the defining hallmarks of Malick’s filmmaking, and so long as cinema end

FilmMarch 24, 2017

Films ‘Age of Shadows,’ ‘Net’ continue to sell abroad

A handful of Korean films were sold abroad after showcases at the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market last week, film distributor Finecut said Friday.“One Step,” a romantic film featuring the former K-pop singer Sandara Park has been sold to Thailand’s Studio Aromdi, and rights for airline screening have been sold to Encore Inflight. Director Kim Ki-duk’s “Net,” a story about a North Korean fisherman who accidentally drifts into South Korean waters, has been sold to Distribution Company Sud

FilmMarch 24, 2017

'Good Manager' slips but remains No. 1 ahead of final stretch

With two more episodes to go, "Good Manager" retained its lead in the Wednesday-Thursday late night TV drama race, while its competitors slightly caught up. Episode 18 of KBS 2TV's "Good Manger," which aired Thursday evening, recorded a 17 percent viewership, according to Nielsen Korea. It marks a 0.4 percentage point dip from the previous broadcast but still towered over its main competitors. This image provided by Logos Film shows the cast of the KBS 2TV office series "Good Manager." (Yonhap)S

TelevisionMarch 24, 2017

Ku Hye-sun quits drama due to health, Jang Hee-jin to fill role

Actress Ku Hye-sun has dropped out from MBC TV's weekend drama "You Are Too Much" due to health issues, the network and her agency said Friday."Ku was recently rushed to a hospital emergency room during filming, after showing symptoms of nausea and breathing problems," YG Entertainment, Ku's agency, said.  (Yonhap)The actress was diagnosed with a severe case of anaphylaxis, a type of serious allergic reaction, and was recommended by her doctor to undergo long-term treatment.Ku was cast as the co

TelevisionMarch 24, 2017

S.E.S’ Bada walks down aisle

Bada, from the hit 1990s group S.E.S, tied the knot Wednesday with a businessman, who runs a restaurant franchise in a private ceremony at Jungnim-dong Yakhyeon Catholic Church in central Seoul. Singer Bada poses during a press conference held before her wedding ceremony in Seoul on Thursday (Yonhap)Only the families and close friends of the couple were invited to the wedding, including Eugene and Shoo of S.E.S, former 2NE1 member Sandara Park, singer-turned-actress Yoonha, 2PM’s Ok Taek-yeon, a

PerformanceMarch 23, 2017

Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ filming brings Hollywood action to Busan

BUSAN - The shooting of a Hollywood action flick in Busan had residents of Korea’s largest port city excited Tuesday night. The street bordering Gwangalli Beach in Busan was closed at 8 p.m. on Tuesday for the filming of Marvel Studios’ upcoming blockbuster “Black Panther.” The film is another instalment in the “Avengers” series, of which “Avengers: Age of Ultron” was filmed in Korea in 2015. Filming in Busan which began on March 17 continues through Wednesday, with up to 2,000 crew members shoo

FilmMarch 23, 2017

Park Chan-wook to receive Key to Florence

Korean director Park Chan-wook, who was met with global acclaim for last year’s erotic thriller “The Handmaiden,” will receive an award from Italy‘s Florence city government for his contributions to the development of culture and arts, film industry officials said Thursday.Florence’s Mayor Dario Nardella will be giving Park a key to the city, an award given to prominent cultural figures, in a ceremony Saturday. The “Oldboy” director is acclaimed internationally for his films which have received

FilmMarch 23, 2017

SHINee wraps up Vancouver concert, hits Dallas next

Following Sunday’s Toronto concert, SHINee on Tuesday completed a successful Vancouver show, the group’s agency S.M. Entertainment said Thursday. The boy band held its SHINee World V concert in Vancouver at the Orpheum Theater. For 2 1/2 hours, it performed a roster of hit songs including “Sherlock,” Ring Ding Dong,” “Everybody” and “Aside,” as well as recent releases “1 of 1” and “Ready or Not” -- coupled with its signature immaculate choreography.  SHINee performs in Vancouver’s Orpheum Theate

PerformanceMarch 23, 2017

T-ara disbands as Soyeon, Boram part ways

K-pop group T-ara announced Thursday that Soyeon and Boram will not be renewing their contracts after they expire in May.“Boram and Soyeon’s contracts expire on May 15. The remaining members -- Qri, Eunjung, Hyomin and Jiyeon -- have extended their contracts until the end of December,” T-ara’s agency MBK Entertainment said.  T-ara (MBK Entertainment)Soyeon and Boram will continue working with the group until June, according to the agency. It added that a contract extension after this year will b

PerformanceMarch 23, 2017

‘Sewol ribbon’ cloud highlights salvage operation

Even the heavens appeared to celebrate the long-awaited resurfacing of the sunken ferry Sewol. As authorities on Wednesday kicked off the salvage operation of Sewol, the internet buzzed with a photo of a cloud seen in Wonju, Gangwon Province.The cloud seemed to take the form of the yellow ribbon used to symbolize those who lost their lives in the Sewol tragedy.“It was sent by my brother-in-law in Wonju. What does it remind you of? I wish success for the salvage operation!!” said a netizen who po

PeopleMarch 23, 2017

Choi Min-sik to star in film that ‘properly deals with politics’

Choi Min-sik, best known to international audiences for his role as a vengeful prisoner in the 2003 neo-noir “Oldboy,” tackles his first role as a politician in the upcoming film “Special Citizen.” Choi will be acting alongside a roster of acclaimed talents, including Kwak Do-won, who starred in horror-thriller “The Wailing,” and Shim Eun-kyung, who made a brief appearance in zombie flick “Train to Busan.” Both films achieved international recognition last year.“I felt that we were lacking films

FilmMarch 22, 2017

‘Midnight Runners’ sold to 6 countries

The upcoming action flick “Midnight Runners” has been sold in advance to some six countries at the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market, which took place from March 13-16. Rights to the film have been purchased by companies including Japan’s The Klockworx, Taiwan’s Long Shong, Hong Kong’s Deltamac HK, Philippines’ Viva Comm and Singapore’s Purple Plan.  Kang Ha-neul (left) and Park Seo-joon star in “Midnight Runners.” (Lotte Entertainment)“We are looking forward to the chemistry between Park

FilmMarch 22, 2017

‘The Handmaiden’ notches 4 awards at AFA

Director Park Chan-wook’s film “The Handmaiden” notched four awards at the 11th Asian Film Awards held Tuesday in Hong Kong.The 2016 thriller took the award for best supporting actress for Moon So-ri, best newcomer for Kim Tae-ri, best production design and best costume design at this year’s awards.“I never expected this award. I want to thank director Park, and I vow to become a better actor and a better person,” said Moon.Kim gave the credit to the production staff, saying that “we owe everyth

FilmMarch 22, 2017

Korea to issue e-visas for Southeast Asians to tackle THAAD fallout

The Korean government on Wednesday announced that it will start issuing electronic visas to Southeast Asian tourists in May, as part of its plan to aid the local tourism industry which has been hit by tension between Seoul and Beijing.In opposition of last year’s joint decision by the Korea-US alliance to station the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system here, China has been curbing Chinese tours to Korea. This includes the reported order by Beijing to ban its tourism agencies from selling

TravelMarch 22, 2017