Special episodes reveal ‘Guardian’ behind the scenes

Two special episodes of the hit drama series “Guardian: The Great and Lonely God” aired on Friday and Saturday, revealing behind-the-scenes collaboration among the cast and the secrets of the show’s costumes and special effects.　The episodes, narrated by cast members Lee Dong-wook and Yoo In-na, showed a cheerful set. Scenes featured Kim Go-eun, who played the high-school student Ji Eun-tak, bursting into laughter at the goofy antics of Gong Yoo, who portrayed the immortal god Kim Shin. The swor

TelevisionFeb. 5, 2017

‘Tomorrow With You’ kicks off to mixed responses

The first two episodes of the new drama series “Tomorrow With You” aired on Friday and Saturday, featuring a mix of time-travel fantasy and destined romance.The first episode kicked off with a 3.9 percent viewership while ratings for the second episode slipped slightly to 2.1 percent, according to Nielsen Korea. Though the figures are lagging when compared to the pilot of the preceding show “Guardian: The Great and Lonely God,” which averaged a 6.9 percent viewership, viewers responded with favo

TelevisionFeb. 5, 2017

New book details old New Orleans’ hooker directories

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- “Josie came to this city ... to have a good time and she is going to have it while she lasts,” one madam advertised in a 1903 directory of Storyville, then New Orleans’ flourishing legal red-light district.It’s the ads that add interest to the pocket-sized directories sold a century ago for 25 cents, Pamela D. Arceneaux writes in “Guidebooks to Sin: The Blue Books of Storyville, New Orleans.” The $50 coffee-table book will be released Saturday by The Historic New Orleans Coll

BooksFeb. 5, 2017

Bolivia opens ‘Evo museum’ dedicated to indigenous president

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) -- School notebooks, a boy’s sandals and T-shirts given to him by famous soccer players are among the objects displayed at a $7 million museum inaugurated by Bolivian President Evo Morales.It’s in his native village of Orinoca, high in the country’s altiplano, and is called the Museum of the Democratic and Cultural Revolution. But Bolivia’s political opposition has dubbed it the “Evo Museum” and is questioning its cost and ostentatiousness standing near humble homes in a rur

PeopleFeb. 5, 2017

Mozart meets his match: Stage hit ‘Amadeus’ comes to screen

LONDON (AP) -- For a play that makes audience members contemplate their own mediocrity, “Amadeus” is quite the crowd-pleaser.Britain’s National Theatre has a sold-out hit with a revival of Peter Shaffer’s play about bad-boy genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his jealous rival Antonio Salieri, composer to the 18th-century Viennese court.The production, which mixes actors, opera singers and a 20-piece onstage orchestra, is being broadcast in movie theaters around the world Thursday as part of the

PerformanceFeb. 5, 2017

Jenkins & Chazelle: The young directors at center of Oscars

NEW YORK (AP) -- At the forefront of this year’s Oscar race are two filmmakers in their 30s with seemingly limitless careers ahead of them: Damien Chazelle, the 32-year-old wunderkind behind “La La Land” and Barry Jenkins, the 37-year-old writer-director of “Moonlight.” The combined nominations of their films amount to 22 even while their ages add up to less than that of Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg. It’s rare for young directors to rise to such heights. If Chazelle, the favorite, were to

FilmFeb. 5, 2017

‘Romiaaaow & Juliet’: John Hurt’s strangest role in cat film

LOS ANGELES (AFP) -- They could have called it “Cats,” if someone hadn’t got there first, for John Hurt’s strangest movie by far is an obscure Shakespeare adaptation placing him opposite 108 feline co-stars.The British knight of the realm played some of cinema’s most iconic characters across 150 movies before his death in January, but even ardent film buffs are unlikely to have seen him in “Romeo.Juliet.”Hurt is the only human in Armondo Acosta’s 1990 movie, playing a Venetian bag lady while the

FilmFeb. 5, 2017

[The Palate] Beautifully crafted, domestically made

Bright white sterile walls and a cool, clean minimal decor radiate from the big windows of the newly opened cheese shop and restaurant Cheeseflo in busy Hannam-dong. Wedged between two streets near the Leeum Museum, the restaurant showcases its in-house-made cured meats hanging in an aging room with an immaculate glass encased affinage room at the opposite end. Cheeseflo immediately entices passersby with its attractive homemade products, but the true allure lies within its doors.  Cheeseflo‘s a

FoodFeb. 3, 2017

Veteran singer Lee Hyori gears up to return to spotlight

K-pop diva Lee Hyori is preparing to return to the spotlight after a four-year absence. Lee left for Australia to shoot a fashion pictorial on Jan. 26 which many have taken as a signal of her long-awaited comeback. Lee Hyori (Swarovski)Kiwi Media Group, which represents the singer, on Thursday denied that the photo shoot was tied to an album release. “The artist has been recording her album since January but the exact release date has yet to be confirmed,” the company said.  Lee signed with the

PerformanceFeb. 3, 2017

Actress Moon Geun-young receives emergency operation, cancels play

Actress Moon Geun-young received emergency surgery earlier this week to treat right-arm muscle pain and canceled her planned stage performances, her agency said Friday.Moon was diagnosed with compartment syndrome after visiting a hospital Wednesday for sudden pain in her right arm, her agency Namoo Actors said. (Yonhap)Compartment syndrome is a condition that occurs when excessive tissue pressure builds up in compartments containing muscles and nerves. It can lead to permanent muscle and nerve d

TelevisionFeb. 3, 2017

Lady Gaga says Super Bowl halftime show is ‘for everyone’

Lady Gaga said she hopes her Super Bowl halftime show will celebrate ``inclusion’‘ and the ``spirit of equality’‘ during a time of national division.``This performance is for everyone. I want to, more than anything, create a moment that everyone that’s watching will never forget,‘’ she said in a press conference Thursday in Houston. Lady Gaga answers questions at a news conference for the NFL Super Bowl 51 football game Thursday in Houston. (AP-Yonhap)Gaga wouldn‘t reveal what songs she would si

PerformanceFeb. 3, 2017

[Around the Hotels] Packages and promotions

Valentine’s Day package at Grand Hyatt SeoulThe Grand Hyatt Seoul is offering a Valentine’s Day package that includes a one-night stay at a Grand Room, bottle of wine, signature doll and Jo Malone London hand-wash gift box. Couples can have breakfast the next day and check out at 2 p.m. The package is available from Feb. 10 for 320,000 won. For information and reservation, call (02) 799 - 8888 or visit seoul.grand.hyatt.kr.Valentine’s package at Novotel Ambassador Seoul GangnamNovotel Ambassador

FoodFeb. 3, 2017

[Travel Bits] Festivals in Korea this week

 Ganghwa Icefish FestivalHeld in the Hwangcheong Reservoir at the base of Deoksan Mountain and Guksusan Mountain, Ganghwa Icefish Festival is managed and sponsored by the fishery community of Hwangcheon Reservoir in Naesu-myeon. Visitors can enjoy ice-fishing and visit nearby Yongdure Village for various agricultural and traditional experiences. Admission fees is 5,000 won per person, and there is no age limit. Visiting hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and visitors can register on site.For more i

TravelFeb. 3, 2017

'Legend of the Blue Sea' writer vows legal action against plagiarism charge

Park Ji-eun, screenwriter of SBS TV's "Legend of the Blue Sea," said Thursday she will take legal action against accusations her mermaid show copied an unmade-film scenario. (Yonhap)In a joint statement released with the show's production company Culture Depot, Park said she will launch a "strong legal response" against what she described as "false accusations."Screenwriter Park Ki-hyun on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Park Ji-eun, claiming that the TV series violated copyrights of an unmade m

TelevisionFeb. 2, 2017

Korea seeks UNESCO World Heritage designation for 7 mountain temples

Korea‘s Cultural Heritage Administration submitted an application Friday to list seven Buddhist mountain temples for a UNESCO World Heritage site, the state-run agency said Thursday.The seven temples, all located on mountains, are Beopjusa on Songnisan, Tongdosa on Yeongchuksan, Buseoksa on Bonghwangsan, Bongjeongsa on Cheondeungsan, Magoksa on Taehwasan, Seonamsa on Jogyesan and Daeheungsa on Duryunsan. Beopjusa Temple (Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism) Buseoksa Temple Magoksa TempleWhether the t

CultureFeb. 2, 2017

Twice drops teaser image ahead of Feb. 20 album release

K-pop icon Twice on Thursday announced via Twitter and Facebook that its new album will be released on Feb. 20.The group posted a teaser image of the new album with the words “Twice 02.20 0 AM Knock Knock” at midnight Wednesday. Teaser image for Twice’s new album (Twice’s official Twitter account)Having debuted in October of 2015, Twice had sold some 627,000 records as of the end of last year, becoming the best-selling all-female K-pop band of 2016.Coming off the success of debut album “The Stor

PerformanceFeb. 2, 2017

Lee Dong-gun splits with T-ara’s Jiyeon

Lee Dong-gun’s agency said Thursday that the actor recently ended his romantic relationship with Jiyeon of K-pop group T-ara. According to Lee’s agency FNC Entertainment, the celebrity couple broke up due to their busy schedules. The company did not say exactly when the two decided to go their separate ways. Lee Dong-gun (FNC Entertainment) Jiyeon (MBK Entertainment)They reportedly met in 2015 during the filming of “Encounter,” and the relationship was publicized after photos of them dating were

PeopleFeb. 2, 2017