World-famous diamond inspires new and bloody history

NEW DELHI (AFP) -- Many precious stones have a blood-soaked history, but a new book reveals the world‘s most famous diamond, the Koh-i-Noor, surpasses them all, with a litany of horrors that rivals “Game of Thrones.”The Koh-i-Noor (“Mountain of Light”), now part of the British Crown Jewels, has witnessed the birth and fall of empires across the Indian subcontinent, and remains the subject of a bitter ownership battle between Britain and India.“It is an unbelievably violent story. ... Almost ever

CultureDec. 25, 2016

Actor Lee Kwang-soo faces new challenge in career

Korean actor Lee Kwang-soo has had a busy year. Not only has he been on the popular variety show “Running Man,” which propelled him to stardom several years ago, the former model has demonstrated an ability to act in multiple genres from sitcoms to historical dramas.In the last few months alone, he has played an aspiring cartoonist in the web series-turned-TV sitcom “Sound of Your Heart,” a B-list actor in the tvN series “Entourage,” and the protagonist‘s best friend in the period drama “Hwarang

TelevisionDec. 25, 2016

At 70, sitcoms stand firm against wave of TV changes

NEW YORK (AFP) -- The television industry is in the midst of a sea change, but one format hasn’t varied in 70 years -- and yet remains a favorite among American viewers.The sitcom still brings the same bag of tricks: recurring characters and sets, with humorous storylines often punctuated by laughter.Television dramas have become ever more sophisticated in recent years, from the zombie apocalypse of “The Walking Dead” to medieval power struggles in “Game of Thrones.”Yet the most-watched televisi

TelevisionDec. 25, 2016

Secrets behind the dazzling dances of ‘La La Land’

BURBANK, California (AP) -- Choreographer Mandy Moore was lying under a car on the hot pavement while more than 100 dancers above her twirled through gridlocked LA freeway traffic during the opening number of “La La Land.”The sequence was months in the making -- the most complicated ever undertaken by Moore, who’s been creating routines for TV’s “Dancing With the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance” for years.“I’m going to call it hashtag panic attack,” the Emmy-nominated choreographer said o

FilmDec. 25, 2016

Denzel Washington can finally breathe easy about ‘Fences’

Denzel Washington in “Fences.” (MMXVI Paramount Pictures Corporation)LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Denzel Washington is feeling pretty good at the moment. It‘s mid-December in Los Angeles, Washington is a few weeks shy of his 62nd birthday, and the Screen Actors Guild has just recognized his adaptation of the August Wilson play “Fences” for its ensemble cast. He’s also finally getting feedback from audiences as the film trickles out to theaters before opening wide on Christmas Day. 　  The ease around it i

EntertainmentDec. 23, 2016

Salt, butter and more at Maillet

Owner-pastry chefs Ronan and Su-jin Kim Maillet do not skimp on salt and butter at their namesake dessert boutique in Seorae Village, Seoul. Croissants get their snappy, crisp exterior from a liberal use of butter, while a light punch of salt heightens that lovely, butter-rich flavor. One might think that the thick yet light layers of vanilla cream are what earn Maillet’s millefeuille a loyal fan base, but one should not discredit the buttery, flaky and slightly saline layers sandwiching that lu

FoodDec. 23, 2016

Son of actor Song Kang-ho joins pro football club

 The son of the popular actor Song Kang-ho joined a South Korean professional football club Thursday.Suwon Samsung Bluewings in the top-flight K League Classic said they drafted right fullback Song Jun-pyung out of Yonsei University.The 20-year-old previously played on Maetan High School based in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, some 45 kilometers south of Seoul.In this photo provided by Suwon Samsung Bluewings football club, Song Jun-pyung (top row, second from R), son of the popular actor Song Kang-h

FilmDec. 22, 2016

The unlikely saviors of Libya’s Roman remains

LEPTIS MAGNA, Libye (AFP) -- Ali Hribish stands by the Arch of Septimius Severus which dominates Libya’s ancient city of Leptis Magna, brandishing letters of thanks for his efforts to protect the site. The former electricity company employee in his 50s has become the Roman city’s unlikely savior, protecting it from looting and vandalism as chaos rocks the country following the 2011 downfall of dictator Moamer Kadhafi. Despite having no background in archaeology, Hribish gathered a band of fighte

CultureDec. 22, 2016

[Herald Review] ‘Misbehavior’ of two female teachers, one male student

“For a very long time, she had heard stories about stupid women. She was warned more often against stupid women than against dangerous men,” reads an excerpt from “Good Person” (unofficial translation), a novel released last month by Korean writer Kang Hwa-gil.The book draws on the small inconveniences and anxieties that a woman faces in everyday life, and the striving to become a “good,” well-reputed and likeable person. Like the novel, “Misbehavior,” the latest drama film by emerging director

FilmDec. 22, 2016

Bolbbalgan4 knocks Big Bang off top spot

Indie duo Bolbbalgan4 (Shofar Music)Indie duo Bolbbalgan4 has taken over the top of the charts once again with its new single “Say You Like Me,” knocking K-pop powerhouses Big Bang and EXO from the top spots.　A hidden track off the female duo’s first studio album, “Red Planet” was released on Thursday and has claimed the No. 1 spot on seven of the biggest local music charts including MelOn, Genie and Olleh. 　Bolbbalgan4 is considered to be unique in the local music industry, which is largely dom

PerformanceDec. 22, 2016

'Hwarang’ drama to be made into musical

A promotional image for the TV drama “Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth.” (KBS2)The new TV drama “Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth” is gearing up to hit the musical stage, according to Asia Bridge Contents on Wednesday. 　The period drama’s first of 20 episodes aired Monday, but there are already talks of turning the KBS2 TV series into a live musical. 　A statement by Asia Bridge Contents confirmed that the company, along with Oh Boy Project, already have plans to produce a musical spin-off of “Hwar

PerformanceDec. 22, 2016

French art analysis firm lashes out against Korean prosecution’s report

French image analysis firm Lumiere Technology strongly refuted the Korean prosecution’s announcement that “Beautiful Woman” is an authentic piece by late artist Chun Kyung-ja.“It is deeply disturbing to see our professional and expert opinion -- which is based on painstaking, detailed and thorough investigations -- on the artwork of Chun Kyung-ja thus ignored and unequivocally criticized without credible or scientific evidence,” the firm’s CEO Jean Penicaut said in a statement released Wednesday

PerformanceDec. 21, 2016

Most anticipated Hallyu stars of 2017 in China

Korean celebrities Kim Soo-hyun, Jun Ji-hyun, Song Joong-ki and Yoona were selected as Hallyu stars to look out for in 2017 in a survey conducted by Chinese media outlets. In a joint survey by Chinese newspaper People’s Daily and Korea’s Customers Council, an additional 10 Hallyu stars, including boy bands EXO, Big Bang and NCT Dream, were picked as the most anticipated stars of 2017. Some 307,520 people participated in the survey. Actor Song Joong-ki (Blossom Entertainment)  Actor Kim Soo-hyun

TelevisionDec. 21, 2016

Books for for the bookworm in your life

I‘m ready to give the book the nine-lives prize. How many times has it been ruled obsolete? And yet, people are buying and enjoying print books more than ever.I’ve used an e-reader on occasion, but when it comes to the gift books featured below, there‘s nothing like the printed page for displaying their superior graphics, gorgeous illustrations and well-organized information. There’s something for everyone here, from the lighthearted (“The Aloha Shirt”) to the sublime (“Fireflies”). Browse this

BooksDec. 21, 2016