Mungyeong Rail Bike to extend operating hours

North Gyeongsang Province’s tourist attraction Mungyeong Rail Bike will extend its operating hours from July 2, the Mungyeong Tourism Promotion Corporation announced Tuesday. According to the MTPC, the 7.4-kilometer roundtrip section between Maseong-myun’s Jinnam Station and Gurang-ri Station will operate bicycles beyond the original ending time of 6 p.m. 　(Instagram @yujin.8781)For three Saturdays -- July 2, 9, and 16 --  bikes will be allowed to leave Chinnam Station at 6 and 7 p.m., finishing

TravelJune 28, 2016

[Best Brands] Imperial Palace Seoul, a growing global presence

A nighttime exterior view of Imperial Palace Seoul (Imperial Palace Seoul)HOTEL BUSINESS (GANGNAM)　IMPERIAL PALACE SEOUL　A grand feat of architecture standing in the heart of Gangnam, Seoul’s hyper-modern center of business and culture, Imperial Palace Seoul has become a city landmark. 　Since opening its doors 27 years ago, Imperial Palace Seoul has sought to differentiate itself through a classic approach not only to its opulent style -- ivory marble and deep mahogany wood in an ornate Baroque

Life&CultureJune 28, 2016

Taeyeon tops charts with ‘Why’

Taeyeon of Girls’ Generation topped domestic music charts with “Why,” released at midnight on Monday.By Tuesday morning, the title track off her second EP had topped six domestic music charts: Mnet, Genie, Bugs, Naver Music, Olleh Music, Soribada. “Why,” a trendy pop tune composed by world-class producing team LDN Noise, presents a unique sound infused with rhythm and blues and electronic dance music, said the singer’s agency S.M. Entertainment.By Monday, more than 100,000 albums had been preord

PerformanceJune 28, 2016

[Herald Interview] Korean-British artist duo creates physical expressions of light and space

 GWANGJU -- The name of the Seoul-based artist duo Kimchi and Chips pretty much tells where the artists are from.  Korean-British artist duo Mimi Son and Elliot Woods formed an art studio in 2009, adopting the quirky name. Since then, the two have been creating installations that challenge people’s perception of light and space and presenting them at museums and galleries throughout the world. One of the most well-known works is the first edition of the “Light Barrier” series in which the artist

PerformanceJune 28, 2016

Language of China’s emperors in peril

SANJIAZI, China (AFP) - It was the language of China’s last imperial dynasty which ruled a vast kingdom for nearly three centuries. But 71-year-old Ji Jinlu is among only a handful of native Manchu speakers left.Traders and farmers from what are now the borders of China and Korea, the Manchus took advantage of a crumbling Ming state and swept south in the 1600s to establish their own Qing Dynasty.Manchu became the court language, its angular, alphabetic script used in millions of documents produ

CultureJune 28, 2016

Hyukoh concert tickets snapped up fast in China

Korean indie rock band Hyukoh sold all 3,000 tickets for its upcoming concert in China within just one minute of them going on sale, demonstrating the band’s growing popularity in China, the band’s agency Duruduru AMC announced Tuesday.“Hyukoh is set to hold the solo concert ‘20/22’ in Shanghai on July 9, at the enthusiastic request of Chinese fans,” said the agency. The band previously captivated Chinese audiences at the country’s biggest music festival, the Strawberry Music Festival held in Sh

PerformanceJune 28, 2016

Hotel Lotte ordered to pay damages for canceled Ne-Yo concert

Hotel Lotte Co. is to award a concert production agency damages for canceling a concert featuring the internationally renowned rhythm and blues singer Ne-Yo, a Seoul court ruled Tuesday.The Seoul Central District Court found that the hotel had canceled the concert after organizing it, ruling in favor of the complainant. It ordered Hotel Lotte to pay 200 million won ($170,000) in damages to the concert production agency, whose name was not revealed.  According to the findings, the agency, which h

PerformanceJune 28, 2016

[Herald Interview] CICI chief Choi takes modern look at Korean culture

Choi Jung-wha, a professor at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, has released the English version of her new book, “K-Style: Living the Korean Way of Life,” which delves deep into the evolution of modern Korean living. 　Through her book, the founder and president of the Corea Image Communications Institute intended to arouse interest and curiosity about all things Korea and the Korean way of life.　Choi said her desire to raise international interest in Korean society was first ignited dec

BooksJune 27, 2016

Iconic ’90s boy band member charged with sexual assault

Lee Juno, a member of the hit 1990s boy band Seo Taiji and Boys, has been booked on a charge of sexual assault, reports said Monday. 　Lee, 49, is suspected of sexually abusing two women at an Itaewon club at around 3 a.m. on June 25, the reports said, citing the Yongsan Police Station. 　Police are currently analyzing video footage from surveillance cameras inside the club. “We will summon Lee for questioning once the basic investigations are complete,” police said. Lee Juno (The Korea Herald)　Po

PerformanceJune 27, 2016

Jang Keun-suk to kick off Asia tour

Actor and singer Jang Keun-suk, nicknamed “Asia Prince” by fans for his popularity throughout the region, will be touring the continent in the coming months. 　The tour, titled “2016 Jang Keun Suk Asia Tour, It’s Show Time” will kick off on July 2 in Seoul. It will then move on to Tokyo and Osaka in Japan and Shanghai and Shenzhen in China, before moving on to other cities in Asia.  Actor Jang Keun-suk (Official Website)　The tour marks Jang’s return to the stage following his regional tour last y

PerformanceJune 27, 2016

[Newsmaker] Lee U-fan to take time to examine counterfeits of his paintings

Artist Lee U-fan, whose abstract paintings have become the subjects of art forgeries, took a look at the paintings the National Forensic Service identified as counterfeits for the first time Monday, but said he has yet to conclude if they are fakes. 　“I will come back (to the police) the day after tomorrow. There are things I have to check again,” said Lee as he left the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency after having examined the paintings. 　Lee’s attorney Choi Soon-yong explained that Lee would

PerformanceJune 27, 2016

[Foreigners Who Loved Korea] The George Fitch family, supporters of Korean independence activists

In 1968, the government of the Republic of Korea bestowed the Order of Independence Merit for National Foundation unto the missionary George Ashmore Fitch (Korean name: Bi Oh-saeng). Fitch was none other than the Suzhou-born U.S. missionary who had provided a meeting place for Korean independence activists in Shanghai, China in 1919, acted as director of the Korean Relief Society and adviser to Inseong School in the 1920s and provided refuge to Kim Gu after Yun Bong-gil’s patriotic deed at Hongk

CultureJune 27, 2016