Park Yong-maan appointed CEO of Korea National Opera

Doosan Group chairman Park Yong-maan has been appointed CEO of the Korea National Opera, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Friday. Doosan Group chairman Park Yong-maan (Yonhap)　Park, a long-time supporter of the arts, has served as a director of the Seoul Arts Center and as president of KNO supporters since 2013. He also led the Jeongdong Theater as CEO from 2012-2015. 　As head of one of Korea’s top conglomerates, Park has been actively supporting cultural activities at his busine

PerformanceJan. 15, 2016

[Around the hotels]

　Grand Hilton Seoul offers bridal shower 　Brides-to-be can prepare for their big day in style at the Grand Hilton Seoul.　The “Bridal Shower Package” features a one-night stay in a four-bedroom unit. The bridal party can hold their prewedding celebration at the Grand Suite, which is adjacent to the hotel. 　The hotel‘s flower shop Adiel will create a festive atmosphere by preparing a balloon decoration, and the hotel will offer a snack set including a bottle of Santiago Merlot red wine, two cans o

TravelJan. 15, 2016

Home cooking: Slow cooker galbijjim (braised short ribs)

The slow cooker is such a convenient kitchen appliance when you need to multi-task. You can do other things you need to do while it does the cooking for you. This recipe is a slow cooker version of traditional galbijjim, hence the same great authentic flavor. When I use my slow cooker, I like to minimize the prep work as much as possible. So, there’s no grating, mincing, par-boiling or browning in this recipe. 　You can do the prep work the night before. Start the slow cooker in the morning befor

FoodJan. 15, 2016

Topped toast and shakshuka at Underyard

Underyard -- a new cafe that opened less than a month ago -- has all the trappings of a hit.　Insta-worthy interior and plating? Check. Chic fare with a healthy attitude? Check. Plenty of caffeine? Check. 　The day the new hangout tossed an LP onto its old school turntable, flipped on its espresso machine and started assembling uber-hip topped toast, it seemed destined to attract lines, and, it did. 　That day was Dec. 21, about a year after she and her husband first started planning to open Undery

FoodJan. 15, 2016

[Travel bits]

Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival　Hwacheon in Gangwon Province, known for its rivers, lake trout, and natural scenery, is holding the “Sancheoneo (mountain trout) Ice Festival” this month. 　The festival features sancheoneo experiences such as ice fishing, lure fishing, and fishing with bare hands. 　Those who catch sancheoneo can ask to have it grilled or sliced into sashimi at the festival’s food centers.　State-run rail operator KORAIL is providing day-trip packages for this festival until Jan. 3

TravelJan. 15, 2016

[Album review] V.O.S’s reunion album is too repetitive

V.O.S has always been a group with a very clear musical style. Since its debut in 2004, the vocalist trio has built its reputation on the members’ perfect-pitch three-part harmonies and their soaring emotional choruses. On their reunion album, with member Park Ji-hun returning to the group after six years of performing as a soloist, the three singers clearly wanted to evoke a sense of familiarity by bringing back that style.  V.O.S “Re:union, The Real” (Universal Music)　Unfortunately, they stuck

PerformanceJan. 15, 2016

[Album review] Jung Joon-il broods fantastically in ‘Underwater’

On his new four-track EP “Underwater,” singer Jung Joon-il is a man on a mission: to create an album that is destined to be unpopular. It’s not for lack of quality. “Underwater” is one of the most interesting records to be released of late.  Jung Joon-il “Underwater” (Loen Entertainment)　On the lead track “Plastic” featuring rapper BewhY Jung’s pained, at times husky voice pairs excellently with BewhY’s staccato-style rap. Between Jung’s singing, BewhY’s unusual use of syncopation in his rap, an

PerformanceJan. 15, 2016

[Album review] David Bowie’s last album fitting epitaph

Two days before his death, David Bowie released “Blackstar,” his 25th album, which serves as a fitting musical epitaph.　On “Blackstar,” he transforms himself once again, proving that at 69, he still had plenty of surprises up his musical sleeve. Recording primarily with an avant-garde jazz quartet and with a longtime collaborator, coproducer Tony Visconti, Bowie crafted a haunting, seven-song collection that deals thematically with death and despair -- and now will be endlessly parsed for clues

PerformanceJan. 15, 2016

[Eye interview] Breaking free of the Korean dream

The Korean dream, a highly competitive pursuit of the masses, is so deeply entrenched in the collective consciousness that there is hardly room for deviation: Study day and night to get great test scores, enter a top university and land a job at one of the country’s major conglomerates.　Each year, thousands of new graduates enter the chase for positions at Samsung and Hyundai, a socioeconomic sign that they’ve “made it.” Those who succeed then begin a decades-long rat race up the corporate ladde

PeopleJan. 15, 2016

EXO wins third consecutive Grand Prize at Seoul Music Awards

EXO, a boy band divided into two subgroups “EXO-K” and “EXO-M,” promoting the same music simultaneously in Korean and Mandarin, respectively, won the Grand Prize for the third consecutive year at the High 1 Seoul Music Awards on Thursday.　EXO’s three-year winning streak broke several past records: Seo Tai-ji and Boys won the Grand Prize in 1992 and 1993, H.O.T. in 1997 and 1998, Jo Sung-mo in 1999 and 2000, and Girls’ Generation in 2010 and 2011. EXO poses at the 25th High 1 Seoul Music Awards h

PerformanceJan. 15, 2016

Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena wins Pritzker Prize　

NEW YORK (AFP) - Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena won the prestigious 2016 Pritzker Prize on Wednesday, earning praise for “powerful” designs that address key social and economic challenges of the 21st century.　“Innovative and inspiring, he shows how architecture at its best can improve people‘s lives,” said Tom Pritzker, chairman of the Hyatt Foundation, which awards the prize. Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena’s Innovation Center of the Catholic University of Chile building in Santiago, C

Arts & DesignJan. 14, 2016

[Herald Interview] Sir James Galway talks upcoming ‘On the Couch’ performance

Dubbed the “man with the golden flute,” flutist Sir James Galway has made his way to Seoul to launch the inaugural “Galway Flute Festival in Korea,” slated to be the country’s largest ever flute festival from Jan. 18 to 24. 　A man from humble beginnings, the 76-year-old virtuoso from Belfast took his flute playing to unforeseen heights and is known as one of the world’s foremost flutists. In 1979 he was awarded with the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire honor, and subsequently a Knighth

PerformanceJan. 14, 2016

iKON tops Oricon chart with ‘Welcome Back’

“Welcome Back,” the first full-length album from one of the hottest rookie groups in the country, iKON, was released in Japan on Wednesday, topping the Oricon daily album chart and selling 53,000 copies on the same day, according to YG Entertainment, the group’s agency.　IKON, selected among Billboard’s Top 5 K-Pop acts, has shown great potential for growth since its debut in Korea in October last year. The latest Japanese record confirms the group’s global popularity, added YG Entertainment. iKO

PerformanceJan. 14, 2016

Jazz singer Nah to perform at global performing arts conference

Korean jazz singer Nah Youn-sun will be performing Jan. 15 at the Florence Gould Hall in New York, according to Korean Cultural Service New York. 　Nah will be performing with Ulf Karl Erik Wakenius, a Swedish jazz guitarist, at the hall run by New York-based French Institute Alliance Francaise. Nah Youn-sun (Korean Cultural Service New York)　Nah is one of the performers selected by the Korea Arts Management Service to attend the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Conference, which will be

PerformanceJan. 14, 2016