Forecast for Year of Monkey based on traditional beliefs

As the new day of the new year begins, many wonder what the year 2016 has in store for them. Many Koreans visit fortune tellers to learn how their fate will unfold in the new year. But traditional signs and beliefs also offer insight into what to expect for the new year. The year 2016 is the Year of the Red Monkey, the ninth animal of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs. Red monkeys are known to be the liveliest and bossiest among many other types of monkeys. People born in the Year of the Monkey (1944,

CultureDec. 31, 2015

‘It’s time for webtoons to go global in 2016’

In the 1980s and ‘90s, young children and students needed to hide their comic books from teachers and parents in order to secretly enjoy them.When they were caught furtively reading comics like “Dragon Ball” or “Slam Dunk” from Japan, or Korean series featuring famous characters such as baseball player Dok Gotak and Kkachi, instead of studying for college exams, they were immediately punished, while the seized comic books were ripped to shreds and thrown out. Comic books were considered dangerou

Life&CultureDec. 31, 2015

[Herald Review] ‘Chasing’ never finds direction or laughs

Director Oh In-chun’s upcoming feature “Chasing” is a true team effort. The director and both main actors Kim Seung-woo and Kim Jung-tae are all signed with the same company, The Queen D&M, which produced the film. This is what made it all the more shocking when lead actor Kim Seung-woo told reporters at a preview press conference that he “didn’t like the film” and that it failed to “provide laughs, as promised.”  A still from "Chasing" (Opus Pictures)　On second thought, one can’t help but feel

FilmDec. 31, 2015

[Newsmaker] Maestro Chung bids farewell

Maestro Chung Myung-whun was met with howling cheers, applause and standing ovations from his local audience in the conductor’s final concert with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra on Wednesday night. The concert comes just one day after Chung submitted his official resignation as music director, citing the orchestra’s ongoing legal dispute regarding human rights violations by its former head as the reason for his departure after a decade at its helm.   Maestro Chung Myung-whunPrior to the concer

PerformanceDec. 31, 2015

Changwon theater troupe pays it forward

The Changwon Community Theatre paid it forward for its most recent play, raising funds for a local multicultural center.After a venue was provided for free, the group decided to keep costs low and give the money from ticket sales to the Gyeongnam Multicultural Families Support Center, a local welfare facility that provides services for the whole of South Gyeongsang Province. Director Sunil Mahtani said they chose the play, Norm Foster’s “Maggie‘s Getting Married,” as a strong play that allowed t

Expat LivingDec. 30, 2015

A glimpse of upper-class lifestyle in the early days of modern Korea

The early 20th-century hanok mansion Baek In-je House overlooks Bukchon Hanok Village, high-rise office towers in Jongno and major landmarks of the capital city such as Namsan Tower. Some 75 years ago, the mansion’s first owner Han Sang-ryong (1880-1947), a banker and business magnate, described the view from his house in his memoir: “It’s like looking at the movement of black waves,” looking down long stretches of charcoal-black hanok roofs in the 1940s. Bukchon has traditionally been one of Ko

CultureDec. 30, 2015

New year, new season of classical performances

As 2015 comes to an end, the local music stage is gearing up for its next season of classics, from the highly anticipated performances of Cho Seong-jin and his fellow International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition competitors to the taste of international prestige with the Chicago and San Francisco Symphonies.  　Below are some highlighted performances of 2016. 　Steve Barakatt　 Canadian pianist Steve Barakatt (Rainbow Bridge Story)　Canadian pianist and composer Steve Barakatt and the Herald Phil

PerformanceDec. 30, 2015

EXO's Chen to join Barakatt onstage in Seoul concert

EXO member Chen will be joining composer and pianist Steve Barakatt on stage during his upcoming Seoul concert with the Herald Philharmonic Orchestra, according to UNICEF, Chen’s agency SM Entertainment and concert promoter Rainbow Bridge Story on Sunday.Chen will be performing John Lennon‘s song “Imagine” to the accompaniment of Barakatt, showing his support for UNICEF‘s work providing aid to vulnerable children around the world. Steve Barakatt is currently serving as a UNICEF Ambassador.Steve

PerformanceDec. 30, 2015

‘Youth Over Flowers’ men take on Iceland

Following its wild adventures to the mountaintops of Peru and the Buddhist monasteries of Laos, this time around the newest stars of the hit TV reality series “Youth Over Flowers” are taking viewers to the glacier-filled, vast snowy wilderness of Iceland. 　Popular on-screen and musical stage stars Jung Sang-hoon, Jo Jung-suk, Jung Woo and Kang Ha-neul are the members of the latest series of tvN’s “Youth Over Flowers,” which has been labeled by producer Na Young-seok as the “funniest” series yet.

TelevisionDec. 30, 2015

Maestro Chung Myung-whun announces departure from SPO

After 10 years at its helm, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s maestro Chung Myung-whun has decided to lay down his baton. Citing the ongoing public disputes plaguing the controversy-filled SPO and the continued legal battles regarding the alleged mistreatment of employees by its former CEO Park Hyun-jung, conductor Chung officially resigned as the music director of the country’s most prestigious orchestra.  In a letter sent to the SPO members on Tuesday, the conductor -- who has arguably establishe

PerformanceDec. 29, 2015

Restoring East Asia’s oldest stone pagoda

IKSAN, North Jeolla Province -- Restoring the seventh-century Baekje-era stone pagoda at the UNESCO-registered Mireuksa Temple site in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, has been a daunting task for archaeologists. There were no proven historical records that could guide experts to recreate the original form of the ancient Buddhist pagoda.  “I went through every historical record from the 13th-century Samguk Yusa -- memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms. But no book had a record of how tall it was,” said

CultureDec. 29, 2015

Clever stars put to the test in ‘Code’

Ten stars, each with different individual strengths in creativity, math or games, lock themselves in a room eight stories underground for JTBC‘s new entertainment program “Code.”The show is an adaptation of popular “escape room” games that began online with versions like “Doors & Rooms” and “The Mansion,” and eventually grew into physical off-line versions. In the games, players are required to find clues in anything from paintings on the walls to bar codes on the backs of books to help them unl

TelevisionDec. 29, 2015

Kim Bum-soo to hold 17th anniversary concert

Balladeer Kim Bum-soo will hold a two-day concert in March to celebrate the 17th anniversary of his debut.　The program will feature the hits of the popular vocalist, including “Promise,” “I Miss You,” “Last Love” and “It Will Pass” in addition to a number of new songs, according to a statement released by the concert's planning agency Delight Company Inc. on Tuesday.Kim Bum-soo (Polaris Entertainment)　Kim, 36, known for his smooth vocals and flawless technique, has come to occupy a key position

PerformanceDec. 29, 2015

Rookie groups Cosmic Girls, UNIQ release New Year’s song

International girl group Cosmic Girls, set to debut early next year, has collaborated on a special New Year’s release with boy band UNIQ, the girl group’s agency announced Tuesday. 　The two groups have released a track titled “Happy New Year” and its music video in China, marking Cosmic Girls' first video debut. From left: Xuan Yi, Eunseo and Yeoreum from 12-member girl group Cosmic Girls, set to debut early 2016 (Starship Entertainment)　“The video is filled with warm colors and a fun, quirky st

PerformanceDec. 29, 2015