[Weekender] Falling in love with baking at specialty kids cafes

For tired parents and bored children, kids cafes have become a top option to spend family time in Korea. Since the concept was first introduced into the country in the late 2000s, the themes of the cafes also have evolved. Most kids cafes these days feature specific themes, such as racing, swimming and crafting. The interior of Bonbon Kids Goyang (Park Ju-young/The Korea Herald)Baking kids cafes are part of the fast-growing kids cafe businesses in general, targeting children and their parents. B

Oct. 20, 2017

[Weekender] Parents with children go for alternative space to relax

Korea is witnessing a boom in the kids cafe business due partly to a shortage of space in which parents with young children can idle away the time. A handful of big shopping malls have noticed the potential for such demand and are taking steps to catch up. One case in point is Starfield shopping mall, which recently opened in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, just west of Seoul. The mega shopping center comes with a variety of children-friendly stores to allow families to spend a day together.While sho

Oct. 20, 2017

[Weekender] More than just a playground

Son Tae-wook, a father of an 8-year-old, thinks kids cafes have become indispensable for both children and adults in Korea. Son has raised his daughter with trips to kids cafes since she was 3 years old.“There aren’t enough play spaces for children in the urban environment. And the world isn’t safe enough to let kids just frolic about on their own outside,” Son said. News of children abducted and inappropriately touched at public playgrounds has raised alarm among parents, many of whom dote over

Oct. 20, 2017

[Herald Interview] Girls’ Generation’s stylist caps K-pop fashion industry over years

After over eight years of curating the looks of K-pop fashion icon Girls’ Generation, stylist Seo Soo-kyung is often called the ninth member of the group for her family-like bond and history with the members. Since her initial engagement with the sensational girl group for its third full-length album “The Boys” in 2011, Seo has evolved side by side with Girls’ Generation to become a super-stylist who now has an impressive portfolio highlighted by partnerships with global stars Psy and Seventeen.

Oct. 18, 2017

Art project seeks to recreate Korean colors in modern context

The digital beauty and fashion magazine 0/1 Creative Book released Monday its new photo series “The Power of Korea’s Special Colors” themed on blue and red threads. Blue and red are considered to be the most Korean colors and they are embedded in Korean people’s lives and culture. The photos depicted the charm of Korea with threads that represent the two colors. The photos are part of the magazine’s long-term project themed “A Splash of Old and New,” which aims to reinterpret and recreate the un

Oct. 17, 2017

Remains indicate East-West exchange in ancient times

A Korea-Mongolia joint archaeological dig has uncovered the mummified remains of a Chinese man in the Altai Mountains, seemingly indicating ample cultural exchange between the East and West some 2,000 years ago.The project was conducted at the Shiveet Khairkhan mountain in Mongolia, across where Pazyrik culture-style stone tombs are scattered. Pazyrik refers to a Scythian Iron Age archaeological culture that existed between the 6th and 3rd century BC.  An ancient tomb and a mummy of what is pres

Oct. 16, 2017

Pianist Cho Seong-jin to play with Simon Rattle and Berliner Philharmoniker

Rising young pianist Cho Seong-jin will be featured in the upcoming Seoul concert of Sir Simon Rattle and his Berliner Philharmoniker in the November concert in Seoul.Cho will be replacing Lang Lang, who was to join the renowned English conductor but pulled out due to injury. “Following Lang Lang’s cancellation for the tour, the Berliner Philharmoniker and Sir Simon discussed possible program changes and substitutes with the presenters,” the orchestra said.  Cho Seong-jin (Kumho Asiana Cultural

Oct. 15, 2017

Intangible cultural heritage to be exhibited in Jeonju

Pansori, Arirang, traditional dancing and crafts that define Korea’s traditional culture will be on display from Oct. 26-29 in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province.The Festival of Korean Intangible Cultural Heritages 2017 will be held under the theme of “Generation after Generation,” according to the National Intangible Heritage Center, which is co-hosting the event with the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation.“The event’s goal is for participants to recognize the value of the intangibles that our ances

Oct. 12, 2017

2017 Michelin Guide Gourmet Fair to open in Seoul

Michelin Guide Seoul will organize a gourmet fair in Seoul from Oct. 28-29, gathering together the restaurants introduced on last year’s Seoul edition of the gastronomical guide. The three-starred La Yeon of The Shilla Seoul Hotel will participate in the fair alongside 18 other restaurants, including French restaurant L’amitie, modern Italian restaurant Ristorante Eo, modern Korean restaurant Mingles, and Chef Tony Yoo -- formerly of one-starred modern Korean restaurant Twenty Four Seasons.The f

Oct. 12, 2017

Non-verbal show Nanta's theater will close due to lack of Chinese tourists

Popular non-verbal show “Nanta” will close one of its exclusive theaters in central Seoul as the number of Chinese tour groups, its main customers, plummeted due to a diplomatic feud between Seoul and Beijing over a US anti-missile system, its production company said Tuesday.PMC Production said it will close the Chungjeongno theater, one of four “Nanta” theaters in the country, at the end of this year.The theater has been heavily used by Chinese tour groups. (PMC Production)“We‘ve notified the b

Oct. 10, 2017

‘Aegyo,’ ‘maknae’: How Korean words make up the unique vocabulary of K-pop fans

Using Korean words has risen as a trend among K-pop and K-drama fans worldwide. Certain words and slang that recur frequently in Korean popular culture are being incorporated into the everyday language of fans. Such words include “oppa,” the term females use to affectionately call older males, and “aegyo,” which refers to a display of cuteness. Korean words are sometimes altered for an English-friendly spelling and pronunciation. “Kyeopta” (originally pronounced “gwiyeopda”) means “that’s cute,”

Oct. 9, 2017

Events held to celebrate 571st Hangeul Day

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held a wide range of events to celebrate the 571st Hangeul Day on Monday.(Yonhap)Commemorating King Sejong’s pioneering move to create the Korean alphabet, more than 30 art and cultural organizations took part in “Hangeul Cultural Festival 2017,” featuring exhibitions, performances, conferences and contests in Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square. (Yonhap)Some 50 contenders clad in traditional hanbok showed off their Hangeul competence in a writing contest, whil

Oct. 9, 2017

LA to host 44th Hallyu festival

The 44th LA Korean Festival is set to take place from Thursday through Sunday at the Seoul International Park in Los Angeles, California. The yearly free festival celebrates the ‘Korean wave’ known as Hallyu. The organizing Los Angeles Korean Festival Foundation emphasized that the event not only showcases Korean culture but also provides an arena for various cultures within LA to come together. Over 300,000 people are anticipated to come to this year’s event. During the four days, the visitors

Oct. 9, 2017

Korean rappers MCing in mother tongue

From Jay-Z and Eminem to Kendrick Lamar, the biggest names in hip-hop rap in English – naturally, given that the genre was born in the US. And as most Korean rappers cite American influence, their style inevitably reflects this, with a lot of their lyrics either being in English or using English words. But a few are resisting the temptation, writing rhymes exclusively in Korean.“If hip-hop music starts from wanting to express oneself as he or she is, I thought it was only natural that a Korean w

Oct. 8, 2017

Sex, edgy content sells in 1-person online media

“The one with the smallest buttocks has to drink, on a viewer vote.”Three men and three women dance and show off their behinds in front of the camera as part of an internet broadcast.The drinking game is followed by the gang hosting variety of risque games and conversations with none of the profanity or sexual content being edited out.The show by BJ -- broadcasting jockey -- Chulgoo is part of a growing fad for “makjang” entertainment, a Korean slang term for anything deemed to have gone “too fa

Oct. 6, 2017

Gender is new battleground in culture wars

With a wave of films, television series and art shows championing "gender fluidity" -- and catwalks awash with "gender neutral" models and clothes -- the old dividing line between the sexes is being increasingly called into question.But as the blurring of boundaries has gone from the margins to being a progressive cause, the political temperature of the debate has risen sharply.Gender fluidity has become a hot-button issue in the culture wars between liberals and conservatives, often reduced to

Oct. 6, 2017

Demand surges for Nobel winner's works in native Japan: publisher

The Japanese publisher of Nagasaki-born Kazuo Ishiguro said Friday it would republish eight of the British author's books in translation, reporting "a huge number of orders" after he won the Nobel Literature Prize.Ishiguro left Japan when he was five and moved to Britain, only returning to visit his native land as an adult three decades later.Japan had been pinning its hopes on its best-known novelist Haruki Murakami to win the Nobel Prize but eagerly claimed a link to the  British winner with J

Oct. 6, 2017

K-pop agencies move beyond music

Listening to K-pop through digital media is no longer enough for many K-pop fans, as they are now demanding contact, either direct or indirect, with the stars in real life. Catering to those needs, major Korean agencies have been establishing multimedia complexes where fans can indulge in K-pop in ways other than music.  G-Dragon appears on a promotion video of Jeju Shinhwa Wolrd (Jeju Shinhwa World)At the forefront of this new K-pop business is YG Entertainment, which is preparing to launch a t

Oct. 5, 2017

[Weekender] Hop on the subway to delve into K-pop, nature and history

With a long Chuseok holiday starting this Saturday, it’s almost certain that roads and highways will be jam-packed with honking cars. Rather than stress out sitting in crawling traffic, there is another option for a getaway: Hop on the subway, roam around Seoul and visit places you’ve never been. For your convenience, The Korea Herald has sorted Seoul attractions that are reachable by subway.K-pop hot spots  K-Live (Korea Tourism Organization)For fans of K-pop, there are spots around Seoul where

Sept. 29, 2017