[Newsmaker] Jeju's women divers gain UNESCO recognition

When the female divers of Jeju Island emerge from their minutes-long foray underwater, they let out a much-awaited sigh. Called “sumbi,” the exhalation releases carbon dioxide from the lungs with a sound that is similar to whistling. When the divers pop up in groups, a chorus of singsong breathing echoes through the coast.“Haenyeo,” or women divers who have been diving in the waters off Jeju for centuries to gather seafood, were inscribed onto the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Dec. 1, 2016

Rebuilding history? Debate rages over lost Afghan Buddhas

BAMIYAN, Afghanistan (AFP) -- For centuries they stood, two monumental ancient statues of Buddha carved into the cliffs of Bamiyan, loved and revered by generations of Afghans -- only to be pulverized by the Taliban in an act of cultural genocide.It felt like the loss of family for many who live and tend their crops nearby -- but some 15 years on they are hopeful these awe-inspiring relics can be reconstructed. But experts are divided on the value of rebuilding the artefacts, with some insisting

Dec. 1, 2016

Celebrities express fury over President Park’s address

Celebrities are voicing anger via social media over President Park Geun-hye’s Tuesday announcement, in which she said she would let the National Assembly decide the fate of her presidency.“I am so angry,” celebrity writer Heo Ji-woong posted to his Instagram account Tuesday with a photo of a television screen depicting Park’s address. “She is tossing the ball over to the National Assembly, which will obviously be unable to reach an answer at this point. I am so angry at the president and the spe

Nov. 30, 2016

Pirelli launches covered-up 2017 calendar with top actresses

PARIS (AP) -- Pirelli on Tuesday unveiled the 2017 edition of its famed calendar, which sees photographer Peter Lindbergh mature beyond snaps of seminude models and set his lens on Hollywood.The calendar, entitled “Emotional” and launched in Paris, stars 14 Oscar-winning actresses featured in black-and-white close-ups, in clothed poses with invisible makeup. The photos, while beautiful, show wrinkles, lines and imperfections. It’s a dramatic move away from decades of risque shots that made the c

Nov. 30, 2016

Van Gogh Museum rules out debate over ‘lost’ notebook

THE HAGUE (AFP) – Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum ruled out Tuesday a public debate over the authenticity of a book of sketches that an art historian has said belonged to the Dutch impressionist.Bogomila Welsh-Ovcharov, a University of Toronto academic, has declared the apparent find to be “the most revolutionary discovery” in the history of Van Gogh’s work. But the Dutch museum says the sketches, said to be from the artist’s stay in the French city of Arles, are fake.Welsh-Ovcharov’s French publish

Nov. 30, 2016

Germany's 'Mr. Flirt' teaches refugees how to pick up women

DORTMUND, Germany (AP) -- The subject was pickup lines, and Germany’s “Mr. Flirt” offered a few examples to his class of Syrian and Iraqi refugees. “I really love the scent of your perfume,” he suggested. “You have a beautiful voice.” He invited his students to take a stab.Essam Kadib al Ban, 20, raised his hand. “God created you only for me,” he said, then tried another, “I love you. Can I sleep over at your place?”Horst Wenzel winced, but caught himself quickly. “Don’t tell them you love them

Nov. 29, 2016

Korean celebrities speak out against President Park　

Korean celebrities are actively joining in the protest against President Park Geun-hye, who is currently embroiled in a scandal for allegedly leaking state documents and funneling funds from businesses. Some have taken to the streets to attend mass rallies, while others are voicing their support on social media. Among these are entertainers who have long been outspoken against the conservative administration. But stars who have previously remained politically neutral -- such as actress Kim Yoo-j

Nov. 27, 2016

Stairs from Eiffel Tower sell for over half a million euros

PARIS (AFP) - A section of stairs from the Eiffel Tower in Paris sold for more than half a million euros, auctioneers said Wednesday -- more than 10 times the pre-sales estimate.The 14 wrought-iron steps from a winding staircase between the second and third floors of the Paris landmark went for 523,800 euros ($556,000) after furious bidding at the sale in the French capital.Auction house Artcurial said the dramatic sale Tuesday had “unleashed the passions” of several international buyers, with b

Nov. 24, 2016

Holocaust jacket found at tag sale leads to a life story

NEW YORK (AP) -- The blue and gray stripes struck Jillian Eisman like a lightning bolt.She was rummaging through a packed closet during a Long Island tag sale when she immediately recognized the symbol of horror and hate: a jacket worn by a prisoner at the Nazi Dachau concentration camp during World War II.“I knew exactly what it was, even before I saw the numbers (84679 on the chest),” said Eisman, who purchased the jacket for $2 at the sale last year and donated it to the Kupferberg Holocaust

Nov. 23, 2016

No. of royal palace visitors to surpass 10-million mark for first time

The annual number of people visiting the country's four main royal palaces and Jongmyo Shrine is expected to surpass the 10-million mark for the first time later this week, the cultural authorities said Tuesday. The four palaces are Gyeongbok, Changdeok, Changgyeong and Deoksu. The Jongmyo Shrine is a place where the kings of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) conducted ancestral memorial ceremonies. They are all in Seoul.   Hyangwonjeong pavilion in Gyeongbokgung palace. (Yonhap)"The number of visi

Nov. 22, 2016

Korean antigraft law impacting hotels, fine dining

Members of the 5.4 Club, a group of prominent figures aiming to promote culture in Korea, gathered to discuss the aftermath of Korea’s recently enforced antigraft law Thursday evening at the InterContinental Seoul Coex.　The law is one that stipulates globally unprecedented guidelines, according to Jai Lee, senior foreign counsel at Yulchon LLP. “The whole world is paying attention,” he said. “(This law) affects more than 40,000 organizations and over 4 million people in Korea ... including profe

Nov. 18, 2016

[Around the Hotels] This week’s promotions and packages

Dutch Charcuterie at Grand Hyatt SeoulThe Deli at Grand Hyatt Seoul is offering handmade charcuterie by world-renowned Dutch charcutier Benito Plasschaert until Dec. 4.Plasschaert has mastered his art over the past 45 years, with new recipes using healthy ingredients. The menu includes lavender ham; Swiss meatloaf with Emmental cheese; Greek-style meatloaf with olives and feta cheese; green grape or baked apple and fruit flavored pate; foie gras terrine with truffle oil; terrine of veal marinate

Nov. 18, 2016

‘Choi Soon-sil is sullying tradition, shamanism’

An apparently innocent traditional item has found its way to the center of the influence-peddling scandal surrounding President Park Geun-hye and her longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil. 　Obangnang, a multicolored pouch that is a traditional symbol of good fortune, featured in Park’s inauguration ceremony in February 2013 -- a giant obangnang setup at Gwanghwanun Plaza opened up to reveal a tree with dozens of mini obangnang hanging from its branches.Almost four years later and the pouch has come

Nov. 17, 2016

Yu Dong-hun appointed new vice culture minister

Yu Dong-hun has been named as the new vice culture minister by President Park Geun-hye.Yu will replace Kim Chong, who resigned late last month amid allegations linking him to the political scandal involving Park and her confidante Choi Soon-sil.   The 57-year-old is a long-time senior communications official at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and has been working as a public servant since 1987. “We believe that (Yu) is very capable of handling our pending issues such as preparations

Nov. 17, 2016

Oxford Dictionaries name 'post-truth' word of the year

LONDON (AFP) - The Oxford Dictionaries chose “post-truth” as their word of the year Wednesday, saying its use had spiked because of the Brexit vote in Britain and the rise of Donald Trump in the United States.“Post-truth has gone from being a peripheral term to being a mainstay in political commentary,” the Oxford Dictionaries said in a statement, noting that usage had increased by 2,000 percent since last year.The publisher defined the word as “relating or denoting circumstances in which object

Nov. 17, 2016

Pink diamond steals show at Geneva auction, fetches $18m

GENEVA (AP) -- A 17.07-carat pink diamond sold for a hammer price of 18.3 million Swiss francs ($18.3 million) at a Geneva jewelry auction Wednesday, cruising past both its presale estimate and the winning bid for the “Sky Blue” diamond billed as the event’s standout piece. The step-cut pink diamond, set in a ring between triangular white diamonds, had been expected to draw a maximum of 14.76 million francs. Instead, it sold at Sotheby’s for more than the 8.01-carat “Sky Blue” diamond, which car

Nov. 17, 2016

Mexican pyramid built like a ‘Russian nesting doll’

MEXICO CITY (AFP) - Experts have discovered a third structure within the Kukulkan pyramid in eastern Mexico, revealing that it was built like a “Russian nesting doll,” experts said Wednesday.A 10-meter tall pyramid was found within another 20-meter structure, which itself is enveloped by the 30-meter pyramid visible at the Mayan archeological complex known as Chichen Itza in Yucatan state.The smallest pyramid was built between the years 550 and 800, engineers and anthropologists said.The middle

Nov. 17, 2016

New show 'Circus 1903' brings back live elephants, sort of

NEW YORK (AP) -- Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus may have retired their iconic elephants but there is still a way to see the huge beasts onstage. The new touring show “Circus 1903,” which makes its American debut next year, features two life-size elephants -- one baby, one massive mamma -- created by the puppeteers and model-makers of Significant Object, who made the lifelike horse featured in the hit play “War Horse.”“These puppets feel real. They’ve been built in a way, even when the

Nov. 15, 2016

Nimrud, jewel of ancient Iraq

BAGHDAD (AFP) -- The Assyrian city of Nimrud, located in an area Iraqi forces said was recaptured during the operation to retake jihadist-held Mosul, is one of the region’s most important archaeological sites.Built in the 13th century BC, the city on the Tigris River about 30 kilometers southeast of Mosul once served as capital of the Assyrian empire. But in April last year, the Islamic State group released a video of its fighters destroying monuments there before planting explosives around the

Nov. 14, 2016