Comic books and the joys of doing nothing

Two pairs of visitors are reading at comic book cafe Jeulgeoun Jakdang (which means "a merry gang" in Korean) on a Monday afternoon. (Rumy Doo/The Korea Herald)To reach Jeulgeoun Jakdang, you go down a narrow staircase located in a hidden corner of Hongdae, take off your shoes, slip into a set of snug slippers and push open a red door. The space that greets you inside is something like a very homey library, with cushioned seats, blankets and rows of shelves filled with comic books.　Visitors -- w

Oct. 14, 2015

Jeungdo -- heal and relax on the beautiful island of angels

JEUNGDO ISLAND, South Jeolla Province -- Walking in a forest of pine trees in a park that is shaped like the Korean Peninsula along a beach, visitors can instantly feel relaxed on this small island off the country’s southwestern coast.Jeungdo in Shinan, South Jeolla Province -- Asia’s first Cittaslow or “Slow City” -- is a quiet getaway island for those especially the elderly who seek to heal their body and soul from the daily hustle and bustle of big city life. The term Cittaslow comes from Ita

Oct. 14, 2015

Two Korean documentary heritage holdings inscribed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World

Two old and modern archive holdings of Korea were recognized as valuable documentary heritage by UNESCO on Saturday. The two Korean additions to the UNESCO Memory of the World are Confucian printing woodblocks of the Joseon era and the archives of the 1983 KBS special live broadcast “Finding Dispersed Families.” The decision was made at the three-day meeting of UNESCO’s International Advisory Committee that considered 87 nominations from 61 countries in Abu Dhabi from Oct. 4-6.  One of the 64,22

Oct. 10, 2015

Herald forum to explore future of design

This is the first in a series of articles introducing key features at the upcoming Herald Design Forum 2015 to be held in Seoul on Nov. 10. ― Ed. Steve Jobs might have been the face of Apple, but even after the legendary CEO passed away, Apple remains to be one of the most valuable companies in the world. Thanks to Sir Jonathan Ive, many would say. The chief design officer, over the last two decades, not only designed ― or as he would prefer to say, “made” ― iMacs, iPhones and the Apple Watch, b

Oct. 7, 2015

Seomun Market in Daegu, a food snack haven

DAEGU -- This landlocked city in the country’s southeast stands out for its economic strength and uniqueness in traditional oriental medicine among the region’s industrialized cities such as Busan, Pohang and Ulsan. Daegu is also actively seeking to build its IT start-up ecosystem amid the government’s policy promoting a creative economy.View of Daegu City from Apsan Park’s observatory platform (Lieto)But lesser known is that Daegu prides itself for having and serving the region’s most delicious

Oct. 7, 2015

Suwon beckons with cultural festival

King Jeongjo, the 22nd king of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) and the son of ill-fated Crown Prince Sado, wanted to build a “utopian city” in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province that could be benchmarked by other cities across the country.This was where King Jeongjo wanted to retire after handing over his throne to his son, King Sunjo.The reenactment of King Jeongjo taking a stroll at Hwaseong Fortress (Suwon City)Hwanseong Fortress and Hwaseong Haenggung Palace in the region have gained attention from loc

Oct. 7, 2015

Two October beer fests in Seoul

　Now into its third year, the Great Korean Beer Festival is holding two back-to-back events this month.　“This is our fifth event,” Kang Da-mi, co-CEO of the festival’s organizer Media Paran, said of this month’s first event, slated to run from Oct. 8 to 11 in conjunction with the Gangnam Festival.　The sixth beer fest will function as a “Craft Beer Zone” within the Itaewon Global Village Festival from Oct. 17 to 18, according to Media Paran. The Great Korean Beer Festival will hold two events thi

Oct. 5, 2015

Evolution of Buddhist sculptures over two millennia

From India to Korea and Japan, Buddhist statues are one of the most common forms of ancient art in Asia. Sculpted of stone, wood or made in gilt bronze, sculptures of Buddha preaching, meditating or in deep thought have been important objects of worship for Buddhists for two millennia. A rare exhibition in Seoul traces the origins of Buddhist statues and follows transitions in Buddha images with the spread of Buddhism across Asia for 700 years. The exhibit, currently at the National Museum of Ko

Oct. 5, 2015

'Sports is life-changing': Sheraton D Cube general manager

In the inner circle of Matthias Y. Sutter, the general manager of Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel is known as the “bicycle hotelier.”Sutter rides his bike to work every morning from his home in Bangbae-dong in southern Seoul to the hotel in Sindorim-dong, southwest Seoul -- always trying to come in under 40 minutes in the 20-kilometer ride. He also rides his bike with his employees and hotel guests every Wednesday morning for 45 minutes.Sheraton Seoul D Cube general manager Matthias Y. Sutter o

Sept. 30, 2015

Artday to hold October auction

"The Origin of Life" by Ha In-dooHerald Artday, a subsidiary of Herald Corp., is holding its monthly online auction from Oct. 1-8 at the Herald Gallery in Yongsan-gu. In celebration of the Chuseok holidays, this month’s auction will feature an array of soothing, nostalgic pieces including Ha In-doo’s “The Origin of Life,” which expresses a reverence for life and the nobility of the everyday; the vibrant “Narodo Seascape” by Choi Ssang-joong; “Musing” by Lee Dong-youb, a contemporary painter cons

Sept. 29, 2015

How to spend Chuseok in the city

Korean Thanksgiving, or Chuseok, has traditionally been a time for families to gather and enjoy time together, share good food and celebrate the harvest season. Many Korean families visit their rural hometowns for ancestral rituals and to meet other family members for the holiday.As many head for their hometowns for family reunions, the crowd-free cities enjoy their quietest time of the year. But, with the abundance of cultural activities and entertaining programs, they never get boring. Here’s

Sept. 24, 2015

Gyeongju World Culture Expo gaining students’ attention

The Gyeongju World Culture Expo in the ancient Silla capital city of Gyeongju is gaining attraction from students as a knowledge destination where they can learn about the Silla history and Korean cultural heritage.According to the expo’s organizing committee, about 150 schools nationwide have planned their field trips to the expo -- which kicked off last month for 59 days under the theme of “Eurasia Cultural Express: Silk Road Cultural Festival."Among many shows and performances, “Flying: Hwara

Sept. 23, 2015

Ballett Basel, Seoul Ballet Theatre to perform together in Korea

Europe’s leading contemporary dance group Ballett Basel will host joint performances over the next two weeks in Korea with Seoul Ballet Theatre, one of the four professional ballet companies here. The shows will feature unique choreography spotlighting cross-cultural synergy and artistic synthesis. The performances, titled “Moves,” will be held at Gwacheon Citizens’ Hall on Sept. 24-25 at 8 p.m. and the National Theatre of Korea on Oct. 1-2 at 8 p.m.  Ballett Basel performers. Ismael LorenzoThe

Sept. 21, 2015