Calendar

Exhibitions“Julian Opie”: Kukje Gallery presents a solo exhibition of Julian Opie featuring some of his new works portraying the lifestyles of pedestrians in Seoul. The new works, results of his observations of people walking by on the streets of the capital city, will reveal his signature style of depicting people in color and outlining them prominently in black. The works on display are paintings, sculptures and pieces made using light-emitting diodes. The exhibition runs from Feb. 13 to March

Feb. 7, 2014

[Uniquely Korean] Bomb-drink cocktails help smooth relationships

When it comes to booze, Koreans know what they are dealing with. Just as the term “let’s have a meal” is often interchangeable with arranging a meeting, “let’s go for a drink” is roughly equivalent to socializing. In the past, social meetings with alcohol had involved participants getting heavily drunk. This brought forth the birth of poktanju, or the bomb-drink, which refers to a cocktail of beer and liquors such as whiskey.As its name suggests, its main goal is to bombard the drinker with a he

Feb. 5, 2014

Real ‘Monuments Men’ records go on display

WASHINGTON (AP) ― When art historians saw Paris fall to the Nazis in World War II, they immediately realized Europe’s vast monuments, art, cathedrals and architecture were at risk and began mobilizing to protect such treasures. In Washington, the newly opened National Gallery of Art became the U.S. museum world’s epicenter for lobbying President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Allied forces in 1941 to prevent the destruction of Europe’s monuments. Their efforts would create a corps of U.S. and Bri

Feb. 5, 2014

Philippine priests swap sermons for ‘selfies’

MANILA (AFP) ― For some of the Philippines’ most powerful clergymen, stepping off the pulpit and into cyberspace felt impossibly daunting until they took their first “selfies” and posted them on Facebook. Their initial forays into the brave new virtual world took place in a groundbreaking class for 50 of the Philippines’ top bishops and monsignors in Manila earlier last month, part of the Catholic Church’s strategy to remain relevant in the digital age.Sean-Patrick Lovett, a program director wit

Feb. 5, 2014

Pro gamers enjoy celebrity, income from heeding the ‘Call’

CHICAGO ― Matt Haag used to be just another suburban kid going to high school, working at McDonald’s and aggravating his parents by spending endless hours on his Xbox. Today the lanky, dark-eyed 21-year-old is a global celebrity to an enormous number of young people, very few of whom know him as Matt. They call him Nadeshot, master of the virtual submachine gun, a guy who makes a six-figure living playing the video game “Call of Duty.” Haag is among a handful of Chicago-area men who have found a

Feb. 5, 2014

Looking into ‘Another Way’

For 15 years, poet-turned-photographer Park No-hae roamed alone around uncharted villages and remote settlements in Asia and the Middle East, carrying just a fountain pen and a rusty camera. Now he seeks to share his encounters and revelations with the modernized populace and redefine humanity’s true values.Titled, “Another Way,” Park’s new photo exhibit of 120 carefully selected pictures taken in six countries ― each photo accompanied by a short poem-like caption written by the poet-photographe

Feb. 4, 2014

Spanish theater a crumbling symbol of Tangiers’ rich past

TANGIERS, Morocco (AFP) ― A century after it was built, the Cervantes theater in Tangiers, once a symbol of the famed Moroccan city’s cultural vibrancy, is derelict and risks disappearing altogether, eclipsed by flashy new developments. The 1,400-seat playhouse, just a short distance from the old port, is a masterpiece of early 20th-century Spanish architecture in the once-international city that in its heyday hosted a wealth of colorful characters and communities. But today the blue and yellow

Feb. 4, 2014

[Weekender] Redefining meaning of Seollal

Tens of thousands of Koreans will hit the road Thursday, the official start of the Lunar New Year holidays, to head for their hometowns to spend time with parents and relatives. Among them will be Lee Yeon-ju, a 42-year-old housewife living in Seoul. As always, her family will spend the first two days of the holidays with her husband’s parents in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. What is usually a three-hour drive could easily turn into a tedious five- to six-hour journey, but that is not what Lee dr

Jan. 24, 2014

[Weekender] Korea strives to revive fading interest in traditional clothes

Han Hyun-young, a 29-year-old office worker in Seoul, had a hanbok custom-made for herself when she got married in 2011. But she has worn the traditional Korean clothes only twice ― on her first visit to her in-law’s house after her honeymoon and on her sister-in-law’s wedding day. “I wore it because I had to. I wouldn’t wear it if I didn’t have to,” she said. Han is not the only one feeling reluctant to wear a hanbok on special occasions. As hanbok are no longer a daily outfit for most Koreans,

Jan. 24, 2014

[Weekender] Celebrating Seollal in old Korean fashion

Seollal, the Lunar New Year, is one of the most celebrated holidays in Korea: It is not only a time to pay respects to one’s elders and ancestors, but is also an opportunity to spend time with family and friends to celebrate the New Year immersed in tradition. With the colorful hanbok (traditional Korean costume) and the traditional food and folk games, Seollal gives people the chance to experience some real Korean culture. Whether it be traveling to the countryside to reunite with extended fami

Jan. 24, 2014

Capturing sublime nature

Sitting in front of a large table in the second-floor library of photographer Bae Bien-u’s studio in Hyeri, an artists’ village near the DMZ in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Bae’s passions ― aside from the obvious, photography ― are apparent. Several thousand books ― on topics ranging from art, photography and history to cookbooks, all arranged alphabetically by title ― fill the bookcases lining the walls, and the marble-top kitchen counter and the professional-grade stainless steel pots that sit ato

Jan. 24, 2014

Over 500 artifacts discovered in undersea trove near Jindo

Off the southern coast of Korea near Jindo Island, a team of Korean archaeologists have discovered a cornucopia of relics that they hope will provide a glimpse into the country’s rich history of cultural assets. Among the artifacts are a pair of ceramic jars believed to date back to the Three Kingdoms era (57 to 668 AD) and two items that look like yogo, an ancient prototype of janggo, the traditional hourglass-shaped double headed drum. “The waters off Oryu-ri, Jindo, are an underwater treasure

Jan. 23, 2014

[Eye on English] For Korean moms, family separation is sometimes ‘necessary’ sacrifice

A 39-year-old housewife surnamed Shin recently decided to apply for a visa to Canada for herself and her children. She plans to stay for up to two years so her kids can go to local schools. She will also have to take on the “father role” as her husband will be staying in Korea to financially support them. “I am taking my kids to Canada for my children to get an English education. I plan to stay in Canada just long enough for my children to master English,” she told The Korea Herald by phone. Stu

Jan. 22, 2014

Former Louvre chief to head preparations for 130th anniversary of French-Korean ties

The former president of the Louvre Museum and Cho Yang-ho, the chairman and CEO of Korean Air, will head up a joint organizing commission to prepare for the 130th anniversary of Korean-French diplomatic relations in 2015 and 2016.Henri Loyrette, former president and general director of the Louvre Museum, announced his appointment as he wrapped up a week-long visit to South Korea with a press briefing at the French Embassy, Tuesday. Cho is well-known as an avid supporter of the arts here and abro

Jan. 22, 2014

Solution still out of reach?

More than 40 years have passed since prehistoric engravings were found on the surface of a rock cliff in Ulsan, about 305 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Over the years, the etchings have been submerged repeatedly because of a nearby dam, but Korea still hasn’t figured out what steps to take to preserve them. The Bangudae Petroglyph, measuring 3 meters in height and 10 meters in length, was discovered in 1971, six years after Sayeon Dam was built to secure drinking water for Ulsan and prevent flo

Jan. 20, 2014

Famed Argentine poet Juan Gelman dies

MEXICO CITY (AP) ― Juan Gelman, a renowned Argentine poet and left-wing activist who was awarded the prestigious Cervantes Prize, has died in Mexico. He was 83. Argentine President Cristina Fernandez on Wednesday announced three days of mourning in his native country, where writers paid homage to him as one of the most brilliant writers in Spanish of the 20th century. “Gelman worked with words like they were plastic, he modeled them,” writer Vicente Muleiro told reporters. He was widely mourned

Jan. 16, 2014