Keep on running

On a chilly Saturday morning at the Hangang River’s waterside park in Seoul, I was gearing up for the 10-kilometer run of the Savings Day Marathons. The emcees were screaming over loud background music. Those running the half-course of the Oct. 19 event had already left and it was my turn, along with several hundred others, to start. I tightened the laces of my trainers once again, checked whether the brim of my cap could block the blinding sunrays, and did some simple stretching. And to the sou

Oct. 25, 2013

[Newsmaker] Kimchi making for winter gets recognition

Kimjang, the traditional practice of making kimchi before winter, may soon be included on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list, government officials announced on Wednesday. Representatives of Korea’s Cultural Heritage Administration submitted the recommendation for kimjang, categorized under the title “Kimjang; Making and Sharing Kimchi,” to be added to the UNESCO list. Kimjang refers to the process of preparing large vats of the spicy, fermented cabbage with a large gathering

Oct. 24, 2013

World’s largest Christian congress to make Asian debut in Busan

The world’s largest congress of Christian churches will be held in Busan on Oct. 30 under the theme “Pilgrimage to Busan: An Ecumenical Journey into World Christianity.“More than 5,000 participants including 800 Christian delegates, several leaders of the Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox churches and Islam will explore Christian unity, justice and peace at the World Council of Churches 10th Assembly. “It is an Olympics for Christians,” a member of the organizing committee said. Among the 2,800 fo

Oct. 24, 2013

Dutch furious over U.N. body’s ‘Black Pete’ racism charge

THE HAGUE (AFP) ― A Facebook petition supporting a Dutch Christmas character called “Black Pete” on Wednesday hit a million ‘likes,’ revealing the liberal nation’s attachment to a beloved figure the U.N. has warned may be racist. Anger over the issue has swept the Netherlands after a U.N. human rights body said it was assessing whether “Zwarte Piet,” who accompanies Saint Nicholas during a traditional children’s festival before Christmas, is racist.The character, who arrives on a gift-filled boa

Oct. 24, 2013

Joseon art to be displayed in San Francisco

A total of 71 artifacts reflecting the prosperity and cultural diversity of the Joseon period (1392-1910) will be displayed at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum from Friday. “In Grand Style ― Celebrations in Korean Art During The Joseon Dynasty” will be the first major U.S. exhibition to examine the legacy of the Yi dynasty ― among the world’s longest running ― that continues to resonate in Korean culture today, the organizers said. The exhibition is to feature four themes: what it meant to be

Oct. 23, 2013

Art exhibits spirit of central Africa

 Not many people know that the tight-lipped curvaceous lady in Picasso’s “Les Demoiselles d‘Avignon,” multi-faced but primitive and dynamic women of Braque, or the long-faced expressionless ladies of Modigliani were inspired by artifacts from far away central Africa. Perceived as exotic when European colonialists brought back statues from Congo, the full lips with rounded waists ― symbols of fertility, longevity and good fortune ― as well as stern facial expressions captivated the 19th and 20th

Oct. 22, 2013

Coffee with a Korean twist

An egg yolk, a pinch of salt, some pine nuts, walnuts and a drop of sesame oil: Sounds like some tasty ingredients for a light salad or quick meal, but no, these are the ingredients of Korea’s once-popular coffee concoction “morning coffee.” In the 1960s and ’70s, morning coffee in Korea had an entirely different meaning than the ritualistic cup of joe so many people grab before heading out to face the world. Morning coffee was the beverage of choice at the local “dabang” ― old-time Korean coffe

Oct. 18, 2013

Calendar

Exhibitions“Waiting Room”: Wooden utility poles cut through a gallery space from one end to the other in a new exhibition of Brazilian artist Carlito Carvalhosa in Seoul. The poles, each measuring 8-12 meters long, pierce through the gallery walls at Kukje Gallery in Jongno and extend to the bottom of the floor while supporting other poles delicately placed one on top of another. The position of wooden poles in a white cube triggers questions among viewers as his past works did by transforming e

Oct. 18, 2013

Heritage foundation seeks exclusive image for culture

For about 30 days every year, people can enjoy a romantic moon-lit stroll in Changdeokgung Palace. The “Moonlight Promenade” has become so popular that all available places are booked within minutes of becoming available online. There have been growing calls for an increase in the number of admissions as more people are eager to visit one of the country’s most beautiful palaces in the evening. “I am grateful that the program has been a nationwide phenomenon. The beauty of the palace and the fact

Oct. 15, 2013

Calendar

Dance “Chum, Chunhyang” and “Giselle”: The Korean National Ballet and the National Dance Company of Korea are presenting the romantic ballet “Giselle” and traditional Korean dance “Chum, Chunhyang” at the National Theater of Korea from Oct. 17 to 23. It is the first time that the two dances will be performed at the same venue, the National Theater of Korea, on alternate days. “Chum, Chunhyang” will be performed on Oct. 17, 19, 23, while “Giselle” will be staged on Oct. 18, 20, 22. For more infor

Oct. 11, 2013

Ven. Jaseung reelected head of Jogye Order

Ven. Jaseung, the incumbent president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, was on Thursday reelected the leader of the country’s largest Buddhist group. He will begin his four-year term as the 34th chief of the order on Nov. 1 after receiving approval from the elders’ committee. The Jogye Order announced that Ven. Jaseung won 179 votes from 311 electoral college members representing more than 14,000 Buddhist monks, beating four other candidates including the strongest contender, Ven. Boseon, w

Oct. 10, 2013

Designers are solvers of problems: Card

A designer is a problem solver, British designer and illustrator Gary Card said at Wednesday’s Herald Design Talk in Seoul. Defining himself as a designer, one with a highly diverse portfolio that ranges from t-shirt prints and retail shops to fashion editorials and sculptures, Card said that designers are distinguished from artists by the fact that they are given problems to work out. “Designers are problem solvers. They are given a problem, and to solve that problem in the most vivid and excit

Oct. 9, 2013

Sungnyemun paint seen coming off five months after restoration

Some of the colorful paint on the newly restored Sungnyemun Gate in central Seoul has come off just five months after the gate’s opening to the public, allegedly due to poor execution of the traditional method of painting. According to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Tuesday, about 20 sections of dancheong painting on the gate are visibly damaged. Most of the damaged parts face the south and were extensively exposed to sunlight. The CHA opened the upper portion of the gate to the press o

Oct. 9, 2013

Learning language, writing system can connect Korea to the world

Johan Hoffmann, a 38-year-old Berliner, didn’t really know about Korea until he came across Korean films in 1998. The dark but artistic world of directors such as Park Chan-wook and Kim Ki-duk cast a spell on him and Hoffmann, who had studied Japanese, chose to learn Korean. Hoffmann said learning to read and write Hangeul came easy and that influenced his decision. “You only need a couple of days to know how to read and write Korean with Hangeul though you may not know what it means,” Hoffman t

Oct. 8, 2013

Fraser Doherty: Self-proclaimed ‘JamBoy’ shares secrets to success

With his whole life still ahead of him, the 24-year-old founder and CEO of the international fruit jam company “SuperJam” Fraser Doherty shared the stories behind the success of his childhood business during a keynote speech presented during a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of Herald Corp. held at the Blue Square in Hannam-dong on Monday night. Scottish-raised Doherty’s first venture into business was an attempt at starting a chicken farm with his friend at the age of 10. Although his dre

Oct. 8, 2013