[Weekender] Around the hotel

Peruvian Food Festival at Grand Hyatt Seoul Grand Hyatt Seoul’s signature restaurant The Terrace is inviting guests to a culinary tour of authentic Peruvian cuisine. The Peruvian Food Festival, co-hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Peru, will feature Peruvian and South American dishes cooked by a visiting native chef. To be included in the selection are Ceviche, a lemon-ripened seafood dish, Chicharron, a chewy pork rinds recipe, and Aji de Gallina, a tasty preparation of soft chicken brea

FoodJuly 25, 2014

[Weekender] Koreans suffer from stressful summer vacations

The scorching heat and humidity signals that it’s time to get away from daily responsibilities and set off for white sand beaches or lush green mountains. But summer vacation in Korea is often another round of stressful days. More than half of the population takes summer vacation during late July and early August. Beaches are crowded with endless stretches of colorful parasols. Added to this are congested highways and overpriced restaurants and hotels. The summer fantasy of relaxing on a peacefu

TravelJuly 18, 2014

[Weekender] Gangwon offers something for everyone

Located in the eastern part of the Korean Peninsula, Gangwon Province is home to some of the most beautiful mountains in the country, on top of scenic beaches and clear water.The region is the most-visited summer destination for Seoulites, beating Jejudo Island and Busan.It is blessed with Gyeongpo Beach, the largest beach on the country’s east coast; the Hantangang River, a popular site for white-water rafting; and the peaceful Kwangchi Recreation Forest, which offers fascinating scenery that i

TravelJuly 18, 2014

[Weekender] Armchair traveling, a new way to experience getaways

Long-awaited vacations always pass by all too soon, and it seems that to make the most out of that limited time, one simply has to fully savor the pretravel excitement and post-travel reminiscing.Luckily, it has become easier nowadays to find travel-inspired places all over Seoul, where aspiring travelers may obtain travel information and fatigued urbanites may feel a sense of freedom amid their pressing daily routine.The newest of these spots is the Hyundai Card Travel Library, which opened in

TravelJuly 18, 2014

[Weekender] Sightseeing trains make hard to reach more convenient

Hoping to see vast rocky mountain ranges, but can’t face hiking? Want to see the crisp blue coast, but avoid the summer crowds? For summer travelers looking to enjoy Korea’s picturesque countryside, KORAIL’s sightseeing trains just might be the answer. The only question is: O, V or S? Early last year, the state-run rail operator launched the O-train and V-Train, with the goal of showcasing some of Korea’s hard-to-reach inland rural areas. Spring, summer, fall or winter, the exclusive sightseeing

TravelJuly 18, 2014

[Weekender] Calendar

Dance“Sleeping Beauty on Ice”: The ice ballet rendition of Sleeping Beauty has captivated audiences for decades since its premiere in St. Petersburg, Russia. Founded in 1967, the Saint-Petersburg State Ballet on Ice will be continuing its long-held tradition by bringing its performance of “Sleeping Beauty on Ice” to Korea. The award-winning cast of ice skaters soar through the air in stunningly visual twists and turns in their ballet-inspired choreography of the classic children’s tale. The perf

PerformanceJuly 18, 2014

[Weekender] Box Office

Kundo: Age of the Rampant (Korea)Opening July 23Action. Directed by Yoon Jong-bin“Kundo” is set in the 13th year of King Cheoljong’s reign in mid-19th century Joseon, when rampant corruption in the ruling class and its exploitation of the populace pushed the common people over the edge. Dolmuchi (Ha Jung-woo) is a not-so-intelligent but kind-hearted butcher, a typical lower-class job at the time. One day, Dolmuchi makes a dangerous deal with Jo Yoon (Gang Dong-won), a noblemen’s son who was an o

FilmJuly 18, 2014

[Weekender] Around the hotel

Opening of Cafe 395 at Millennium Seoul Hilton Millennium Seoul Hilton is opening the doors of its new flagship restaurant Cafe 395 following a three-month-long renovation. Based on the “open kitchen” concept, Cafe 395 brings diners face to face with chefs who prepare dishes for the restaurant’s buffet selection on the spot. From the seafood corner to the grilled station, from Asian specialties to the Italian and French tables, Cafe 395 offers diners an international experience. The buffet, whic

FoodJuly 18, 2014

[Weekender] Bookstores struggle for survival

Korea’s oldest bookstore in Seoul, Jongno Books, was a landmark in terms of numbers of customers and its symbolic significance as the trove and exchange of knowledge. The five-story bookstore was the only large bookstore in Seoul until Kyobo Book Center opened in the 1980s. It was also a popular meeting spot where people browsed books while waiting. Since the 1980s, two new large bookstores, Kyobo and Youngpoong, mounted a tough challenge to Jongno Books, taking a large chunk of its customers, a

CultureJuly 11, 2014

[Weekender] Korea in need of ‘reading movement’

After publishing over 3,000 books in the 39 years of his publishing career, Kim Eoun-ho, president of Hangilsa, one of Korea’s leading publishing houses, believes publishing a book is an act of asking how one should live. Kim attempted to answer this deep probing life question by publishing his own book, “The Forest of Books, Sound of Books.” The book is compiled from his handwritten journals from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 in 2013, centering on his day-to-day life as a publisher, and stories about 800 d

CultureJuly 11, 2014

[Weekender] Used books defy market woes

Korea’s bookstore industry is in the doldrums, as dismal sales continue to force many sellers out of business. But at least one bookstore is expanding, defying the broader market downturn. That is Aladdin Used Books ― a used-book franchise of online seller Aladdin. The company, which runs 19 shops, has chalked up an average 30 percent annual growth in sales, said company spokesperson Jo Sun-ah. Aladdin Used Books is not the typical small, “crammed to the ceiling” kind of shop. Rather, it is the

CultureJuly 11, 2014

[Weekender] Mega stores seek to connect with readers

In an effort to overcome a decline in sales, and the profoundly dwindling public interest in reading, Korea’s two largest book retailers Kyobo Book Center and Yes 24 set out their own unique strategies. For Kyobo, Korea’s largest book chain with 14 branches nationwide, it is tailored book consulting service. At the core of this service are a new breed of professionals called “book masters,” who find books that customers are looking for, make recommendations based on their preferences and manage

BooksJuly 11, 2014

[Weekender] Small, unique booksellers survive competition

Generally speaking, price and brand power matter most in the bookstore business. These factors have earned price-competitive chains the lion’s share of the market, while the small, independent bookstores continue to wither.In reality, the mom-and-pop shops are more embattled than what we see in rom-com films like “You’ve Got Mail” and “Notting Hill.”But not all of the neighborhood bookshops are losing out. Some are staving off the competition through differentiation strategies. Your Mind Your Mi

BooksJuly 11, 2014

[Weekender] Independent bookshops cater to English readers

Whether looking for the timeless literary classics from Brontë or Fitzgerald, or prefering to check out Danielle Steel’s newest tale of high society crisis or the next mentally disturbing nightmare sequence of Stephen King, Seoul has a couple of well-established bookstores to accommodate all of your English book needs.While it may be no longer that difficult to track down physical copies of the latest English-language publications in the “Foreign Section” at any Seoul’s big chain book establishm

CultureJuly 11, 2014

[Weekender] Calendar

Pop musicg.o.d. 15th Anniversary Reunion Concert: The newly reunited ’90s K-pop idol group g.o.d. will be embarking on a nationwide concert tour starting in July. After more than 12 years apart, the five original members of g.o.d. made their highly anticipated comeback in May with their newest single “The Lone Duckling.” The K-pop veterans are slated to hold two concerts, on July 12 and 13, at the Jamsil Sport Complex’s Auxiliary Stadium in Seoul, before moving on to Gwangju, Busan, Daegu and Da

CultureJuly 11, 2014

[Weekender] Box Office

Santa Barbara (Korea)Opening July 17Romance. Directed by Cho Sung-kyuWhen naïve music director Jung-woo (Lee Sang-yoon) meets a talented creative director Soo-kyung (Yoon Jin-seo) to work on an advertisement project together, at first, they do not get along very well because of striking differences in personalities. But one day, they happen to find similarities in three things: movie taste, a love for wine, and longing for Santa Barbara in the U.S. With these similarities, they grow closer. Howe

FilmJuly 11, 2014

[Weekender] Eyelike: f(x) reaffirms funk with ‘Red Light’

f(x) reaffirms funk with ‘Red Light’f(x) “Red Light”(KT Music)K-pop girl group f(x), known for their innovative and funky style, has returned with yet another album filled with unique sounds ― this time, funky as usual with an added touch of electro-pop.The group’s new 11-track studio album “Red Light” opens with an eponymous lead single featuring diverse electric sounds behind a pop melody, all embellished with a dose of hip-hop. “Red Light” begins with some ominous clock-ticking and the member

PerformanceJuly 11, 2014

[Weekender] Around the hotel

Summer set menu at Park Hyatt SeoulPark Hyatt Seoul’s The Lounge is presenting a summer set menu until August. The set menu includes a bowl of bingsu, (ice flakes with various toppings), two smoked martinis and a snack dish. Guests can choose from four types of bingsus: Pat Bingsu, made with red beans and rice cake; Berry Bingsu, made with fresh berries, chocolate and nuts; Honey Bee-ingsu made with honeycomb, vanilla ice cream, apple puree and pecans; or Spicy Melon Bingsu, made with cantaloupe

CultureJuly 11, 2014

[Weekender] Seoul’s eclectic, flourishing nightlife

The history of Korea’s nightlife is short. From 1945 to 1982, the authoritarian governments ordered Koreans to stay indoors between midnight and 4 a.m. Under martial law, the city lights were switched off and people were forbidden to go outdoors, except for those on official duties. Nowadays, those hours are primetime for Korean nightlife.People watch the rainbow fountain show at Banpo Bridge in Seoul. (Kim Myung-sub/The Korea Herald)The country has seen its night culture thrive since Chun Doo-h

CultureJuly 4, 2014