Having recently resolved its labor-management problem, the National Theater of Korea plans to stage four new performances in 2011, the president of the state-run theater said.Mired in labor union problems, the theater failed to premier any shows last year.“We felt very sorry that we had to delay or cancel some performances a couple of times last year due to the labor union’s long-term strike. But

Performance Feb. 8, 2011

English-language journal offers high-quality articles on security, prosperity and community-building in AsiaQuarterly journal Global Asia, the first-ever international magazine representing Asian voices, aims to become an intellectual hub of the region, opening an arena for innovation and the development of a regional identity, its editor-in-chief said.The English-language journal is published by

People Feb. 7, 2011

ROME (AP) ― Lawyers for U.S. student Amanda Knox and her ex-boyfriend, who were found guilty of killing Knox’s British roommate in Italy, have formally demanded that U.S. television channel Lifetime scrap a planned film about their trial.Attornies Carlo Dalla Vedova and Luca Maori said Saturday they had sent letters to Lifetime warning they would go to U.S. court to try to sequester the film if it

Television Feb. 6, 2011

LONDON (AP) ― Five-time Oscar-winning composer John Barry, who wrote music for a dozen James Bond films, including “You Only Live Twice” and “Goldfinger” but couldn’t persuade a jury that he composed the suave spy’s theme music, has died. He was 77.Barry died in New York, where he had lived for some time, on Sunday, his family said. The family did not release the cause of death.Though his work on

People Feb. 1, 2011

BANDUNG, Indonesia (AP) ― An Indonesian pop star who rocked this predominantly Muslim nation after several homemade sex tapes found their way to the Internet was sentenced Monday to three years in jail.Nazril “Ariel” Irham’s trial has made headlines and dominated chatter on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter for more than three months. Nazril "Ariel" Irham and Girlfriend Luna Maya (

Performance Feb. 1, 2011

The famous 1976 novel “Kiss of the Spider Woman” is to be adapted into a Korean stage show which will be even more fun and intriguing than the 1985 film adaptation, the drama’s director said. Actors cast in the drama “Kiss of the Spider Woman” pose at a press call in Seoul on Jan. 25. From left are Choi Jae-woong, Jung Sung-hwa, Park Eun-tae and Kim Seung-dae. (Kim Yoon-mi/The Korea Herald)Aga Com

Performance Jan. 31, 2011

Korean-American filmmaker Benson Lee, who greatly contributed to exposing Korea’s B-boy culture to the world with his 2008 documentary film “Planet B Boy,” has embarked on another ambitious project to promote Korean culture.This time, the scale is much larger and the media more complex.Under the title “Project Obangsaek,” Lee will combine the synergy of theater, cinema and the Web to generate deba

Jan. 30, 2011

The use of travel call service number 1330, a 24-hour help line for local and international travelers, has jumped 27 percent in 2010 from the previous year, the Korea Tourism Organization said Wednesday.According to the KTO, the number of 1330 calls dialed by both foreigners and Koreans soared to nearly 170,000 in 2010 from 133,000 in 2009, following an increase of 32 percent year-on-year growth i

Travel Jan. 30, 2011

W Seoul-WalkerhillThe hotel offers two special romance packages. The “W Dreams in Romance” package includes one night stay in the Wonderful room – with balloons and a set-up bath -- a course dinner at the buffet restaurant Kitchen or the Japanese restaurant Namu, and a Ralph Lauren perfume gift set for two. The price starts from 465,000 won. For those thinking of proposing, the “Who’s Tying the Kn

Travel Jan. 28, 2011

The power of culture and the arts will be enlisted to help integrate divided Korean society, said Choung Byoung-gug, who took office as the new culture minister Thursday.“During the past 10 years working in the cultural sector, I have realized how powerful culture and arts are in narrowing differences of language, religion and nationality,” Choung said at a press conference at the Ministry of Cult

People Jan. 27, 2011

(Yonhap News)A total of 552 billion won ($493 million) has been earmarked for opening 66 public libraries and 114 small libraries, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Wednesday.The move is part of the government’s “Library Development Comprehensive Plan,” set for 2009-2013 to promote reading. The 552 billion won includes a 188 billion won budget from the central government, 349 billio

Books Jan. 27, 2011

With the Lunar New Year just around the corner, top-rated hotels in Seoul are busy preparing a variety of gift items including beef sets, wine sets and hampers.The hotels’ gift items are indeed pricier than those of department stores. However, a little luxury in the quality of products and wrapping services makes a big difference, according to Julie Shim, a marketing manager in Seoul.Shim, 32, spe

Food Jan. 24, 2011

Park Wan-suh, a well-known South Korean novelist and essayist who delved into post-Korean War realities of everyday people, died of gallbladder cancer on Saturday. She was 80. Park had been suffering the disease in recent years and died earlier in the morning, leaving behind four daughters, according to her acquaintances. The memorial photo of late writer Park Wan-suh is placed at a funeral room o

Books Jan. 23, 2011