Classical opera is getting a modern and chic revamp, leaving behind the fancy orchestra concert halls and heading out to the mecca of pop music culture and youth.After hitting it big in their native country of New Zealand with its 2013 self-titled debut album, up-and-coming opera crossover family trio Sol3 Mio will be performing its first concert in Korea in the most unlikely of venues -- Gangnam, Seoul nightclub Octagon. Contemporary classical opera trio Sol3 Mio (Universal Music)As part of the

Performance Sept. 10, 2015

Bringing his visually breathtaking and poetically poignant contemporary dance piece “Rice” in front of Seoul audiences for the first time, renowned choreographer Lin Hwai-min will be introducing a whole new way for the audience to conceptualize the significance of even a simple grain of rice. Having been deemed by some critics as “Asia’s most important choreographer,” Lin is no stranger to intertwining the element of rice into his performances.Born and raised in Taiwan, Lin’s parents grew up in

Performance Sept. 10, 2015

The state-run Korea Productivity Center has joined hands with U.K.-based education and media giant Pearson to implement a new English language proficiency exam in Korea in a bid to boost the global competitiveness of local companies.KPC signed an official partnership deal with Pearson last Friday to introduce the EPro Exam, or the English for Professionals Exam -- a business English language proficiency test developed by Pearson -- to the Korean business community. KPC chairman and CEO Hong Soon

Industry Sept. 7, 2015

Merck, the world’s leading chemical and pharmaceuticals giant, is ready to do its part in driving forward Korea’s advancing display business as well as the fast-developing biopharmaceuticals industry -- areas forecast for rapid growth in the future.Michael Grund, managing director of Merck Korea, said the German firm is prepared to become a reliable partner to its major clients like Samsung and LG which are seeking to remain ahead of the game in the highly-competitive display business and pave n

Industry Sept. 7, 2015

Considered one of the most influential pianists of his generation, 69-year-old Paik Kun-woo will be making his way back to the public eye with the launch of his upcoming “Kun-woo Paik Piano Recital” nationwide tour this month.After giving his first public performance at the tender age of 10 with the Korean National Orchestra. The child prodigy later went on to perform at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, in his orchestral debut, at the age of 15. Since then, Paik has performed on some of the wor

Performance Sept. 7, 2015

"Inside Out” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)The colorful world of 2-D and 3-D characters is no longer an area exclusive to the little ones, it seems. In recent years, large-scale animations that succeeded globally catered to both children and adults, with mature and layered plotlines. Such projects’ success speaks volumes on the tweaks that can be made in the Korean animation industry to achieve a wider global reach, says Kim Won-gyu, director at the Korean Animation Producers’ Association

Film Sept. 4, 2015

Scene from the popular animated comedy television series “Larva.” (Tuba Entertainment)Up until the turn of the 21st century, many Korean youngsters who plopped in front of their television sets found themselves regaled with delightfully innocent tales of popular international cartoon series such as “Dragon Ball Z,” “Sailor Moon” or “Tom and Jerry” with their rambunctious games of cat and mouse.A couple of decades ago -- in the pre-“Pororo” era of Korean animation -- TV cartoon options for Korean

Culture Sept. 4, 2015

Malt’s whole roasted chicken (back), colossal meatballs (right) and Scotch eggs (left). (Ahn Hoon/The Korea Herald)At Malt, a gastropub that opened two months ago in Seoul’s Nonhyeon-dong, drinks and grub take equal standing. Craft beer, cocktails and whiskey are paired with eats that lean toward rib-sticking fare like meatball pasta, roast chicken and Scotch eggs.“One can have a meal here,” said Jo Yun-mi, 27, of the two-chef team at Malt, explaining how Malt is not a small plate-centric spot,

Food Sept. 4, 2015

Yangnyeom gejang (Korean Bapsang)Gejang is a traditional dish that is marinated in a salty soy sauce brine as a way of preserving the crabs for a long time. These days, the crabs are lightly preserved, in either a mild soy sauce-based brine (ganjang gejang) or in a spicy sauce (yangnyeom gejang), to be consumed within a few days. The most important thing is to buy the freshest crabs. Freezing them will help with cleaning. Clean the crabs very well under running water.Making the spicy version is

Food Sept. 4, 2015

South Korean President Park Geun-hye attends a summit talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China, Wednesday. (Yonhap)A key outcome of Wednesday's summit between South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, was an agreement to hold a trilateral meeting with their Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, potentially representing a significant step toward improving ties among the regional powers mired in history and territorial disputes.Park and Xi agreed dur

Politics Sept. 2, 2015

Eomuk (fish cakes) are processed seafood made with pureed fish. Eomuk bokkeum is a stir-fried side dish that’s quick and easy to prepare. Busan is famous for the most delicious eomuk. You can use any type or shape for this eomuk bokkeum recipe. Slice the fish cakes if they are thick so the sauce can easily penetrate them. Thin rectangular eomuk is most commonly used type for this dish. It’s the type of eomuk we grew up with before the industry became highly sophisticated. This recipe uses onion

Food Sept. 2, 2015

A performance by the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucia, who will take part in the upcoming 18th Seoul International Dance Festival starting Sept. 30 (Courtesy of Luis Castilla)Bringing the engaging sights and sounds of Spain, Turkey, Croatia, Palestine, Africa and more, the 18th annual Seoul International Dance Festival (SIDance) will be kicking off its festivities next month, offering dance-lovers a filling smorgasbord of contemporary dance performances to view from around the world. From traditiona

Performance Aug. 28, 2015