Modern architecture and luxurious hotels are the images often associated with Dubai. But behind this modern image are traditional Arabic charms, says Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, director of overseas offices within the Dubai Corporation of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. “Dubai has catered to luxury travelers, but there is also a lot to discover behind the modern and luxurious side of the city,” Al Geziry told The Korea Herald on Thursday.  Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry. (Lee Sang-sub/The Korea Herald)Al

Travel June 20, 2014

The global hotel chain Accor is offering discounts on accommodations and breakfast for those who book online by June 27. Members of its loyalty program will receive a markdown of up to 40 percent and free breakfast, while regular customers will get a 30 percent discount with free breakfast.The sale applies to Accor’s brands, including Pullman, MGallery, Grand Mercure, The Sebel, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure and ibis across the world. Some 2,200 hotels will participate in the Accor’s “Super S

Travel June 19, 2014

Czech artist Klega noticed vegetables growing in every available plot of land in Seoul ― even in the narrow space between the old royal palace property and sidewalks. The sight piqued his interest, and he photographed vegetable gardens scattered across two bustling cities, Seoul and Incheon. Titled “Allotments,” the 15-photograph series on the petite gardens is one of the works by foreign artists living and working in Korea currently on display at Seoul Museum of Art.The works expose those aspec

Performance June 19, 2014

Soccer June 17, 2014

Zhang Xiaogang is one of the most successful living Chinese artists, with his works setting records at international auctions. His famous “Bloodline ― Big Family” sold for HK$94.2 million ($12 million) at the Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong in April last year. The artist, who led the unprecedented growth of the Chinese art market in the 2000s, is now looking back on his 30-year art career. “It’s hard to sum up my 30-year art career in one word. But if I have to explain, the retrospective is about

Performance June 17, 2014

ULSAN ― Every summer for the past eight years, art sculptures and installations popped up along the Taehwa River that cuts through this port city, home to the world’s largest automobile assembly plant and its largest shipyard. But the Taehwa River Eco Art Festival seems to have had little impression on citizens of Ulsan, despite its stated aim of stimulating public interest in art. “We’ve met opposition and complaints from citizens and local businesses in organizing the art festival. Even though

Performance June 15, 2014

Creatures and characters from “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” come to life at an exhibition in Seoul. Some 300 other mythical creatures also have been on display at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza since last week, fascinating fans of fantasy films and novels.What draws attention aside from the diverse imaginary characters is the profile of the creative director behind these creations, Richard Taylor, CEO of Weta Workshops. The New Zealand-based special effects company has provided physical

Film June 11, 2014

Shopping for a summer wardrobe can be tricky. Style choices are simple: it’s either short-sleeve or sleeveless shirts, normal-length long pants for men and shorter pants for women. The trick is how to look chic while staying cool in the hot, sticky weather. To achieve both style and cool effects, one essential is a summer fabric that uses the latest innovative technologies to keep the body temperature down. Some basic fabrics that give wearers a cool feeling include linen, fabric made from the f

Arts & Design June 11, 2014

Korea has promoted the country’s tourism under several slogans ― none of which survived long enough to make a lasting impression. The slogans, which sometimes cost millions of dollars to come up with, were pulled for various reasons. “Sparkling Korea” was briefly withdrawn in the U.S. after the shooting rampage in Virginia by a Korean-American student in 2007. The word sparkle was feared to denote the muzzle flash of a gunshot. Before that, there was “Dynamic Korea,” which was scrapped out of fe

Travel June 9, 2014

Artist Kim Heung-sou died of complications from old age on Monday, his family said. He was 95. Dubbed the “Picasso of Korea,” the painter pioneered a painting style called “Harmonism,” which signifies a balance of the opposite elements of abstraction and figuration.  Kim Heung-sou. (Yonhap)Born in the North Korean province of South Hamgyeong, he studied painting at Tokyo University of the Arts, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1944. He briefly served as an art teacher at Seoul Art High School and

Performance June 9, 2014

With the click of a mouse, one can access a sea of information that was unimaginable before the advent of the World Wide Web. But more often than not a flood of information causes frustration when one is searching for a single piece of information. In this era when one can access information instantly, choosing the right information can be a daunting challenge. The confusion and irritation caused by what futurologist Alvin Toffler calls “information overload” in his 1970 bestselling book “Future

Performance June 5, 2014

Actor Lee Byung-hun has received the Asia Pacific Screen Award for his acting in the 2012 period movie “Masquerade.”The award was given by the chairman of the Asia Pacific Screen Academy Michael Hawkins on Tuesday at the Australian Embassy in Seoul. The Asia Pacific Screen Academy is a body of 650 respected filmmakers in the Asia Pacific region. “Lee Byung-hun has received this award -– his first APSA win -– for his two starring roles, as a king and acrobat in Masquerade, which was the fourth-hi

June 4, 2014

Poster for “Paper Playground,” a paper craft workshop for kids to be held at Topgol Museum. (Topgol Museum)Used paper boxes will be recycled into playthings in a papercraft workshop for kids at Topgol Museum in Seoul. The museum holds the workshop entitled “Paper Playground” from June 10-July 13. The museum is located on the first floor of Seoul Senior Welfare Center in Jongno. Children will make lamps, frames, chairs and other pieces of furniture with used paper boxes in different classes. Othe

Performance June 3, 2014

The number of South Korean overseas tourists appears to have fallen steadily since the Sewol ferry sank in April, killing 288 passengers with 16 still missing.About 142,000 people traveled abroad in May through Hana Tour, South Korea’s largest travel company, the company said. The figure is down 5.7 percent from the same month last year. So far 107,000 have booked to go abroad in June, down 12.1 percent from a year earlier.  Travelers stand in line at Gimpo International Airport on Tuesday, a da

Travel June 3, 2014