With each year there buds in a person’s mind the wish to begin anew, to be a new person and a better me for the New Year. Now imagine waking up in a hospital bed in a body that is not yours. Imagine finding out you’re 30 years younger but a social outcast at school, or a powerful man with rivals out to kill you. Such is the plot of the comedy-drama film “Inside Me,” where Jinyoung plays Kim Dong-hyun, a bullied, introverted high school student; and veteran actor Park Sung-woong plays Jang Pa

Film Dec. 26, 2018

Korea’s Culture Ministry decided on a design for the country’s future passports, Friday. The passports will be issued starting in 2020.The next generation of South Korean passports will come in three colors -- navy for ordinary citizens, gray for government officials and red for diplomats.For enhanced security and greater impact resistance, the ministry said it has decided to use a durable transparent plastic called polycarbonate thermoplastic. (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)The Minist

Culture Dec. 21, 2018

Age is not as important as it used to be for single South Koreans seeking marriage partners, a survey revealed Wednesday. Rather, a person’s family background is getting more emphasis than in previous years, according to matchmaking company Duo, which carried out the nationwide survey of 1,000 single Korean men and women between the ages of 25 and 39. Korea’s biggest matchmaking company conducted the survey Nov. 1-15, questioning 489 men and 511 women.According to Duo’s findings, an ideal husban

Social Affairs Dec. 19, 2018

Kangta, or Ahn Chil-hyun, a former first-generation K-pop star from the now-defunct group H.O.T., owns 5,500 shares in S.M. Entertainment. The information was publicly posted on Monday.Ahn is an unlisted board member of S.M. Entertainment. The shares he owns account for 0.02 percent of S.M. As of 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday, at the time of this article’s writing, an S.M. share was priced at 49,900 won ($44), making Ahn’s stake worth 274.45 million. Kangta (S.M. Entertainment)S.M. is the biggest talent

Performance Dec. 18, 2018

Epic Games Korea, the host of Fortnite Korea Open 2018, confirmed in a statement Monday that gun powder had not been used during AOA’s performance at the event, after the group’s member Seolhyun left the stage in the middle of the performance because she felt faint. The company also wished Seolhyun a quick recovery.Seolhyun’s management agency FNC Entertainment had initially blamed the singer’s dizziness and retching on the heavy use of gunpowder. However, fans had criticized the agency for not

Performance Dec. 17, 2018

After a drizzly day in early December that pushed temperatures in Seoul well below minus 10 degrees Celsius, office worker Lee Ja-yoon, 30, finally finished preparing her house for the full-fledged winter chill likely to last at least through February. Lee started with her wardrobe. She took out the wool coats and replaced them with a long padded coat -- the ankle-length garments became ubiquitous in Korea during last winter’s biting cold -- as well as thermal underwear, fur-lined leggings and g

Culture Dec. 13, 2018

인도네시아에서 걸그룹 블랙핑크가 미니스커트를 입고 촬영한 광고를 검열해 논란이 일고 있다. 　외신 AFP 통신의 12일 보도에 따르면 이러한 인도네시아 당국 측 검열에 현지 케이팝 팬들이 분노하며 들고 일어서고 있다고 한다. 　인도네시아 방송위원회는 열한 개 방송국에서 “부적절하다”는 이유로 광고를 금지 시켰다.　 콘서트장 블랙핑크 (사진=YG엔터테인먼트)방송위원회의 결정은 10만 명이 서명한 청원에 따른 결과로, 케이팝 팬들은 애초 청원을 시작한 여성을 처벌해달라고 나서기까지 했다. 　검열된 광고에서 블랙핑크는 현지 업체 “쇼피 (Shopee)”를 홍보하려 춤을 춘다.　인도네시아는 무슬림 인구가 가장 큰 나라로, 신체 노출을 부도덕하다 여긴다. 　지난 2015년엔 마찬가지로 이슬람 국가인 말레이시아에서 보이그룹 B1A4가 공연을 진행하다 팬과의 이벤트 도중 현지 무슬림 여성 팬이 B1A4 멤버를 끌어안았다가 "부적절한 행동"으로 현지 경찰에 체포된 바 있다.(khnews@heral

한국어판 Dec. 13, 2018

진행자: 임정요, Kevin Lee Selzer1. Presidential petition: platform for constructive proposals or witch hunt?기사요약: 청와대 국민청원 시스템의 효용성을 다시 생각해 보는 기획 기사. 셀 수 없는 국민의견이 범람하는 이 청와대 온라인 청원 사이트에선 한 청원에 20만명 이상 서명이 모이면 사안에 대해 청와대가 공식입장을 발표한다. 최근 논란을 빚었던 ‘웹하드 카르텔’ 양진호 회장, 강서구 주차장 살인사건, PC방 살인사건, 이수역 폭행사건 등 모두 청원이 올라온 바 있다.  아이튠즈(아이폰): https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/koliaheleoldeu-paskaeseuteu/id686406253?mt=2팟빵 (안드로이드): http://www.podbbang.com/ch/6638[1] A slow news day? Look no further than the electronic

Podcast Dec. 12, 2018

A 59-year-old Korean man is being investigated in the death of his 38-year-old Filipina wife, police in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province, said Monday. The police found the deceased victim and the suspect at their house Monday morning after receiving a call at around 7 a.m. from the suspect, saying he had killed someone. (Yonhap)The suspect appeared to have stabbed the victim and himself. He reportedly told the police that he and his wife had had an argument.According to the police, the couple

Social Affairs Dec. 11, 2018

A 31-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of defrauding music lovers in connection with ticket offers for Charlie Puth, H.O.T. and IU concerts, the Busan Jin Police said Tuesday.Police say the man advertised concert ticket trade deals on online sites for four months beginning in July. He is being accused of taking some 18 million won ($16,600) from 55 victims without keeping his end of the deal. (Yonhap)The man was found in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, after a nationwide search. The police narrowed dow

Social Affairs Dec. 11, 2018

A fire at an animal shelter broke out early Friday morning in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province, killing some 260 cats and dogs. The fire started at around 2:10 a.m. Friday, and was extinguished by regional fire authorities in three hours. Of the some 400 dogs and 100 cats housed at the facility, around 180 dogs and 80 cats died in the blaze. The fire burnt half of the shelter, incurring an estimated 26 million won ($23,200) of damage. Fire at a shelter in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province killed some 260 cat

Social Affairs Dec. 7, 2018

The perfect recipe for pottery is one that requires patience and perseverance. But here’s a man who can tell the temperature of his kiln by looking at the colors of the flame, who knows the best layer of earth for his ceramics.For over 30 years, Lee Jong-neung has poured his soul in to the art of Korean pottery. His only goal: to establish an original line of ceramics that would represent modern Korea. Lee Jong-neung works at his kiln in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Heral

Arts & Design Dec. 6, 2018

K-pop group NCT 127’s song “Simon Says” sparked mixed sentiments in New Zealand after it was accused of appropriating parts of traditional Maori prayer karakia.“‘Simon Says’ by NCT 127 has been watched nearly 7 million times, but not everyone’s a fan,” wrote New Zealand’s television channel TVNZ, Thursday. Screen grab of “Simon Says”’s music video (YouTube)TVNZ quoted professor Aroha Mead of New Zealand’s Maori Centre of Research Excellence, that the te reo Maori words, “Ttuturu o whiti whakamau

Performance Nov. 30, 2018

Every year around Christmas time, the lobby of the Herald Corp. building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, lights up with a brightly decorated towering tree.On Thursday, the brilliance was amplified with the presence of rising K-pop star Sohee, who debuted solo from her group Elris with single “Hurry Up,” in October. Sohee had just wrapped up official promotional activities for “Hurry Up” and had dropped by for an exclusive interview with The Korea Herald. (Video shot and produced by Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea

Performance Nov. 27, 2018

T-ara’s Jiyeon signed with Partners Park, the same agency that works with actresses Koo Hye-sun and Han Ye-seul, for her domestic activities. Partners Park said Friday that it will exclusively manage Jiyeon’s domestic singing and acting deals. “We will endeavor to assist Park Ji-yeon in bringing great works to you,” the agency said.  Park Ji-yeon (Partners Park)Jiyeon debuted in 2009 as a singer in the group T-ara. She is known for her hits “Lies,” “Bo Peep Bo Peep” and “I Go Crazy Because of Yo

Film Nov. 23, 2018