Most Popular
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Hyundai Motor eyes 80,000 jobs, W68tr investment at home by 2026
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Seoul bus drivers go on general strike, cause morning rush hour delays
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Official campaigning kicks off for April 10 elections
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Dialogue hopes fade as doctors pick hard-liner as new head
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Korea enters full election mode
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Coupang pledges W3tr to expand Rocket Delivery nationwide by 2027
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[Election Battlefield] Political novice to face off star politician in ‘swing district’
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[Kim Seong-kon] The April 2024 election will decide our future
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Seoul’s bus union prepares for strike
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[Hello India] Corporate Korea sees new growth drivers in India
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South By Southwest overstuffed with music goodies
South By Southwest and the surrounding unaffiliated hoopla have slipped into hyperdrive as the music portion of the annual conference and festival opens this week. Kanye West and Jay Z have announced they’re headed to Austin, Texas, the cherry on top of a gloriously all-over-the-place gathering that also will feature Lady Gaga as a keynote speaker, Lil Wayne as an interview subject and 2,000 other acts vying for attention in the midst of the frenzy. And there are still more surprises to come. Tr
PerformanceMarch 12, 2014
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Gypsy jazz band La Vie est Belle to perform in March
Up-and-coming gypsy jazz band La Vie est Belle is scheduled to perform live at Olympus Hall in Samseong-dong, Seoul on March 21.Titled “Gypsy World,” the concert will feature a variety of songs ranging from upbeat, groovy compositions to gypsy-influenced tunes from the band’s recently released album “Gypsy Mood.”The gypsy band La Vie est Belle ― a French phrase for “life is beautiful” ― was formed under the influence of jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli by five acc
PerformanceMarch 12, 2014
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It’s hats off, and everything else, as nudist resort marks 50 years
ORLANDO, Florida ― Hans Stein is 86 years old and ― except for tennis shoes ― naked as the day he was born.Fit and looking much younger than his years, he has a simple explanation: “It’s the nudist lifestyle!”Stein and his wife, 81-year old Lisa, are part of a cadre of longtime members at Cypress Cove, a nudist resort near Kissimmee, Florida, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.Like the Steins ― who are German-born Canadians ― a number of members are foreign-born, and they use words such
CultureMarch 12, 2014
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‘Hola, Salsa’: Disputed origins of Latin music’s most popular genre
Latin music as we know it comes from a harmonious marriage of African drums and Spanish guitar, and salsa, perhaps the most popular and complex of all Latin musical genres, is no exception. However, the origin of salsa remains a hot topic of debate.Yet the exotic allure of its exciting sound is immensely popular all over the world, including right here in South Korea.The sizzling Afro-Cuban rhythms of son montuno, guaguanco, mambo, cha-cha-cha, guaracha and rumba, together with plena and charang
CultureMarch 12, 2014
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New breed of cafes lures Iranian coffee lovers
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ― Shoulder to shoulder, cheek to cheek, young women and men sit next to each other while a thick film of cigarette smoke fills the dimly lit cafe in central Tehran. Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” blares from the speakers. Young Iranians with slick smartphones and packs of American-made cigarettes who frequent the cafe come for the chance to hang out, away from the eyes of moralizing elders. They also form a bloc of strong support for moderate President Hassan Rouhani a
CultureMarch 12, 2014
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Does Disney‘s ‘Frozen’ promote homosexuality?
Disney’s animated film “Frozen” is trying to “indoctrinate” children into being gay, and treating “homosexuality and bestiality in a light sort of way,” American Pastor Kevin Swanson said in a radio broadcast. The sensational film has reportedly grossed over $1 billion worldwide and won two Oscars, but it has been blasted for being “too gay-friendly.” Swanson, however, did not cite specific scenes that he viewed as advocating homosexuality. Blogger Kathryn Skaggs also penned a lengthy post las
FilmMarch 12, 2014
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Seoul's Gangnam creates 'K-Star Road' for Korean pop culture
The office of Seoul's Gangnam District, most popularized by rapper Psy's eponymous song, opened a street Wednesday featuring diverse stories of Korean pop stars, to promote culture and tourism in its posh neighborhood.The "K-Star Road" is an around 1-kilometer-long street between Galleria Department Store and the country's top entertainment agencies of SM Entertainment and Cube Entertainment in the Apgujeong area, southern Seoul.It was redecorated as an urban version of a trekking course where v
FilmMarch 12, 2014
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Expat designer promotes sustainability maxim
An expat designer has teamed up with local firm Ssamzie for a collection of bags, wallets and other items made with recycled leather as part of his push to help fuel Korea’s sustainable design trend.Sven Schelwach created his design company Taomina several years ago to design high-end sustainable furniture. But when he began lecturing at Hongdae University in Seoul, it led to an unexpected opportunity. When his students saw his wallet designs, they suggested he approach the firm, as they had a s
Expat LivingMarch 11, 2014
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St. Paddy’s to return to Seoul
The St. Patrick’s Day Festival will return to Seoul’s D Cube City on Saturday for a scaled-up celebration of Ireland’s national day. The centerpiece of the event will be the open-air concert, which this year will feature the Boxty Rebellion, an Irish folk band flying in especially for the event. Other main stage events will be a performance from Korean-Irish dance troupe Tap Pung, a military band, and a “ceili” ― a traditional type of Irish folk dancing that everyone can get involved in.“The St.
Expat LivingMarch 11, 2014
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Gwangju Freecycle to run clothing swap Saturday
Gwangju Freecycle will run its first clothing swap Saturday for local residents to donate and pick up used clothing.People are asked to donate clean, gently used clothing and shoes to the new GIC building by Friday. Books, DVDs, art, kitchen items and accessories are also welcome. The event is free, and there is no strict limit on how many items one can take. Owners can take home leftover items, or leave them to be given to the GIC to sell in future fund-raising events.Local members of internati
Expat LivingMarch 11, 2014
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Spoken word open mic to run in Busan
Spoken word event Wordz Only will run Saturday at Cafe Radio in Busan.Wordz Only is a monthly open mic event for written and spoken word performers. People are invited to share all kinds of writing, from short stories to rap. The event runs from 8:30-11 p.m. To share your work, arrive by 8:20 p.m. and enter your name. Performers are drawn one at a time until the end of the night, and asked to keep their reading time to between seven and 12 minutes. The event is free, but those attending are aske
Expat LivingMarch 11, 2014
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Free business counseling in Yeouido
Yeouido Global Business Center will run free business counseling sessions for foreign entrepreneurs on intellectual property and customs clearance this month.On Thursday, the center will take inquiries on how to file trademarks and issues regarding conflicts over rights to trademarks.Another session on March 25 will cover customs clearance issues for imports and exports.Sessions are in English and Korean and last 20-30 minutes. Those wanting a slot should book in advance by emailing sgcbizincuba
Expat LivingMarch 11, 2014
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Asian Film Market advisers announced
Kim Woo-taek, CEO of major Korean film production and distribution company Next Entertainment World, has been named one of the advisors and consultants for the Asian Film Market to be held in October this year.The film market, which is a comprehensive marketplace for an array of industry events at the annual Busan International Film Festival, announced the list of advisors to this year’s edition on Tuesday. The names on the list include Choi Jae-won of Withus Film, who produced this year’s box o
FilmMarch 11, 2014
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Chinese queue up for Monet exhibit at shopping mall
SHANGHAI (AFP) ― Hundreds of Chinese art lovers lined up at a Shanghai shopping mall Saturday to see the works of French Impressionist Claude Monet, as the country’s biggest-ever exhibition of his paintings opened.The 40 Monet works drawn from the private Marmottan Monet Museum in Paris are arranged in chronological order and include some from his emblematic “Water Lilies” series.Organizers hope between 200,000 and 300,000 people will view the three-month show, but will limit daily visitors to 3
PerformanceMarch 11, 2014
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Neil Young unveils high-definition music player, store
WASHINGTON (AFP) ― Singer-songwriter Neil Young announced plans Monday to launch a high-definition portable music player and download service, saying it will improve the experience of listening to digital music on the go.The Canadian-born musician, a longtime critic of the quality of digital music, said he would be launching an online store for music downloads as well as a portable player through his new company, PonoMusic.“It’s about the music, real music,” Young said in a statement.“We want to
PerformanceMarch 11, 2014
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Refurbished Jackson Pollock masterpiece goes on display
LOS ANGELES (AP) ― “Mural,” the brilliant Jackson Pollock painting that took 20th century American art in a new direction, has re-emerged from seclusion with a stunning face-lift that’s given it a brighter look and an even more towering presence than it had before. The oil-on-canvas masterpiece that measures more than 8 feet tall and nearly 20 feet long has been under wraps at the J. Paul Getty Museum for more than a year, undergoing an extensive restoration. Painted in 1943 for wealthy art coll
PerformanceMarch 11, 2014
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Older male K-pop fans inspire artist
There have been flashy, glamorous collaborative projects between K-pop stars and artists, but few have dealt with the fans who cheer on the stars. Artist Jung Yeon-doo examines a fan craze for Korean pop idols in his latest work “Crayon Pop Special.” The group of fans in whom Jung took interest, however, was not teenage girls, but men in their late 30s and 40s. Cheers in low male voices echo across the exhibition hall. The bass sounds come from Jung’s 30-minute video showing about 50 older male
PerformanceMarch 11, 2014
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Lil Boosie: Prison term of the 1,000 songs
NEW ORLEANS (AP) ― Rapper Lil Boosie says serving time in a Louisiana prison on drug charges was life changing, has made him a better person and ultimately, he hopes, a better artist. “I feel like I’ve got more stories to tell,” Lil Boosie said during a press event Monday in New Orleans. “I’ve got a lot to say about my life, about what I went through in prison and about what my family went through. “I’m a much better person. I’m much stronger. I know who my real friends are and I know who ain’t.
PerformanceMarch 11, 2014
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Boyfriend stages first K-pop concert in Puerto Rico
K-pop boy group Boyfriend has become the first K-pop band to perform independently in Puerto Rico after successfully holding its first solo concert in the South American country last week, said the group’s management agency on Monday.On March 8, the six-member boy group staged its solo concert titled “Boyfriend, fan meeting en Puerto Rico” for 1,700 local fans who gathered at the Centro De Bellas Artes Luis A Ferre in San Juan, Puerto Rico. For more than two hours, fans enthusiastically sang alo
March 11, 2014
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Justin Bieber surprises with performance during SXSW
NEW YORK (AP) ― Justin Bieber has kicked off the music portion of South by Southwest before the real program begins. The 20-year-old pop star surprised a small crowd at Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden in Austin, Texas, on Sunday night. Audience member Ashley Gregg said Monday that Bieber performed two songs, dedicating “Boyfriend” to ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez, who was backstage. “This goes out to my baby girl,” Bieber told a crowd of about 100 people. The bar was hosting an event for Biebe
PerformanceMarch 11, 2014