Some might think that steak ― in its seared, juicy glory ― has the last word when it comes to beef. But those who have witnessed firsthand the sheer heft of a prime rib roast over holiday dinner will know that if we are taking about quantity, then the roast would win, hands down. There is something almost overwhelming about a prime rib roast. A towering primal cut of rib, bones still in, this is feast-friendly beef, meant to be consumed in massive amounts by large crowds. In fact, its very size

FoodNov. 1, 2013

Fine dining has taken a step beyond a mix of good ingredients and meticulous presentation to include the setting as well. Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel presents luxury dining at the hotel’s presidential suite. Overlooking the nightscape of Seoul, the 265-square-meter presidential suite on the 39th floor offers an exceptional dining experience. The hotel offers an eight-course menu prepared by Paul Dodd, the new executive sous chef in charge of Western cuisine at the hotel, targeting couples p

FoodNov. 1, 2013

 Taste of Europe at Sheraton Grande WalkerhillSheraton Grande Walkerhill is offering the Taste of Europe promotion featuring a special eight-course menu at its European-style restaurant and bar CLOCK16 from Nov. 1 to Jan. 31. The menu includes an array of authentic European cuisine by world-renowned chefs. Dishes in the menu include salad with cod fish, chickpea soup with grilled prawns, seafood baked in parchment paper, cannelloni stuffed with beef cheek, balsamic vinegar sorbet, charcoal-grill

FoodNov. 1, 2013

Doenjang (fermented soybean paste) is a staple Korean condiment that’s used, among other things, as a base for stew or soup. Its deep, rich flavor is created by several months of fermentation and aging. Doenjang jjigae is a stew, which typically includes meat, tofu and various vegetables. It is one of the most representative dishes of everyday home-cooked Korean meals. Korean home cooks usually save the water used to rinse rice, ssalddeummul, and use it for a stew or soup. The rice water adds st

FoodNov. 1, 2013

Despite being relatively new faces in the K-pop scene, EXO has managed to expand their fan base throughout Asia and is quickly growing into one of the country’s most popular boy bands. At the height of their popularity, the 12 members will be launching their first TV variety program called “EXO’s Showtime” on MBC Every 1, the network announced on Thursday.The premise of the weekly show will be simply following the everyday lives of the young boys, who claim that for the most part, they are just

PerformanceNov. 1, 2013

Heads-up, Pyongyang: Lingerie is headed your way.The North Korean capital on Thursday was selected by popular online demand as a target for a Swedish clothing brand’s campaign to “love-bomb” places with 450 pairs of underwear.Bjorn Borg recently held “Bjorn Borg Says JA! to Weapons of Mass Seduction,” event that had people from around the world nominating locations that need “love and seduction,” on which the company will drop its products.Pyongyang came in first with 27,162 votes, while Chalmer

PeopleNov. 1, 2013

Seeking to find a new fashion inspiration ― much like Japan’s kimono has inspired many global-leading designers ― a Korean cultural non-profit organization hopes to instill the Joseon literati’s outer robe as the next Oriental fashion inspiration. Arumjigi Culture Keepers Foundation presents a triennial exhibition shedding light on the outer robe of the Joseon literati and the spirit behind it. The exhibition, which runs from Thursday to Nov. 20, displays traditional robes in various colors and

Arts & DesignOct. 31, 2013

Actor Lee Joon-gi is planning a large-scale tour, “Lee Joon-gi Asia Tour JG Night,” to meet fans in Korea, China and Japan. The tour will not be just meetings with fans, but will be organized as a concert-like event complete with Lee performing on stage. The star will start the tour in Seoul on Dec. 14 and then meet fans in Beijing, China, on Jan. 4 and Shanghai on Jan. 11, before traveling to Guangzhou on Jan. 15. In Japan, the actor will take the stage in Nagoya on Jan. 27, Osaka on Jan. 28, a

Oct. 31, 2013

It has been two years since the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra visited Korea. But classical music fans here cannot get enough of the orchestra dubbed “the most powerful sound in the world.”On Nov. 11-12, the group led by Sir Simon Rattle will perform at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall staging Schumann’s Symphony No. 1; Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1; Stravinsky’s “Le Sacre du Printemps,” and Boulez’s “Notations Pour Orchestra,” as well as Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7. Celebrated violinist and

PerformanceOct. 31, 2013

R&B group Brown Eyed Soul has broken its three-year hiatus by releasing a new digital single, “Always Be There,” to commemorate its 10th anniversary. The track was released at noon on Thursday and within a two-hour span it beat tracks by Troublemaker, IU, K.Will, Ailee and Busker Busker for the No. 1 spot on major music charts including Melon, Bugs and Naver Music. The artists are also planning a commemorative tour, “Thank Your Soul,” that will begin at Ilsan’s Kintex from Dec. 20-25 and move on

Oct. 31, 2013

Critical MassBy Sara Paretsky (Putnam)There must be something inspiring about dating a classical musician: Since private investigator V.I. Warshawski took up with double bassist Jake Thibaut in 2009’s “Hardball,” her creator, author Sara Paretsky, seems to have renewed creative energy, evident in pages that almost seem to turn themselves.The considerable action of “Critical Mass” (the title refers to nuclear physics, not getting together a crowd of reviewers) is set off when Warshawski is asked

BooksOct. 31, 2013

Lowcountry BombshellBy Susan M. Boyer (Henery Press) Eccentric characters go together in Southern mysteries like, well, shrimp and grits. But Susan M. Boyer deftly shapes characters with just enough idiosyncrasies without succumbing to cliches in her engaging second novel.“Lowcountry Bombshell” surprises at every twist as Boyer infuses her lighthearted plot with a look at obsession with celebrity, unadulterated greed and an affectionate look at South Carolina.Private detective Liz Talbot pretty

BooksOct. 31, 2013

Richard Kadrey’s new novel, “Dead Set,” gave me nightmares. And I can’t stop myself from telling him ― even though the bestselling horror author dresses in black, has intimidating tattoos and the watchful bearing of an assassin. He’s reluctant to take off his dark glasses.“Cool,” he says, stirring his coffee in the dim daytime light of a Los Angeles bar. “It’s an experiment.” “Dead Set” (Harper Voyager) is far less violent than the bestselling Sandman Slim series he’s known for: “There’s fewer b

BooksOct. 31, 2013

When readers follow Bill Bryson on a literary amble, they never know exactly where they might end up ― just that they’ll probably be happy to have tagged along.His past journeys, along the Appalachian Trail (1998’s “A Walk in the Woods”), into the life of Shakespeare (2007’s “Shakespeare: The World as Stage”) and the rest of the universe (2003’s “A Short History of Nearly Everything”), to name a few, put him in rarified territory. He’s popular enough to automatically appear on best-seller lists,

BooksOct. 31, 2013