Last bastion of mountain gods

From west Daejeon, Mount Gyeryongsan can be seen through the ring of mountains that encloses the plain. It appears rounded and slump-backed, but with a ripple on top like a rooster’s comb. Daejeon, a base for science and technology research and development, had a brief spell of fame in 1993 as host of the World Expo. Since then, it has sunk back into a calm, provincial slumber. While the leftover monuments of the Expo have come to look dated, the national park on the outskirts has aged remarkabl

TravelMay 2, 2014

Acai bowls at Garosugil

The acai berry ― which can be found in Central and South America ― has been gaining traction amongst the health-conscious community as a nutritious fruit. Being consumed by high profile celebrities certainly has not hurt the berry’s increasing global popularity either.So, what might these berries do for one’s diet? “Acai berries may be a good source of antioxidants, fiber and heart-healthy fats,” stated an expert on the Mayo Clinic’s official website, adding that research on the hip berry is “li

FoodMay 2, 2014

Dakgangjeong (glazed crispy chicken)

Dakgangjeong is a deep-fried crispy chicken dish glazed in a sticky, sweet and spicy sauce. It’s traditionally made with a whole chicken that’s been cut up. However, dakgangjeong made with bite-sized boneless chicken pieces is quicker and easier to make. The sauce is sweet and tangy with a little spicy kick from the gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste). It’s far from fiery hot, but reduce or omit the gochujang if you’d like. You can replace gochujang partially or entirely with ketchup. It’s

FoodMay 2, 2014

Around the Hotels

Culinary Art @ JW brings global star chefs to JW Marriott Hotel SeoulJW Marriott Hotel Seoul is hosting a special gourmet project titled “Culinary Art @ JW,” which will showcase gourmet cuisines made by seven star chefs from around the world -- many who are Michelin star-holders -- from May 9-31. From May 9-10, the hotel’s buffet restaurant The Cafe will feature traditional royal palace dishes prepared by Chef Han Bok-jin, an expert on Korean culinary traditions. From May 11-20, Arabian cuisine

TravelMay 2, 2014

3-D omnibus opens Jeonju film fest

JEONJU, North Jeolla Province ― The latest collaborative 3-D project by three renowned Korean directors, Ryu Seung-wan (“The Berlin File”), Han Ji-seung (“Papa”) and Kim Tae-yong (“Late Autumn”), was unveiled on Thursday as the opening film of this year’s Jeonju International Film Festival.The film festival, one of the biggest events for local independent cinema, kicked off in the aftermath of the recent ferry disaster that has gripped the nation. As most earlier events in the entertainment indu

May 2, 2014

Akdong Musician releases ‘Give Love’ MV

The young brother-sister duo Akdong Musician has released the music video of their third title track, “Give Love.” The video, filmed entirely in Okinawa, Japan, was revealed on YG Entertainment’s official blog and Akdong Musician’s YouTube channel on Friday.The sequel to the music video of its first title track “200%” follows up on Lee Soo-hyun, the sister of the duo whose character falls for an older boy who seems to be dating another girl.Lee befriends his girlfriend to get closer to her crush

May 2, 2014

SBS mulls plagiarism lawsuit against Indonesian TV over ‘My Love from the Star’

A new Indonesian TV drama called “Kau Yang Berasal Dari Bintang” is not an authorized remake of “My Love from the Star,” but a plagiarized version of the Korean program starring actor Kim Soo-hyun, according to news reports in Seoul.　　SBS TV reportedly said that it had not given the legal publication rights to the Indonesian drama, and therefore can be seen as plagiarism.　“My Love from the Star” is a popular Korean drama portraying the love between a female movie star named Cheon Song-yi and a h

May 2, 2014

Ji Chang-wook benchmarks Kim Soo-hyun, Lee Min-ho over Asia

Korean actor Ji Chang-wook is laying the groundwork for widening his presence in Asia, benchmarking the hallyu-star formula already demonstrated by Kim Soo-hyun and Lee Min-ho.Whereas the Korean actor’s overseas activities have so far only included Japan, his agency seeks to present him to a broader audience throughout Asia, following his success on MBC TV show “Empress Ki.”Ji’s popularity has been rising on the back of his role on “Empress Ki,” which drew up a stunning 28.7 percent viewer ratin

May 2, 2014

Uhm Ji-won to marry architect

Actress Uhm Ji-won, 37, will tie the knot with architect Oh Young-wook on May 27, Uhm’s talent agency said on Thursday.The announcement came just one month after the last episode of SBS’ “The Woman Who Married Three Times” aired on March 30, in which Uhm played lead character Oh Hyun-soo. Oh is the founder of architectural firm ogisadesign d’espacio architects (oddaa). The 38-year-old groom is also an author and illustrator who has published several books on travel and art.Uhm and Oh made their

May 1, 2014

Overseas cultural heritage agency gets new chief

The Cultural Heritage Administration on Thursday named O Soo-dong, former PR chief at the Korean Embassy in the United States, the new secretary-general of its affiliate body tasked with retrieving stolen national treasures from overseas. “O Soo-dong has been appointed secretary-general of the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation. His term is three years untill April 2017,” the state-run CHA said in a press release. O, 64, is a veteran cultural administrator and diplomat with more than t

PeopleMay 1, 2014

The world in ceramic jars

Artist Ko Young-hoon is a critically acclaimed pioneer of hyperrealism in Korea who has blazed a trail in the art movement since the 1970s. Like other hyperrealists, he makes viewers stand in awe looking at his images of old book pages with stones placed on top, flowers or Buddhist head statues.Overwhelmed by the high level of skill and photo-like paintings, it is hard to fathom the depth of his thoughts from 40 years of hyperrealist activities.“I’m not copying an object. I’m creating a new obje

PerformanceMay 1, 2014

Kim Jae-joong and Im Si-wan join forces

JYJ’s Kim Jae-joong and Z:EA’s Im Si-wan are working together on a drama for the first time, teaming up to play long-lost brothers in MBC’s upcoming “Triangle.” Separated as children by unfortunate circumstances, Kim’s character Heo Young-dal takes to the streets as a petty thug while his younger sibling Yoon Yang-ha, played by Im, is adopted into a chaebol household to be groomed as the heir to a casino empire. Their ill-fated paths converge on casino territory where both, unaware of their bloo

May 1, 2014

Disney adding Marvel heroes to ‘Infinity’ game

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Buzz Lightyear, meet Captain America. The Walt Disney Co. is adding several Marvel superheroes to its toys-meets-games series “Disney Infinity.” The company announced plans Wednesday to add more than 20 such characters ― beginning with “The Avengers” members Captain America, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Thor and Hulk ― in a new installment of the franchise. “Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes” is set for release this fall for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U, as well as

CartoonMay 1, 2014

Hip-hop no longer just a boys’ club

This is the first in a series highlighting women and their accomplishments in the Korean entertainment industry. ― Ed.While there is certainly no shortage of women who rap in the Korean music industry, there are few female MCs in the Korean hip-hop scene. Standing out among them is Jolly V, with her husky tone, mellow flow and ability to rap fluently in English and Korean.The 25-year-old rapper says one obstacle for women in today’s Korean hip-hop is the high bar set by the legendary singer-rapp

PerformanceMay 1, 2014

Idol group ZE:A returning this month with new EP

K-pop idol group ZE:A will be returning to the music scene this month with the release of its still-untitled EP. While many of ZE:A’s members are involved in side projects including careers in acting as well as participation in the group’s subunit act ZE:A 4U, the upcoming EP is slated to feature all nine members. A representative of Star Empire, the group’s entertainment agency, released a statement announcing that the idols will be releasing new music sometime at the end of this month. However

May 1, 2014

Fly to the Sky to release first album in five years

Male ballad duo Fly to the Sky, consisting of singers Brian Joo and Hwanhee, will release its 9th studio album “Continuum” this month, marking its official return to the local music scene in five years.The 10-track album “Continuum” is slated to be unveiled on May 20 at midnight through various music websites. The new album is the duo’s first album release since its 10th anniversary studio album “Decennium” in 2009.“Given that each member of Fly to the Sky has largely been establishing his own c

May 1, 2014

Romance novel touts bliss of financial independence

Personal-finance tomes aren’t usually bodice rippers with breathless sentences like: “She wanted him and couldn’t wait to have him, was totally addicted to his touch and couldn’t resist him.”But Boca Raton, Florida, financial planner Kathleen Grace, 46, wanted to explore women’s emotions about money and love ― and how those feelings can interfere with managing money.So Grace, who co-founded Excelsior Capital Advisors, hired a romance writer to help her create a modern fairy tale of Cinderella ―

BooksMay 1, 2014

‘Hyde’ a nightmare in the making

HydeBy Daniel Levine (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)Readers get a bonus when they purchase Daniel Levine’s “Hyde,” a new take on Robert Louis Stevenson’s “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”: The original thriller is included as a coda in the Levine book.I strongly recommend reading the classic first, then heading into Levine’s novel, which tells the story from the monster’s point of view. As Grendel is to Beowulf or Wicked is to The Wizard of Oz, so Hyde is to Jekyll and Hyde.Levine makes

BooksMay 1, 2014

‘Family Life’ a heartbreaking novel

Family LifeBy Akhil Sharma (W.W. Norton & Co)Akhil Sharma’s new novel, “Family Life,” should come with a warning sticker: Heartbreak ahead. This slender book, hardly more than 200 pages, follows 8-year-old Ajay Mishra and his family from India to Queens, where Ajay’s older brother, Birju, fulfills his parents’ immigrant hopes by gaining acceptance to the prestigious Bronx High School of Science. Then, their world is shattered when a swimming pool accident leaves Birju severely brain-damaged ― pu

BooksMay 1, 2014