‘Holiday’ revives good feelings ‘The Best Man’ gave us years ago

“The Best Man Holiday” is a most welcome sequel to the 1999 sleeper hit, “The Best Man,” about a tight-knit circle of black friends who gathered then for a wedding, now to spend Christmas together.Yes, it’s occasionally maudlin and melodramatic, and it’s entirely too long. But it’s also heartfelt and often downright hilarious, and shows off just how canny Malcolm D. Lee’s casting was all those years ago.Everybody’s paired up, now. Pretty much everybody, anyway. And everybody seems successful, wi

FilmNov. 15, 2013

Eyelike: Lee Juck shines on ‘Meaning of Silence’

Lee Juck shines on ‘Meaning of Silence’Lee Juck “The Meaning of Silence” (LOEN Entertainment)Lee Juck has once against demonstrated his prowess as a skillful singer-songwriter on “The Meaning of Silence” at a time when the majority of Billboard chart tracks are made by a small handful of composers. The 10-track album starts out with “Lies Lies Lies,” a simple song about a man in grief over being left by a lover. Lee’s voice is heavy and accompanied with a melancholy piano melody. “Sarangi Mwogil

PerformanceNov. 15, 2013

Contrasting Cabos

LOS CABOS, Mexico ― Much of what you need to know about Cabo San Lucas happens during the first weekend of October.It’s Sammy Hagar’s birthday.Yes, that Sammy Hagar, the second-best singer Van Halen ever had and the rock ’n’ roll wordsmith responsible for sentiments such as “Your Love is Driving Me Crazy” and “I Can’t Drive 55.” When Sammy ages another year ― he recently turned 66 ― Cabo San Lucas celebrates. More accurately, Sammy Hagar celebrates with a concert at Cabo Wabo, his sprawling bar-

TravelNov. 15, 2013

Hawaii town to state: Stop sending tourists

KAILUA, Hawaii (AP) ― People from across the world are drawn to the coastal town of Kailua. Its white sand beaches are among the nation’s best. Some recommend the Honolulu suburb for its laid-back vibe. And President Barack Obama vacations there with his family each Christmas.But now, the neighborhood board is asking a state tourism agency to stop encouraging visitors to stay overnight in their town.It’s the latest salvo in a long-running battle over how much tourism Kailua wants and should allo

TravelNov. 15, 2013

Pogi kimchi, (Napa cabbage kimchi)

It’s kimchi-making season! There are hundreds of kimchi varieties in Korea. Pogi kimchi is the most common variety. The taste of kimchi varies widely, depending on the seasoning ingredients. Every household has its own version. Various kinds of jeotgal (salted seafood) are used to give kimchi its distinct pungency and to aid the fermentation process. Saeujeot (salted shrimp) and myeolchiaekjeot (fish sauce made with anchovies) are the two that are most commonly used. I almost always use both of

FoodNov. 15, 2013

Wholesome rice

Rice is the star ingredient of celebrity food stylist Hong Shin-ae’s new restaurant, Ssalgage, which translates to “rice store” in English. At the food show star’s brick-and-mortar spot in Seoul’s Sinsa-dong, freshly milled rice is served up daily with numerous side dishes as part of a set menu. “We mill the rice ourselves,” said sous chef Kim Jin-woong. The milling is done at the restaurant because the rice ― a mixture of white and brown rice called “obundomi” ― should ideally be consumed withi

FoodNov. 15, 2013

SHINee snags ‘Artist of the Year’ at MelOn Music Awards

The 2013 MelOn Music Awards on Thursday recognized the biggest acts in Korean music including SHINee, Busker Busker and EXO, who walked away with “Artist of the Year,” “Album of the Year” and “Song of the Year,” respectively. The MelOn Music Awards are among the biggest in the country and hand out prizes based on digital sales and online votes. SHINee’s award marked the first time they were crowned artist of the year at the annual awards ceremony, beating out rival boy band Beast, who had taken

PerformanceNov. 15, 2013

Ex-mayor Oh to advise Lima officials under ODA program

Former Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon will be dispatched to Lima, Peru, by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to advise its municipal administration.On Friday, Oh completed the overseas aid agency’s weeklong education course for advisers being sent to developing countries. The agency launched the advisory group in a ceremony at the training center for World Friends Korea in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. In the event, he received a certificate of course completion from KOICA president Kim

PeopleNov. 15, 2013

Brookings to tap Korean-American professor as Korea studies chair

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― The Brookings Institution, a top U.S. think tank, is expected to pick Katharine Moon, a female Korean-American professor, as its first Korea studies chair, an informed source said Thursday.The Washington-based institution is preparing to launch a chair position for Korean studies in partnership with the Korea Foundation and SK Group, a South Korean conglomerate.“Brookings has been in search for a figure to lead the program. It has drawn up a short list of Korea experts

PeopleNov. 15, 2013

Japan honors Jane Birkin for tsunami relief effort

PARIS (AFP) ― British-born singer-actress Jane Birkin was awarded the Japanese foreign ministry’s top honor Thursday for her support to Japan’s relief work after the devastating 2011 earthquake.Best known as the muse of iconic French singer Serge Gainsbourg who wrote several of her albums, Birkin rushed to Japan after the 9.0-magnitude quake and ensuing monster tsunami.“We were struck by her immediate reaction to the earthquake,” said Japanese ambassador Yoichi Suzuki, after awarding her the Jap

PeopleNov. 15, 2013

[Photo News] Ailee returns to the stage

South Korean singer Ailee on Thursday made her first stage appearance since the nude photo incident at the 2013 Melon Music Awards.The 24-year-old singer put on a dazzling performance with singer Shin Seung-hoon and hip-hop group Baechigi after being named one of the top 10 artists at the ceremony.The fans chanted Ailee’s name after the performance and the singer shed tears onstage.A U.S.-based Korean pop news site uploaded what appeared to be her nude photos on Nov. 10, touching off a storm of

PerformanceNov. 15, 2013

National Theater Company releases English book

The National Theater Company of Korea has released a compilation of three Korean plays translated into English, titled “Three Plays.” The 150-page book features the well-loved plays Bae Sam-sik’s “March Snow,” Ko Yeon-ok’s “The Master Has Arrived,” and Park Geun-hung’s “Red Bus.” The book also contains commentaries written about the writers’ lives and works by honorary professor at Pennsylvania State University, Richard Nicole. The National Theater Company of Korea has sent copies to more than 1

CultureNov. 14, 2013

‘DNA of modern media artists comes from Nam June Paik’

Nam June Paik was an artist ahead of his time and his influence on today’s media artists is greater than when he was alive in the 80s and 90s, according to Doug Aitken, winner of the 2012 Nam June Paik Art Center Prize. “Paik was incredibly ahead of his time ... his works were about mixing up the media and this has been the DNA of today’s media artists,” said Aitken at the press opening of his exhibition at Nam June Paik Art Center in Korea last week. Aitken was awarded the NJP Art Center Prize

PerformanceNov. 14, 2013