From ballet to b-boy, dance is seeing a resurgence in Korea. TV shows feature dancers to grab viewers’ attention, ballet companies enjoy unprecedented ticket sales and an increasing number of fitness clubs offer dance workout programs: All because more Koreans are rediscovering dance as a source of rejuvenation in today’s stressful society. “Koreans’ interest in dance was never this high before,” said Jang Seung-heon, a longtime dance producer and general director of Dancers’ Career Development

CultureApril 11, 2014

Many 9-to-5ers find it impossible to regularly work out at the gym, although they do want to shed some kilos and stay in shape. They may be too exhausted from work, or may have health conditions that prevent them from doing weight lifting or sprinting. But in most cases, it is boredom that causes people to avoid regular workouts ― even celebrities such as singer Son Dam-bi and actress Ko Jun-hee publically complain that “gym workouts are ‘boring.’” The good news is that many forms of dance have

CultureApril 11, 2014

A quick search on YouTube will bring up hundreds of videos of K-pop “cover dances.” All over the world and here in Korea, fans of K-pop are fascinated by the dance moves of idol stars and hope to imitate them.That desire to learn K-pop dance moves has led to a boom in classes that offer the chance to learn both cover dance and the general style of K-pop dance.Renowned choreographer Hong Young-joo, most famous for choreographing for singers Wax and Baek Ji-young, said she first started teaching i

PerformanceApril 11, 2014

The distinctive and dynamic style of break dancing was first introduced to the world by young street dancers in New York City in the early 1970s. B-boying eventually made its way to Korea about a decade later after being introduced by American soldiers. However, for decades, break dancing was far from being a mainstream style of dance as it enjoyed only a small following among young, amateur dancers. “When I first started getting into the b-boy scene in the late ’90s, b-boying itself didn’t have

PerformanceApril 11, 2014

Artee Pedicab president Lee In-jae’s resume bears witness to the storied life the young man has had in his 28 years so far.A graduate of Cushing Academy in Massachusetts, Lee went on to study history at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, a private liberal arts college in the United States. After completing his freshman year, Lee, a Korean national, returned to the country to fulfill his mandatory military service.For six months in 2006, Lee did a tour of Iraq, serving in the 11th Brigade in Erb

CultureApril 11, 2014

Theater“Ophelia”: Local musical “Ophelia,” an interpretation of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” is being staged in Seoul in May. Ophelia is a fictional character who appears in “Hamlet.” She’s a young noblewoman whose father is killed by her love interest, Hamlet, and eventually goes mad. The upcoming musical is centered around Ophelia, rather than Hamlet ― the protagonist in the original Shakespeare play. Composer Choi Woo-jeong, screenwriter and former Culture Minister Kim Myung-gon, and contemporary

CultureApril 11, 2014

“Draft Day” is a “ticking clock” thriller built around the NFL draft, a movie that counts down to the fateful decision that one embattled general manager (Kevin Costner) makes with his team’s first round pick.It’s a reasonably interesting ― to NFL fans, anyway ― peek behind the curtains at the wheeling, dealing and over-thinking that goes on as teams and managers and coaches try to avoid looking as if they don’t know what they’re doing. They’re nagged into making hasty or ill-advised decisions b

FilmApril 11, 2014

Innocent Thing (Korea)Opened April 10Thriller. Directed by Kim Tae-gyun.Former athlete and school teacher Joon-gi (Jang Hyuk) is married to his dutiful, pregnant wife, Yoo-jin (Sun Woo-sun). He doesn’t have much interest in teaching and would rather be a rugby coach, but this would not guarantee a stable income. He eventually falls for one of his students at an all-girls high school, who is seductive and at times too mature for her age. My Father’s Emails (Korea)Opening April 24Documentary. Dire

FilmApril 11, 2014

Akdong Musician impressive on debut albumAkdong Musician“PLAY”(KT Music)Akdong Musician, a teenage duo from Mongolia that won the audition show “K-Pop Star 2” last year, has made its much-anticipated debut with the studio album “PLAY.”The 11-track album features the siblings’ unique interpretations of everyday experiences that anyone can relate to. Despite their young age, their compositions demonstrate musical maturity and are marked by relaxing melodies and acoustic colors. The male singer-son

PerformanceApril 11, 2014

While gazing at a signboard at the base of Mount Mudeungsan, a young park ranger approached me and offered to recommend an itinerary. “Interesting in learn English,” he said with an earnest smile. Asked what was special about the national park, he answered, “Jusangjeolli,” which means “columnar joints.”The park ranger, who goes by the English name Michael, was referring to Seoseokdae and Ipseokdae, clusters of naturally formed colonnades that can set a geologist’s heart aflutter, but can also be

TravelApril 11, 2014

The traditional vacation destinations in the French Riviera and Provence regions boast natural beauty, rich architectural heritage, great food and good wine. The diverse charms of the region enables travelers to plan themed tours according to their tastes. “People should know what they want to see and experience in the region. If you are a wine lover, you can visit different wineries and try a variety of wines. Think about whether you want to enjoy its natural beauty, appreciate paintings of Van

TravelApril 11, 2014

Jajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce) is a huge part of Korean food culture. Everyone loves it. Deeply embedded in the childhood memories of most Koreans, it is a well-loved dish that parents often treat their children to on special occasions, such as graduation, exam days and birthdays. If you have the Korean black bean paste called chunjang, this dish is very easy to make at home. The black bean paste is first fried in oil. This process helps remove the bitter taste of the bean paste. The

FoodApril 11, 2014

Over five years ago, a family-run cupcake shop opened in Seoul’s Cheongdam-dong. Everything, from the dusky pink and ebony decor to the impeccably frosted, toothsome cupcakes, was spot-on. Even the name, Royal Cupcake, was catchy.Word-of-mouth spread. Royal Cupcake drew an ever-growing crowd of loyal regulars. Then, in late 2012 it closed. For around 10 months, Royal Cupcake’s popular sweets were unavailable. That is until last November, when owner Kum Ki-young and his wife decided to quietly re

FoodApril 11, 2014

Estuary oyster specials at The PlazaThe Plaza’s Japanese restaurant Murasaki is offering a special menu featuring estuary oysters, a delicacy in Korea during the spring, until April 30. The estuary oyster is an oyster native to Korea that is caught near the mouth of the Seomjin River in North Jeolla Province. The oyster is also known as the “cherry blossom oyster,” because it grows to its fullest size and tastes the best during the spring season. The special menu includes butter-roasted estuary

TravelApril 11, 2014

K-pop boy group EXO’s comeback single has been leaked online, days before its official release, and the group’s agency is threatening legal action against those responsible. An audio file of “Overdose,” the title track of the group’s upcoming new album, and a video showing the members practicing the choreography to the song were uploaded on YouTube Thursday, then quickly spread through social media. SM has attempted to retreive all of the videos but has been largely unsuccessful.In a press state

April 11, 2014

An American independent film about three teenage friends who build a home in the woods will open this year’s Green Film Festival in Seoul, organizers said Monday.The debut feature by director Jordan Vogt-Roberts, titled “The Kings of Summer,” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last year. The director is to attend the festival’s opening ceremony in Seoul.Celebrating its 11th edition this year, GFFIS is the nation’s first international film festival to highlight environmental issues. It will

FilmApril 10, 2014