Posters of a K-pop boy band and a big stuffed bear imply the owner of the room must be a teenage girl. Indeed, sitting at the center of the room is a large portrait of a girl with the typical look of a Korean high school student with short, straight hair. But she hasn’t been home since April 16, 2014. Seventeen-year-old Danwon High School sophomore Han Se-young was one of the 304 who perished when the Sewol ferry sank off the southern coast of Korea. She was on a school trip to Jejudo Island, wi

Culture April 8, 2015

Korean sophistication, artistry and craftsmanship will be exhibited during Milan Design Week, one of the world’s largest showcases for design and craftworks.A total of 192 craftworks by Korean artisans will go on display under the title, “Constancy and Change,” at the Triennale Design Museum from April 14-19. It is the third straight year that Korea is holding the exhibition during the Milan Design Week, which brings together innovative designs from around the world.  Red dry lacquered bowl by K

Arts & Design April 7, 2015

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the largest museum in the western United States, will present broad surveys of Korean art for the next 10 years under the longest corporate sponsorship the museum has ever had, said Michael Govan, director of the museum.“We will be making at least three groundbreaking exhibitions of Korean art that has never been made on this scale before,” said Govan during a press conference in Seoul Tuesday to announce the 10-year partnership with Hyundai Motor Company. 

Performance April 1, 2015

Korean culture will be on display throughout France starting this September as part of a cultural exchange program to mark the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and France next year. The first lineup of 85 Korean cultural programs were announced Tuesday by the Korean committee of the cultural exchange program. Programs range from concerts, performances and exhibitions of major modern and contemporary Korean artists to a retrospective of revered filmmaker Im Kwon-taek.

Culture March 31, 2015

Fresh off EXO’s massive five-day, sold-out solo concert series in Seoul earlier this month, 10 of the biggest names in K-pop have returned to the airwaves with the release of the group’s second full-length album, “Exodus,” on Monday. “We think that through this new album, you will be able to see a brighter and more evolved side of each of the members,” said EXO leader Suho, during a press conference held at the SMTOWN@coexartium Theater in Gangnam-gu prior to the album’s release. EXO’s highly aw

Performance March 30, 2015

Lotte Hotel Moscow awarded ‘Best City Hotel in Russia’ Lotte Hotel Moscow has been awarded for “Best City Hotel in Russia” for three consecutive years by the luxury travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler. Opened in 2011, the hotel is the first overseas chain of the Korean hotel group Lotte Hotel. Located near the Red Square, Kremlin Palace and Bolshoi Theater, it has emerged as a luxury spot in Moscow. “We have committed to providing service of the highest standards to our guests. This award is exc

Travel March 27, 2015

The full moon is the ruler of the night at the North Pole, casting a yellow glow on the snow-covered surface. What seems like the only moving object is a man kite-skiing through serenity. The stunning photograph was shot by Sebastian Copeland, polar explorer, photographer and environmental advocate. “The full moon at the North Pole means the sun is aligned on the opposite end. You could see the reflection of the sun coming down on the other end. This is one of the greatest and most peaceful mome

Performance March 26, 2015

Dedicated and personalized service is key to the success of Hilton Namhae Golf & Spa Resort in South Korea, which has been awarded as the country’s leading resort by the World Travel Awards for eight consecutive years, its general manager said. “People are now searching for a lot more information through the various media and this makes them want a more personalized holiday matching their own preference not the travel agents’ preference,” said Jesper Bach Larsen in an interview. “The backbone of

People March 24, 2015

Menswear at Seoul Fashion Week has never been so diverse in styles and ideas as in the 2015 fall and winter collections. Designers presented an interesting mix of styles from streetwear and traditional tailoring to avant-garde while exploring the relationship between social and political issues and fashion during the two-day menswear show on Friday and Saturday. In contrast to previous collections for the chilly season, many collections featured diverse colors that delighted the eyes of fashion

Arts & Design March 22, 2015

 For many people, the coming of spring brings an urge to renew their home interiors. But decorating can be a daunting challenge for those who have not kept up with the latest trends. Revamping one’s home doesn’t necessarily cost a fortune or require much knowledge about what’s in vogue, according to veteran interior designer Kwon Soon-bok. A new look can start with a simple change. One just needs to think outside the box, she suggests. “Don’t buy furniture first. Use your own furniture first. It

Arts & Design March 20, 2015

The Plaza has appointed veteran hotelier Kim Young-cheol as its new general manager, the hotel’s parent company Hanwha Hotels and Resorts said Thursday. Kim, who started his career with the hotel in 1987, is the first to climb all the way to the top. Kim Young-cheol, general manager of the Plaza. (The Plaza)In his nearly three decades with the Plaza, Kim has served in every department from marketing, finance and management to food and beverage. He has been credited for placing the hotel at the t

People March 19, 2015

At first, it doesn’t seem like art befitting the white cube gallery space. The pitch-black piece of paper looks as if someone burned it until it was about to turn to ashes. Yet, the work, currently on exhibit at Arario Gallery, sums up the lifetime endeavor of first-generation Korean avant-garde artist Choi Byung-so. Based in Daegu, the birthplace of Korean avant-garde art, Choi has been drawing repetitive lines and circles on newspapers with ballpoint pens and pencils for more than 40 years.  I

Performance March 18, 2015

Artist Kim Young-jun is holding a solo exhibition, presenting his modern interpretations of traditional lacquer and mother-of-pearl art, at the Korea Art Center in Insa-dong, Seoul. The exhibition presents 45 works, including the latest “Cosmos” series and modern furniture inlaid with mother-of-pearl, as well as the decorated version of Microsoft’s video game console Xbox ordered by Bill Gates. “I developed the new ‘Cosmos’ series from my round lacquer paintings inlaid with mother-of-pearl. It p

Performance March 16, 2015

Up & Coming is a series of interviews with emerging artists in various fields of arts and entertainment. ― Ed.Choi Sun’s paintings make people step back and cringe. His recent work “Bloody Excrement (Integral Calculus Painting),” an abstract painting in red and white, delves into the shapes of his own excrement. And this is how he made it: The artist took a laxative that patients take before colonoscopies. In the mess he got from the induced bowel disorder, he tried to find shapes, thinking that

Performance March 15, 2015

Actress Park Jung-ah is in a relationship with professional golfer Jeon Sang-woo, Park’s agency confirmed Thursday.The agency, WM Company, confirmed in a statement that the 34-year old entertainer has been dating Jeon for about three months.“Park and golfer Jeon Sang-woo, who is two years (her) junior, have been seeing each other as more than friends for about three months,” the agency said in a press release. The agency, however, also expressed an element of caution in referring to the two as a

Television March 12, 2015