Author Erica Jong still flying high, 40 years on from debut

HONG KONG (AFP) ― In her own words, Erica Jong wanted to “slice open a woman’s head and show everything happening inside” when she wrote her debut novel “Fear of Flying,” first published 40 years ago.The book, which is set for an anniversary re-release this year, became a sensation in 1973 and went on to shift more than 20 million copies in 40 different languages. But reaction to it also illustrated that the inside of a woman’s head ― at least as Jong saw it ― could be a polarizing place.“You ca

BooksAug. 12, 2013

KARA to release new album in September

Girl group KARA is to release a new album in September. DSP media, KARA’s agency, provided a glimpse of the styling for the upcoming album in a teaser image released on Monday. The black-and-white album cover shows the five members dressed in black suits, sporting dishevelled, pulled-back hairstyles. The group has deviated from their usual sexy and cute look, moving toward a more androgynous, edgier vibe.  The upcoming album will be the K-pop group’s 4th album release in Korea. Their last full-l

Aug. 12, 2013

Cho Jae-hyun wins acting prize at Montreal Film Festival

Actor Cho Jae-hyun won the best actor prize at this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Canada, for his performance as a hunchback in director Jeon Kyu-hwan’s film “The Weight.”In the 2012 film, Cho plays a mortician who accepts the corpses of those who died without any family or friends to pay for the funeral. Cho is said to have agreed to star in the low-budget movie for free.Director Jeon won the Queer Lion prize at last year’s Venice International Film Festival for the m

FilmAug. 12, 2013

Summer days with movies of all genres

From classics to cult, movies of different genres are being screened at an annual summer film festival in Seoul. The 2013 Cine-Vacances Seoul, in its 8th year, is showing 28 movies categorized into four sections at Seoul Art Cinema in Insa-dong, Seoul. The cinema is a non-profit cinematheque ― a film archive with small venues that screens mostly classic and art-house films. It screens some 500 films from various countries and receives over 60,000 visitors every year.  The films taken out of the

FilmAug. 11, 2013

Kings of Leon go ‘young and fun’ for new album ‘Mechanical Bull’

Rock group Kings of Leon are getting less serious with age, as the band prepares to bring “young and fun” new music on Friday to their fans across the world in a quirky collaboration with comedian Fred Armisen.Kings of Leon, formed by Followill brothers Caleb, Nathan, Jared and cousin Matthew, are marking a decade in the music industry since their debut album “Youth & Young Manhood” was released in 2003.After a hiatus in 2012, Kings of Leon are back on the road to support their upcoming sixth st

PerformanceAug. 11, 2013

The best is yet to come

This is the first in a series on producers, MCs, DJs and artists working in the Korean underground hip-hop scene. ― Ed.Before producer Artisan Beats was first exposed to Korean underground hip-hop in 1997, he said the scene was effectively nonexistent.He had just graduated from high school in Singapore and moved back to Korea for university. He was first exposed to hip-hop in the late ’80s, but by the ’90s, what he calls the “golden age of hip-hop,” he was a hip-hop head and had begun writing hi

PerformanceAug. 11, 2013

[Photo News] As groom, Lee says beginning second chapter of his life

South Korean actor Lee Byung-hun tied the knot with actress Lee Min-jung on Saturday after seven years of dating. About 900 guests, mostly close friends and film industry figures, were in attendance including actor Jang Dong-gun and director Kim Ji-woon. Hundreds of fans from Japan and other countries also gathered to catch a glimpse of the stars at the lobby of the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul, where the ceremony took place. Ahead of the private wedding ceremony, the high-profile couple gave thei

Aug. 11, 2013

Sleepless summer in Seoul

As summer is in full swing, many Seoulites are finding it hard to sleep at night without the air conditioner on.But the city offers a number of ways to escape the heat outside the house at night, from outdoor concerts to film screenings by the Hangang River. Here are some events and spots to check out to help you cool down, have fun, and relax. Outdoor concerts Seoul Arts Center is throwing free night concerts this month every Saturday at its spacious outdoor property. The four concerts feature

CultureAug. 9, 2013

Calendar

Festivals“The Great Battles of Hansan Festival”: A reenactment of a heroic sea battle during the Hideyoshi Invasion of Korea more than four centuries ago will be conducted from Aug. 14-18 in the waters off Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province. In the Hansan Daecheop, or Great Battle of Hansan, Korean naval ships led by Adm. Yi Sun-sin destroyed an invading Japanese armada. Over 100 ships will take part in the reenactment, which will be the highlight of the commemorative Hansan Daecheop Festival.

CultureAug. 9, 2013

Box Office: The Flu, The Place Beyond the Pines, The Terror Live

The FluDrama. Action. Directed by Kim Sung-soo.Opening Aug. 14A deadly strain of the avian influenza virus H5N1 suddenly spreads, causing widespread destruction in Bundang, a city of high-rise apartments outside of Seoul. The disease infects its victims through the respiratory system and it takes only 36 hours for the infected to die. People are helpless against the airborne disease and the number of infected increases quickly, spreading chaos. As a precaution against the worst-case scenario, th

FilmAug. 9, 2013

Eyelike: Expect the unexpected in ‘Pink Tape’

Expect the unexpected in ‘Pink Tape’f(x)“Pink Tape”(KT Music)Filled with catchy, weird-in-a-good-way tracks, “Pink Tape” stands out from the usual mainstream pop affair.Title track “Rum Pum Pum Pum” compares a first love to the first time a wisdom tooth comes in, pushing other teeth aside and leaving a hole when removed. The track features a bass line with a muted guitar riff, resulting in a one-of-a-kind song.“Shadow” is also a standout track about a girl stalking a person and calling it a “dat

PerformanceAug. 9, 2013

Taking the scenic route on the Rocky Mountaineer train

ABOARD THE ROCKY MOUNTAINEER IN WESTERN CANADA ― The land, baronial and steep, dwarfs this 20-car train as it snakes through the wilderness.Go ahead, smudge your nose up against the wide windows. Slip outside into the warm, pine-scented vestibule between the cars.At times, the Canadian Rockies seem one misty dreamscape. There are almost too many thrashing waterfalls, too many forests, too many vistas that look as though they’ve never been hiked.Grizzly bears, elk, moose and big-horned sheep stil

TravelAug. 9, 2013

Around the Hotels

Happy hour promotion at Renaissance Seoul HotelThe hotel’s bar Trevi Lounge presents a happy hour promotion where draft beer with a sausage side dish can be enjoyed at an affordable price every day from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The bar has six different kinds of European, Japanese and Korean draft beers such as Jirisan Moon Bear, Seorak Oatmeal Stout, Asahi and Hoegaarden, paired with delicious grilled sausage. One glass of draft beer and grilled sausage is priced at 19,500 won, and two glasses with the

FoodAug. 9, 2013

Kongguksu (chilled soy milk noodle soup)

Kongguksu is a cold noodle soup that’s served in creamy soy milk. Making soy milk is less work than you might imagine. Soaked soybeans are cooked, then pureed and filtered through a sieve. The secret to making delicious soy milk for kongguksu is not to overcook the beans so that they retain their natural flavor. More often than not, a small amount of sesame seeds and/or nuts (such as pine nuts, peanuts, almonds and walnuts) are pureed with the soybeans for an extra-nutty flavor. Nothing beats th

FoodAug. 9, 2013