When the Michelin Guide launched its first Seoul edition last year, it was greeted with enthusiasm by foodies but it also spawned skepticism as well.“First editions provoke passionate debate and we welcome that,” said Michael Ellis, international director in charge of the Michelin guides, during an interview with The Korea Herald on Nov. 8, following the launch of the second Seoul edition earlier in the day.“It is a sign that there is a healthy, dynamic community,” he said. This year, 24 restaur

People Nov. 17, 2017

Korean restaurants Gaon and La Yeon kept their three Michelin stars in the 2018 edition of Michelin Guide Seoul.Michelin released the second edition of the Michelin Guide Seoul at a press conference at Signiel Seoul in Seoul on Wednesday, awarding the coveted Michelin stars to a total of 24 restaurants.Two new restaurants joined the ranks of the two-star restaurants -- Kojima-Sushi and Jungsik, a modern Korean restaurant which moved up a notch from last year’s one Michelin star-- while Gotgan an

Food Nov. 8, 2017

In an age where design permeates all industries and aspects of life, this year’s Herald Design Forum questions the role humanity plays in it.At the forum’s third session on Nov. 7, three global designers will discuss their philosophy and approach to design.The speakers of the session, titled “The Design 4.0: New Normal Design Economy,” spoke with The Korea Herald prior to the event. -- Ed.  George Popescu (Herald Design Forum)IOT in nascent stage, more to explore: George PopescuGeorge Popescu is

Arts & Design Nov. 3, 2017

Fans of that more intimate form of music, string quartets, are in for a treat, as renowned string quartets are set to perform in Korea this fall and winter.The Michelangelo String Quartet will perform Thursday at Kumho Art Hall as part of the International Masters Series organized by the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation.Violinists Mihaela Martin and Daniel Austrich, violist Nobuko Imai and cellist Frans Helmerson are established soloists, chamber musicians and teachers who came together as a str

Performance Nov. 1, 2017

Do not talk about religion and politics at the dinner table, we have been taught. The age-old maxim shows just how sensitive and controversial a subject those matters can be. Best to avoid them because you may offend someone across the aisle in politics or of another faith, it is said.Talking about religion and politics seem to arouse passions that lurk inside us that are usually kept at bay by our rational, cool heads. If you have seen political or religious rallies, you know what I mean. The c

Viewpoints Nov. 1, 2017

I was admiring a stunning installation piece shimmering undulating against a panel when a gallerist manning the Galerie RX booth at the Korea International Art Fair last month asked if she could take a photo of me and the piece. I was wearing hanbok as part of an assignment I was working on at the time and she explained that she wanted to show the artist that his work was being shown in Korea. The artist was El Anatsui, a Ghanaian artist now based in Nigeria, who weaves together discarded bottle

Arts & Design Oct. 13, 2017

Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s composer-in-residence Chin Un-suk has won the prestigious Wihuri Sibelius International Prize, the orchestra said Tuesday.Established in 1953 by the Finland-based Wihuri Foundation for International Prizes, the Sibelius Prize, one of the highest recognitions in classical music composition, is awarded when a suitable recipient has been found. Chin, the first Asian winner of the prize, is the 20th winner. The prize carries a cash award of 150,000 euros ($177,130).The

Performance Oct. 11, 2017

Many galleries and museums in Seoul stay open during the long Chuseok holiday, which is a great opportunity to explore the arts scene in the capital. At Deoksugung Palace, artists show us their interpretation of the short-lived Daehan Empire (1897-1910) in an exhibition organized by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) and the Deoksugung Palace Management of the Cultural Heritage Administration.“Deoksugung Outdoor Project: Light, Sound, Landscape” links the past and the pres

Arts & Design Oct. 2, 2017

Hanbok designer Damyeon Lee Hye-soon made headlines a few years ago when it became known that a restaurant at a five-star Seoul hotel had refused to let her in on grounds that her hanbok posed a danger to herself and fellow diners. Apparently, the restaurant was concerned that someone might trip over Lee’s skirt.That episode brought to light the prejudices that many Koreans harbor about hanbok and how poorly we treat our own traditional clothing.  Hanbok designer Damyeon Lee Hye-soon speaks at h

Arts & Design Sept. 29, 2017

What would it be like to wear hanbok to work every day? Sitting across from hanbok designer Damyeon Lee Hye-soon at lunch earlier this month, my curiosity was piqued. I had seen her in hanbok on the streets of Mumbai, the crisp hanbok standing out among the sea of sari. I had seen photos of her on a bridge in Paris, her skirt swaying with the breeze. Wearing hanbok to work for a week required more confidence than anything else. (Hanbok courtesy of Damyeon)　Over lunch that day, we cooked up a pro

Arts & Design Sept. 29, 2017

[Eye] Located smack in the middle of downtown Seoul, Sunhwadongcheon is an oasis offering respite from the hustle and bustle of life in a megalopolis.Finding it is not easy -- it is situated in a residential apartment complex and there are no easily discernable signs pointing to it. But once inside, you will appreciate the quiet of the book cafe, William Morris prints on display at the gallery space as well as the bookstore selling Hangilsa Publishing’s publications from over the years.It also a

Culture Sept. 22, 2017

The Syrian War, now in its seventh year, has claimed some 500,000 lives. Of the prewar population of 22 million people, about 6.3 million people have been internally displaced, while more than 5 million have fled the country, becoming refugees. Among those who left Syria is artist Tania Al Kayyali whose works are on exhibition at Art Space DA:MDAA in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, as part of “Syria Art Exhibition: Do Fish Ever Get Seasick?” a group show of five Syrian artists. Of the five, only one curren

Arts & Design Sept. 19, 2017

Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film “2001: A Space Odyssey” is a sci-fi classic that seems fresh even in 2017 -- particularly as we celebrate the Cassini spacecraft’s plunge into the Saturn last week, ending its 13-year exploration of the ringed planet and its moons. The groundbreaking film has had a lasting influence on popular culture and its discussion of mankind’s place in the universe, particularly with its philosophical outlook.And any mention of the film would be incomplete without reference to t

Culture Sept. 17, 2017

It is often said that it is never a good time to start a fashion brand, but for Lee Ji-min, founder and creative director of J.Cricket, it meant that now is as good as ever.So Lee, armed with years of experience in high-end fashion retail in China as well as a creative desire, plunged once again into designing. Lee had her own fashion brand which she folded after the 9/11 attack. In 2003, together with an Italian partner, she set up a fashion consultancy business in Shanghai with major European

Arts & Design Sept. 8, 2017

For nearly 70 years, the Korea-US alliance has stood strong. More than 30,000 US military personnel are stationed in Korea to deter North Korea. The two countries have fought together on the Korean Peninsula and in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq.In the decades since the Korean War ended in an armistice signed by the United Nations Command, North Korea and China, South Korea has made great economic development and achieved stable democracy. Korea is one of the best proteges of the US, it could be

Viewpoints Sept. 6, 2017