Most Popular
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Over 80,000 millionaires, 20 billionaires in Seoul: report
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Korean battery makers heave sigh of relief over 2-year IRA reprieve
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Yoon apologizes over first lady’s Dior bag scandal, but accuses special probe attempt as political maneuvering
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Young Korean doctors seek plan B: cosmetic dermatology or overseas
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South Korea open to Indonesian proposal to cut KF-21 payments
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Girl hanging on bridge, police trying to rescue her both fall off; rescued immediately
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Coupang earnings hit hard by losses from ailing Farfetch
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[K-pop’s dilemma] Time, profit pressures work against originality
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Why femicide and dating violence are growing issues in S. Korea
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Arrest warrant issued for medical student for allegedly killing girlfriend after breakup
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S. Korean satellite scientist dies
Choi Soon-dalChoi Soon-dal, a pioneer in South Korea’s satellite-building program who contributed greatly to technological development in this field, died of old age late Saturday. He was 83. The scientist, who was an honorary professor at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Seoul National University and went to the United States to get his master’s at the University of California, Berkeley and his doctorate in electri
PeopleOct. 19, 2014
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[Weekender] Orchestras for all
When the different notes and timbres of as many as 100 instruments combine into a glorious harmony, it is not only those in the audience who feel moved. The musicians and the conductor too feel overwhelmed with the sense of belonging and pride, as well as the spiritual richness of the classical music. This is what the people interviewed by The Korea Herald all said when asked what was it about playing in orchestras that they loved so much. “I have been running my own business. Looking back at al
CultureOct. 17, 2014
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[Weekender] Changing lives through music
Nearly four decades ago, Venezuelan economist and musician Jose Antonio Abreu gathered 11 impoverished children in a parking garage in Caracas and started teaching them classical music.His notion was simple: free music education can lift the children out of poverty and crime, which in turn could tackle social problems plaguing the country.The initiative ― “El Sistema” or the System ― became hugely successful, so far affecting nearly 2.5 million youngsters mostly from low-income backgrounds and p
PerformanceOct. 17, 2014
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[Weekender] Civic orchestras spread love of music
The marching band of the historical Kyungbock High School in Seoul, founded in 1921, was disbanded in 1979 after a complaint was filed that the trumpet sound coming from the window might be a disturbance for the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae, a few meters from the school. “It was the time when the U.S. President Jimmy Carter was visiting. It was a historical visit,” recalled Kim Hak-myung, 59, one of the former band members. The school reacted to the anonymous complaint by dissolving the
PerformanceOct. 17, 2014
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[Weekender] Young, ambitious and in a gentleman’s game
If one is asked to picture a classical music conductor, it is safe to say that more often than not, the image which immediately springs to mind is that of an older male in a freshly pressed black-and-white tuxedo gently waving a baton.However, thrashing past these outdated stereotypes is 38-year-old maestro Sung Shi-yeon, who is making waves in the classical music world as a notable upcoming, young female conductor.Although her career has only just taken off, Sung has already received a number o
PerformanceOct. 17, 2014
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[Weekender] ‘Real fulfilment comes from being in an orchestra’
As the principal timpanist of the Seoul Philharmonic, Adrien Perruchon stands in the back row, yet provides the orchestra’s heartbeat. The large drums’ deep resonance and gratifying boom plays an essential role in any orchestra. Beethoven loved timpanis for their rich sound and harmonic potential. Asked what attracted the 31-year-old musician to the instrument, he smiled. “You get to play with the orchestra, quite opposite from playing a piano,” he said. “Although the timpani can be played solo
PerformanceOct. 17, 2014
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Transforming centuries-old artistry
Kim Young-jun was a star stock manager in the 1980s and 1990s when the Korean economy was on the rise, registering strong growth. He gave financial advice on TV and radio, and also wrote two books on stock investments. “I was a celebrity in finance,” said Kim. His advice proved worth heeding most of the time. The rule was, he said, invest when others don’t. Then, suddenly, he realized that all his life was built around the hollow world of the stock market. “I felt like I was a robot chasing mone
PerformanceOct. 17, 2014
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Calendar
FestivalTen Million Chrysanthemum Festival: Iksan, North Jeolla Province, invites visitors to one of the biggest chrysanthemum festivals in Korea. At the festival, arrangements of more than 120,000 flowers will be exhibited in a 35,000-square-meter garden in Iksan Central Park and Iksan Jewelry Museum from Oct. 24 to Nov. 2. Crafts and culinary programs will offer a chance to make bracelets and paper crafts and to cook pancakes and cookies using chrysanthemums. For more information, call (063) 8
CultureOct. 17, 2014
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‘Dear White People’ acts as sly, wry conversation starter
Coming on like a fresh breeze amid the hot air that so often accompanies talk about race, “Dear White People” is both a conversation piece and a calling card, announcing writer-director Justin Simien, in his feature debut, as an invigorating voice, someone original from a new generation.From the recent events in Ferguson, Missouri, to the media dust-up over an essay on television in the New York Times, the broad subject represents a minefield no matter the arena. The playfully incendiary satire
FilmOct. 17, 2014
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Eyelike:Blake Shelton the adult shines on new LP
Blake Shelton the adult shines on new LPBlake Shelton“Bringing Back The Sunshine”(Warner Nashville)Blake Shelton’s public persona -- a mix of smart-aleck whimsy and thoughtful sensitivity -- has made him country music’s most ubiquitous male star. A full-grown man with a boyish cheekiness, his easy likability has made him a consummate award-show host, a high-profile judge on “The Voice” and a constant presence in ads across print, the Web and TV. His recent albums draw on both sides of this perso
PerformanceOct. 17, 2014
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Box Office
The Golden Era (China)Opened Oct. 16Drama. Directed by Ann HuiThe Chinese-Hong Kong film, “The Golden Era,” is a biopic of legendary Chinese writer Xiao Hong (Tang Wei), who lived through political turmoil in modern China from 1911 to 1942. Before the writer died at the young age of 32, she published many short stories and essays including “The Bridge” in 1933 and “Tales of Hulan River” in 1944. The film, which was screened during this year’s Busan International Film Festival, focuses not only o
FilmOct. 17, 2014
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Coastal beauty, adventure abound in Wales
As the weather turns colder and the leaves fall, many of us begin to plan our spring holidays and think of the days when everything will be bright and blooming again. If the thoughts of adventure, nature, a unique culture and history, good food and warm people make you want to book a trip ― why not think Wales? A tiny country surrounded by its better-known neighbors, England, Scotland and Ireland, Wales is a part of the United Kingdom but has a heritage and language all its own. Fear not, non-We
TravelOct. 17, 2014
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Autumn shows true colors in northeastern Pennsylvania
BENTON, Pennsylvania ― Fresh air and blue skies are easy tonics for the stressed-out city life. Still, I was in a pretty foul mood when I rolled into Ricketts Glen State Park in this scenic, woodsy corner of northeastern Pennsylvania.Equally distracted by my growling stomach and the country tunes wailing on my car radio, I’d missed the rustic carved-wood entrance sign opposite Red Rock Scoops ice cream shop on Route 118. Google Maps had vaporized along with my cellphone service and, seriously, w
TravelOct. 17, 2014
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Decrease in Chinese tourists hit Singapore visitor arrivals
SINGAPORE (AFP) ― International visitor arrivals to Singapore fell 3 percent in the first half of this year, hurt by a 30 percent drop in tourists from China, official data showed Wednesday.Singapore’s tourism board said overall arrivals totaled 7.5 million in the six months to June, with second-quarter numbers dipping by a sharper 6 percent.Travelers from China totaled 871,000 in the first half, almost a third fewer than from the same period last year, the board said.It said that a tourism law
TravelOct. 17, 2014
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Sheraton Incheon named leading business hotel by World Travel Awards
Sheraton Incheon Hotel was named “South Korea’s Leading Business Hotel” for four years in a row by the World Travel Awards. The title is based on votes cast by some 500,000 industry professionals, travel agencies, tour and transport companies, and tourism organizations throughout the world. Established in 1993, the World Travel Awards ― dubbed the “Oscars” of the tourism and hospitality industry ― has been regarded as the most prestigious tourism award. Sheraton Incheon Hotel, located in the int
TravelOct. 17, 2014
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Around the hotels
‘Hip flask cocktails’ at Park Hyatt SeoulThe Timber House at Park Hyatt Seoul is serving “hip flask cocktails” in the whisky bottles that people put in their pockets to heat them with body temperature during the cold season. The Timber House is presenting the unique experience of enjoying cocktails in these hip flasks. The hip flask cocktails come in five different kinds. “Talking to Myself” has a bittersweet flavor from a blend of rum, Campari liquor and orange essence. “Butterfly Effect” has s
FoodOct. 17, 2014
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Bewitch is back
Over six years ago, a veteran fashion industry insider-turned-chef turned a tiny little dry cleaning store into an off-the-beaten-path bistro on Seoul’s Garosugil. From that charmed, sweet nook, she churned out lemon pies with bouffant clouds of meringue and cupcakes slathered in coconut-cream cheese frosting, reeling in seriously committed regulars who came back time and time again for her treats.Then she just as quietly slipped away, closing her little cafe this spring for a six-month hiatus,
FoodOct. 17, 2014
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Hobakjuk (pumpkin porridge)
Hobakjuk (pumpkin porridge) (Korean Bapsang)With the weather getting colder, we could all use some warm comfort food. For Koreans, juk (porridge) is a popular comfort food either as a light meal or a snack. Hobakjuk is typically made with danhobak and sweet rice. Danhobak means sweet pumpkin or squash and is a variety of winter squash. Traditionally, there are two ways to incorporate sweet rice into this porridge. One is to add small rice cake balls made with rice powder, and the other is simply
FoodOct. 17, 2014
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Rogen’s serious business: Alzheimer’s
LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Seth Rogen let out a loud laugh when asked what he had done with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader who suddenly and inexplicably dropped out of sight about six weeks ago. “It’s all a marketing ploy,” joked Rogen, whose upcoming comedy “The Interview” mercilessly mocks the rotund ruler. “We’ve hid him somewhere, and he’ll be released one week before the movie.” Kim’s absence is at least a bit easier to laugh about now that he has finally resurfaced, appearing in images relea
FilmOct. 17, 2014
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CL to make U.S. solo debut next year
CL2NE1 member CL will make her U.S. debut as a solo artist, YG Entertainment confirmed Thursday.The rapper will perform in the U.S. in spring under the support of Scooter Braun, who has managed global stars such as Justin Bieber, Psy and Ariana Grande, the agency added. CL has already prepared a number of songs for her first solo album in the U.S. Her rapping skills, English language fluency and fashion style are said to be what caught Braun’s eye. Meanwhile, 2NE1 is currently holding the world
PerformanceOct. 17, 2014