Most Popular
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Jimin of BTS, actor Song Da-eun suspected to be dating, again
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Police raid popera singer Kim Ho-joong's house over hit-and-run suspicions
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What's next for the government's push in quota hike?
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Trump may like to 'solve' N. Korean nuclear problem if reelected: ex-official
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Woman falls to death from acquaintance's home after exhibiting ‘unexplained' behaviors
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N. Korea slams planned S. Korea-US military drills, warns of 'catastrophic aftermath'
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‘Malice should not undermine the system, social order,’ says Hybe's Bang
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N. Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles toward East Sea: JCS
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[Robert J. Fouser] Social attitudes toward language proficiency
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[Graphic News] How much do Korean adults read?
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‘Kurt Vonnegut: Letters’: Lit and laughs
Kurt Vonnegut: LettersEdited by Dan Wakefield (Delacorte Press)True story: I once made Kurt Vonnegut laugh by telling him a joke. It wasn’t an original or especially noteworthy joke. It was a riddle prompted by what, in 2001, was one of the New York Mets’ more-error-ridden-than-usual losing streaks.“What,” I asked him (and, to repeat, this was some time ago), “do Michael Jackson and this year’s Mets have in common?” Beat, beat, then the answer: “They all wear one glove for no explicable reason.”
BooksNov. 15, 2012
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Janzen writes about a new path to faith
Does this Church Make Me Look FatBy Rhoda Janzen (Grand Central)The transformation of Rhoda Janzen ― the Mennonite-turned-worldly-academic whose book about returning home made the bestseller list ― continues. Which is a delight for fans of her warm, wisecracking style.In “Mennonite in a Little Black Dress,” Janzen wrote of a series of devastating forces that sent her to heal in the peace-loving, hardworking community of her youth: complications from surgery, divorce due to husband meeting a man
BooksNov. 15, 2012
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Becoming Barbra Streisand
Among the more startling revelations in William J. Mann’s engrossing chronicle of Barbra Streisand’s ascent to superstardom emerges in one of the book’s photos. It’s a childhood picture showing Streisand, as its caption notes, “with friends outside their Brooklyn tenements.” It doesn’t say how old she is, but it doesn’t matter. She’s already carrying the face that millions would soon recognize as belonging to no one but her. And her expression, as she leans on a bicycle, is a mesmerizing blend o
BooksNov. 15, 2012
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‘The Bat’ transported to Art Deco era
The Korea National Opera’s operetta, “Die Fledermaus,” or “The Bat,” to be staged from Nov. 28 through Dec. 1 at the Seoul Arts Center Opera House, is an apt choice for the company’s year-end and 50th anniversary performance. Set in the flamboyant city of Vienna, the light-hearted operetta written by Johann Strauss II follows a chain of risky pranks between a mischievous playboy and a petty-minded doctor that snowballs until the playboy ends up in jail. But it all wraps up with an all-is-well ha
PerformanceNov. 15, 2012
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Riccardo Muti says culture good for economy
ROME (AP) ― Riccardo Muti, the master conductor, is sounding an ominous note, and it isn’t rising from the orchestra pit.The former longtime maestro at Milan’s La Scala opera house is worried that the stubborn financial crisis in much of the world risks impoverishing not just public coffers but also the arts, whose budgets, often lean even in good economic times, are among the biggest casualties in many countries. And, said the man known for his dramatic flair at the podium, there’s more than ju
PerformanceNov. 15, 2012
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British sculptor sits somewhere between design and art
British artist Tom Price makes chairs: not ordinary comfy ones sold at furniture stores, but those with a sculptural appearance, which may cause viewers to question their functionality and comfort. They can also be put in a living room, which will be sure to establish a unique mood in one’s home. Making the chairs involves a long and complicated process. From the initial idea to choosing materials and finding a way to apply them to chairs, the process involves artistic exploration of materials a
PerformanceNov. 15, 2012
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K-pop double trouble
This is part of a series featuring new hallyu stars. ― Ed.The 24-year-old twin brothers Jung Dae-ryong and So-ryong were seven years old when one of their friends first introduced them to K-pop music. “That’s when it all began,” said Dae-ryong. “We loved to dance and sing, that was life. That’s still our life.”After being signed at 18, the boys trained for six years before debuting as the hip-hop performing duo, Tasty. Their name “Tasty” refers to the bringing together of different styles, chore
PerformanceNov. 15, 2012
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Exhibition shows how movie posters have changed
Not many would be aware that filmmaker Lee Jun-ik, best known for his 2005 period drama “The King and the Clown,” used to be a copywriter and made movie posters, before making his foray into filmmaking.From the 80s to the 90s, Lee created some 1,000 promotional posters for films. One of them was for director Jeong Ji-young’s 1990 drama “North Korean Partisan in South Korea.” Making posters used to be a lot more complicated than it is now; it required cutting and gluing using scissors and paper.
FilmNov. 15, 2012
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Jane Goodall says small choices can make changes
Renowned English primatologist and environmentalist Jane Goodall on Wednesday urged people to start with easy steps to conserve the environment, saying millions of small choices can effect changes.The founder of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), which works extensively on conservation and animal welfare issues, said people around the world have begun thinking about the environment and our future but they usually feel helpless and give up because they look at all the problems such as war and envi
PeopleNov. 15, 2012
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People magazine declares Tatum sexiest man alive
NEW YORK (AFP) ― People magazine on Wednesday declared Hollywood actor Channing Tatum the “sexiest man alive” in 2012.A muscular 32-year-old former model, Tatum has appeared in “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” “21 Jump Street” and “Magic Mike,” among other films.Upon hearing he had been picked for the annual honor, Tatum was modest, the gossip magazine said.“Y’all are messing with me,” it quoted him as saying.His wife, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, told the magazine that her husband sculpts and likes to quot
PeopleNov. 15, 2012
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UNESCO cites anti-information pollution group
Park Yu-hyun, co-founder and CEO of InfollutionZERO, a Korean nongovernmental organization which campaigns to eliminate “information pollution,” will receive a UNESCO prize for her creative use of information technology in education.UNESCO said in a news release Tuesday that it will present the 2011 UNESCO-King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Education to two winners at its headquarters in Paris, France, on Nov. 20. The winners are Park
PeopleNov. 15, 2012
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Psy heats up New York; slips on Billboard chart
South Korean rapper Psy made an appearance during Madonna’s concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. His sudden appearance as a special guest took place while Madonna was performing a remix version of her song “Give it 2 Me” mixed with Psy’s “Gangnam Style.”After she sang the first verse, the legendary diva took a step back and Psy jumped up from the middle of the stage. The two danced his signature “horse-riding dance” as well as other dances in front of the nearly 20,000 people
PerformanceNov. 15, 2012
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Beautiful and horrifying: ‘The Yellow Birds’ takes the reader to an Iraqi battlefield
Pvt. John Bartle, the narrator of Kevin Powers’ sorrowful war novel “The Yellow Birds,” is a man of reason caught between the uncontrolled emotions of two men.The first is his sergeant, a severe gunslinger and molder of warriors named Sterling. Sgt. Sterling’s discipline and his rage against the enemy are keeping his squad of men alive as they patrol an eerie, death-filled Iraqi landscape. Pvt. Bartle loves and hates him for this.“I hated the way he excelled in death and brutality and domination
BooksNov. 15, 2012
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Kristen shines at London Twilight Premiere
U.S. actress Kristen Stewart charmed the crowd with a revealing jumpsuit by Zuhair Murad at the “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 2” premiere in London on Wednesday. Kristen Stewart walked the red carpet of the movie at Leicester Square, posing for a photo with Robert Pattinson at one point.The 22-year-old actress flashed plenty of flesh in the sequin and lace outfit, with sheer paneling prevalent on the garment from the hip up.“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 2” marks the fifth
FilmNov. 15, 2012
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Bon Jovi daughter recovering after heroin overdose
Authorities say singer Jon Bon Jovi's 19-year-old daughter is hospitalized after overdosing on heroin in a dorm at her New York state college.Town of Kirkland police say an ambulance was sent to Hamilton College early Wednesday after a report that a female had apparently overdosed on heroin.Investigator Peter Cania says Stephanie Bongiovi is recovering at a hospital he declined to name.Police say Bongiovi and 21-year-old Ian Grant were charged with drug possession. Both were issued tickets and o
PerformanceNov. 15, 2012
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Korea heading to level playing field for nation branding: Koo
If you have second thoughts about a shirt you were thinking of buying after seeing the “Made in Korea” label, the chances are that you are unconvinced by Korea’s progress. What eliminates the hesitation is improvement in the nation brand, says Samuel Koo, chairman of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding, who assumed office last month.“It’s not about the quality of the shirt. The country of origin could make people refuse the purchase or willing to pay more for it,” he told The Korea Heral
CultureNov. 14, 2012
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Pierre Gagnaire serves the best cocktails in town
Following is part of a series on Seoul’s hottest bars and clubs. ― Ed.Foreign tourists and those who have spent time abroad often admit that cocktails in Korea are less than great. The country produces some elite bartenders who claim top prizes at international contests, but most of its bartenders ― even at five-star hotel bars ― don’t seem to know how to make even a simple classic drink properly. Adding to the problem, many Koreans do not know much about cocktails, ordering them only on special
FoodNov. 14, 2012
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Seoul’s changing landscape captured by citizens
Imagine a vast area of farmland in Apgujeong without high-rise buildings. These old scenes of Seoul captured by citizens and photographers will unfold at the Seoul Photo Festival from Nov. 21-Dec. 30. The third photo festival will showcase photographs taken by professional photographers as well as citizens that offer glimpses into life in old Seoul. “We try to show memories of Seoul citizens by showcasing as many of their photos as possible, because the photos invite us to take a look at persona
PerformanceNov. 14, 2012
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Chinese art star Yue brings ‘laughing men’ to Europe
PARIS (AFP) ― The painted grins are stretched so wide they seem to hurt. And that is pretty much what Yue Minjun intended, the Chinese artist explained at the Paris opening of his first major show in Europe.A former electrician turned contemporary artist, Yue shot to international attention in 1999 when his signature laughing-man self-portraits made a much-noted eruption at the Art Biennale in Venice.“If I paint laughter it is because I feel pain towards human life,” the 50-year-old, one of Chin
PerformanceNov. 14, 2012
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[Herald Interview] The man behind musical ‘Aida’
Theater director and artist Keith Batten knows what it means to work overseas, especially when it comes to staging some of the most popular musicals in the world. He has directed over 60 productions, including Elton John and Tim Rice’s musical “Aida,” and the Broadway production of “Spiderman,” in 12 countries around the world. His last visit to Seoul took place back in 2005, when he was in charge of directing the local production of “Aida.” The musical, which tells the story of Aida, Nubia’s pr
PerformanceNov. 14, 2012