Most Popular
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Tensions heighten ahead of first president-opposition chief meeting
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Seoul to provide housing subsidy to married couples with newborns
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[KH Explains] No more 'Michael' at Kakao Games
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Rapper jailed after public street fight with another rapper
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Woman gets suspended term for injuring boyfriend with knife
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Samsung chief bolsters ties with Germany’s Zeiss
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NewJeans pops out ‘Bubble Gum’ video amid troubles at agency
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Nominee for chief of anti-corruption body pledges 'independence, effectiveness'
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Med schools expect 1,500+ new admission slots next year
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KT launches new mobile plans for foreign residents
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French choreographer Millepied starts anew in LA
LOS ANGELES (AFP) -- French choreographer Benjamin Millepied, who spectacularly left the Paris Opera Ballet earlier this year, will mark his return to Los Angeles this week with a new show.The dance star -- husband of Hollywood actress Natalie Portman -- also revealed he is working on a feature film as he held rehearsals this week with his dance troupe from the L.A. Dance Project at a studio in downtown Los Angeles.The performances Dec. 9 and 10 will consist of four dances, including the world p
Dec. 4, 2016
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[Weekender] The art of writing in spotlight again
The rapid adoption of digital devices in recent years is reshaping the concept of writing. A growing number of people view writing as a synonym of typing on PC or taking notes on their smartphones. For tech-savvy people, a traditional pen is nothing but an outdated and inconvenient tool. But this tech-oriented perspective is yet to convert the growing group of calligraphy enthusiasts with a penchant for beautiful writing. Calligraphy is making a comeback in Korea. Signs in favor of what people h
Dec. 2, 2016
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[Weekender] Hangeul calligraphy goes mainstream
There was a time when Chinese character calligraphers criticized Hangeul calligraphy for being “too unsophisticated.” Luckily, a few calligraphers ignored the comments and mastered their craft in Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. Looking back, they served as the trailblazers for the now-burgeoning market for Hangeul calligraphy.“Years ago, the term ‘Hangeul calligraphy’ was virtually nonexistent among graphic designers,” Kang Byung-in, one of the first-generation Hangul calligraphy gurus, told The K
Dec. 2, 2016
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[Eye Interview] Head full of dreams, feet on the ground
The music video for British rock band Coldplay’s track “Up & Up,” released last year from the album “A Head Full of Dreams,” has been described as “magical.”The video features a montage of moving images that transform the everyday into extraordinary scenes. Synchronized swimmers dance inside a teacup, while a green kitchen sponge becomes a football field for tiny players. Popcorn is popped from the crater of a volcano. The sky is the sea; the earth becomes a stage.Music video director Vania Heym
Dec. 2, 2016
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[Weekender] Beautiful writing goes beyond words
Nestled in the design books section of Kyobo Book Center in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, calligraphy workbooks are displayed in a separate stall as a special collection. According to Kyobo Book Center, calligraphy books began gaining traction since 2012, with the number of new publications and demand for them steadily growing each year.A reader flicks through books in the calligraphy section of Kyobo Book Centre in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. (Lim Jeong-yeo / The Korea Herald)In 2013, eight new books on calligra
Dec. 2, 2016
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[Newsmaker] Jeju's women divers gain UNESCO recognition
When the female divers of Jeju Island emerge from their minutes-long foray underwater, they let out a much-awaited sigh. Called “sumbi,” the exhalation releases carbon dioxide from the lungs with a sound that is similar to whistling. When the divers pop up in groups, a chorus of singsong breathing echoes through the coast.“Haenyeo,” or women divers who have been diving in the waters off Jeju for centuries to gather seafood, were inscribed onto the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Dec. 1, 2016
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Rebuilding history? Debate rages over lost Afghan Buddhas
BAMIYAN, Afghanistan (AFP) -- For centuries they stood, two monumental ancient statues of Buddha carved into the cliffs of Bamiyan, loved and revered by generations of Afghans -- only to be pulverized by the Taliban in an act of cultural genocide.It felt like the loss of family for many who live and tend their crops nearby -- but some 15 years on they are hopeful these awe-inspiring relics can be reconstructed. But experts are divided on the value of rebuilding the artefacts, with some insisting
Dec. 1, 2016
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Celebrities express fury over President Park’s address
Celebrities are voicing anger via social media over President Park Geun-hye’s Tuesday announcement, in which she said she would let the National Assembly decide the fate of her presidency.“I am so angry,” celebrity writer Heo Ji-woong posted to his Instagram account Tuesday with a photo of a television screen depicting Park’s address. “She is tossing the ball over to the National Assembly, which will obviously be unable to reach an answer at this point. I am so angry at the president and the spe
Nov. 30, 2016
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Pirelli launches covered-up 2017 calendar with top actresses
PARIS (AP) -- Pirelli on Tuesday unveiled the 2017 edition of its famed calendar, which sees photographer Peter Lindbergh mature beyond snaps of seminude models and set his lens on Hollywood.The calendar, entitled “Emotional” and launched in Paris, stars 14 Oscar-winning actresses featured in black-and-white close-ups, in clothed poses with invisible makeup. The photos, while beautiful, show wrinkles, lines and imperfections. It’s a dramatic move away from decades of risque shots that made the c
Nov. 30, 2016
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Van Gogh Museum rules out debate over ‘lost’ notebook
THE HAGUE (AFP) – Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum ruled out Tuesday a public debate over the authenticity of a book of sketches that an art historian has said belonged to the Dutch impressionist.Bogomila Welsh-Ovcharov, a University of Toronto academic, has declared the apparent find to be “the most revolutionary discovery” in the history of Van Gogh’s work. But the Dutch museum says the sketches, said to be from the artist’s stay in the French city of Arles, are fake.Welsh-Ovcharov’s French publish
Nov. 30, 2016
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Germany's 'Mr. Flirt' teaches refugees how to pick up women
DORTMUND, Germany (AP) -- The subject was pickup lines, and Germany’s “Mr. Flirt” offered a few examples to his class of Syrian and Iraqi refugees. “I really love the scent of your perfume,” he suggested. “You have a beautiful voice.” He invited his students to take a stab.Essam Kadib al Ban, 20, raised his hand. “God created you only for me,” he said, then tried another, “I love you. Can I sleep over at your place?”Horst Wenzel winced, but caught himself quickly. “Don’t tell them you love them
Nov. 29, 2016
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Korean celebrities speak out against President Park
Korean celebrities are actively joining in the protest against President Park Geun-hye, who is currently embroiled in a scandal for allegedly leaking state documents and funneling funds from businesses. Some have taken to the streets to attend mass rallies, while others are voicing their support on social media. Among these are entertainers who have long been outspoken against the conservative administration. But stars who have previously remained politically neutral -- such as actress Kim Yoo-j
Nov. 27, 2016
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Stairs from Eiffel Tower sell for over half a million euros
PARIS (AFP) - A section of stairs from the Eiffel Tower in Paris sold for more than half a million euros, auctioneers said Wednesday -- more than 10 times the pre-sales estimate.The 14 wrought-iron steps from a winding staircase between the second and third floors of the Paris landmark went for 523,800 euros ($556,000) after furious bidding at the sale in the French capital.Auction house Artcurial said the dramatic sale Tuesday had “unleashed the passions” of several international buyers, with b
Nov. 24, 2016
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International journalists honored with Press Freedom Awards
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Committee to Protect Journalists honored journalists from India, El Salvador, Turkey and Egypt on Tuesday with its annual International Press Freedom Awards for their commitment to a free press despite death threats, imprisonment and exile.CPJ executive director Joel Simon said threats against journalism are increasing around the world, including in the United States following the presidential election victory of Republican Donald Trump, who has branded mainstream media dish
Nov. 23, 2016
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Holocaust jacket found at tag sale leads to a life story
NEW YORK (AP) -- The blue and gray stripes struck Jillian Eisman like a lightning bolt.She was rummaging through a packed closet during a Long Island tag sale when she immediately recognized the symbol of horror and hate: a jacket worn by a prisoner at the Nazi Dachau concentration camp during World War II.“I knew exactly what it was, even before I saw the numbers (84679 on the chest),” said Eisman, who purchased the jacket for $2 at the sale last year and donated it to the Kupferberg Holocaust
Nov. 23, 2016
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No. of royal palace visitors to surpass 10-million mark for first time
The annual number of people visiting the country's four main royal palaces and Jongmyo Shrine is expected to surpass the 10-million mark for the first time later this week, the cultural authorities said Tuesday. The four palaces are Gyeongbok, Changdeok, Changgyeong and Deoksu. The Jongmyo Shrine is a place where the kings of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) conducted ancestral memorial ceremonies. They are all in Seoul. Hyangwonjeong pavilion in Gyeongbokgung palace. (Yonhap)"The number of visi
Nov. 22, 2016
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Korean antigraft law impacting hotels, fine dining
Members of the 5.4 Club, a group of prominent figures aiming to promote culture in Korea, gathered to discuss the aftermath of Korea’s recently enforced antigraft law Thursday evening at the InterContinental Seoul Coex. The law is one that stipulates globally unprecedented guidelines, according to Jai Lee, senior foreign counsel at Yulchon LLP. “The whole world is paying attention,” he said. “(This law) affects more than 40,000 organizations and over 4 million people in Korea ... including profe
Nov. 18, 2016
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[Around the Hotels] This week’s promotions and packages
Dutch Charcuterie at Grand Hyatt SeoulThe Deli at Grand Hyatt Seoul is offering handmade charcuterie by world-renowned Dutch charcutier Benito Plasschaert until Dec. 4.Plasschaert has mastered his art over the past 45 years, with new recipes using healthy ingredients. The menu includes lavender ham; Swiss meatloaf with Emmental cheese; Greek-style meatloaf with olives and feta cheese; green grape or baked apple and fruit flavored pate; foie gras terrine with truffle oil; terrine of veal marinate
Nov. 18, 2016
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‘Choi Soon-sil is sullying tradition, shamanism’
An apparently innocent traditional item has found its way to the center of the influence-peddling scandal surrounding President Park Geun-hye and her longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil. Obangnang, a multicolored pouch that is a traditional symbol of good fortune, featured in Park’s inauguration ceremony in February 2013 -- a giant obangnang setup at Gwanghwanun Plaza opened up to reveal a tree with dozens of mini obangnang hanging from its branches.Almost four years later and the pouch has come
Nov. 17, 2016
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Yu Dong-hun appointed new vice culture minister
Yu Dong-hun has been named as the new vice culture minister by President Park Geun-hye.Yu will replace Kim Chong, who resigned late last month amid allegations linking him to the political scandal involving Park and her confidante Choi Soon-sil. The 57-year-old is a long-time senior communications official at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and has been working as a public servant since 1987. “We believe that (Yu) is very capable of handling our pending issues such as preparations
Nov. 17, 2016