President Park Geun-hye’s official visit to the U.S. drew the attention of even those normally indifferent to politics. It was the first overseas trip by Korea’s first woman president and the public was eager to see how she would present herself to the global audience.And it seems that Park has developed her own way of wearing powerful suits and feminine hanbok, or traditional Korean dress. Starting with a gold-green silk jacket with a turquoise mandarin collar, paired with brown trousers, the o

May 9, 2013

Everyone knows about the four jolly town musicians of Bremen. The musical “The Bremen Town Musicians,” now on at the National Museum Theater Yong in Seoul until May 26, is a pleasant mix of adventure, dreams and self discovery. The four animals, which were depicted as useless, outdated and almost abandoned fixtures in the original Grimm Brothers’ story, were revamped as a curious donkey, a dog with bad breath, a sympathetic cat, and an aspiring-star hen. And they take on a journey to become memb

May 9, 2013

The Cultural Heritage Administration and local authorities at Ulsan are locking horns over the preservation of a group of ancient carvings that are candidates for the UNESCO World Heritage list. Until President Park Geun-hye expressed interest, the engravings on the rock face of Bangudae, located on Daegokcheon Stream cliff in Ulsan, were merely a subject of a decade-long, little publicized issue between cultural experts and local administrators. But it has become a battlefield where environment

May 7, 2013

British workers with a cold or flu are afraid to take sick leave because of heavy workloads and other colleagues’ critical views, a survey by Canada Life Group revealed. More than one-third of the workers said they would go to work even if they had flu, while 93 percent of those surveyed said they would not miss work if they had a cold. Another reason for avoiding sick leave is the heavy workload that tends to build up while they stay home sick, the survey found. Employees were also mindful of

May 6, 2013

A new generation of Korean chefs, whether they are Korean-Americans or Korean migrants, are introducing Korean flavors to the U.S. and captivating the American palate. From neighborhood taco trucks catering to those looking for a quick bite to high-end dining spots adorned with a Michelin star, the chefs are armed with the cultural understanding and intimate knowledge of both countries’ ingredients ― skills necessary for putting Korean food on the international gastronomical map. Familiarizing K

May 5, 2013

Exchange art exhibitions between Korea and the U.S. are helping people of each country to better understand the other’s culture and history. American masterpieces have been on show in Korea since February at an ongoing exhibition at the National Museum of Korea. From paintings to furniture and Native American craftwork, 168 pieces spanning different phases of American art and history from Columbus’ landing to today’s America offer a glimpse of American life to the Korean audience. According to t

May 5, 2013

Buddhist circles and the Korea Tourism Organization released a special program for foreigners combining Templestay with Yeondeunghoe, the Lotus Lantern Festival on May 11-12, in celebration of Buddha’s Birthday which falls on May 17. On May 10, participants will stay at Jeondeungsa Temple in Seoul and experience a day in the life of a monk. On May 11-12 they will be able to take part in making lotus lanterns, watch Buddhism movies, join the lantern parade and various cultural events in downtown

May 5, 2013

SCRANTON, Pennsylvania (AP) ― The actors who play Pam, Jim, Dwight and other beloved characters from the popular NBC show “The Office” bade farewell on Saturday to the northeastern Pennsylvania city of Scranton that served as the TV setting for their fictional paper company.The NBC mockumentary about a clan of quirky cubicle-dwellers at the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Co. wraps up May 16 after nine seasons, and a crowd estimated at 10,000 attended a “Wrap Party” in Scranton to show their appr

May 5, 2013

Pop music“Unite all Originals Live with Snoop Dogg”: Snoop Dogg will perform in Seoul for the first time this month. After a trip to Jamaica last year, the rapper revealed his conversion to the Rastafarian movement and announced his rebirth under the name Snoop Lion. The rapper was previously known for his violent lyrics, but shifted his gears from hip-hop to reggae following his conversion. Snoop Lion will perform live at the Olympic Park Soccer Stadium on May 4, along with special guests 2NE1.

May 3, 2013

TOKYO (AP) ― Japan’s iconic Mount Fuji looks likely to win recognition as a World Heritage site.The Agency for Cultural Affairs issued a notice Wednesday saying Mount Fuji was recommended for World Heritage status by the International Council on Monuments and Sites, a body affiliated with UNESCO.Formal approval is expected in June at a World Heritage Committee meeting in Cambodia.A collection of cultural sites in Kamakura, a scenic town near Tokyo that once was the nation’s capital, were not rec

May 3, 2013

Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hahn, the author of “No Death, No Fear,” “The Art of Power,” and “The Miracle of Mindfulness,” on Thursday encouraged sufferers of depression, anxiety and stress to never give up on life. “Emotion is just an emotion but we are much larger than emotions. Why do we have to kill ourselves because of such feelings that come and go?” he said at a press conference held in central Seoul on the day. Korea has topped the suicide rankings among OECD countries for the past several

May 2, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) ― Violence, gore and gunplay were staples on prime-time television even in the most sensitive period directly following the Newtown school shooting.A study of 392 prime-time scripted programs on broadcast networks shown during the month following Vice President Joe Biden’s January meeting with entertainment industry executives on the topic revealed that 193 had some incident of violence, according to the Parents Television Council. Some are cartoonish ― quite literally, with Homer

May 2, 2013

The board meeting of the Foundation for Broadcast Culture on Thursday nominated Kim Jong-guk, president of Daejeon MBC, a branch of the nationwide broadcasting network, as the new CEO of the mother company. The foundation holds a 70 percent stake in MBC.Kim, a Korea University graduate, began his career at MBC in 1982 as a reporter. Kim is reported to have received five votes out of the total nine at the board meeting. He previously served as president of Masan/Jinju MBC as well as Gyeongnam MBC

May 2, 2013

Rhee In-yong, president of Samsung Group, invited the winners of Corea Image Communication Institute’s 2013 speech contest to a luncheon and discussion on cultural topics on Thursday.Rhee and the winners discussed and exchanged ideas about the “Meaning of the success of the Korean wave and new areas of the Korean wave,” “New keyword for 2013 Korea” and “Multicultural Korea.” “Korea is opening up to the world and I hope you will become the bridge between Korea and the outside world,” he said at t

May 2, 2013

Seo Kyung-duk, a PR expert in promoting Korean culture, said he would post a new ad for makgeolli in the Wall Street Journal later this month.The professor of Sungshin Women’s University in Seoul commented on Twitter on Thursday that “the actor Song Il-kook, who has become a world star thanks to the worldwide success of his drama ‘Jumong,’ will participate in this project.”The ad will be financed by crowdfunding, a method that enlists financial support from ordinary citizens interested in the pr

May 2, 2013