Kim Bong-ryol appointed chief of arts university

Kim Bong-ryol, a Korea National University of Arts professor, was appointed the president of the school on Monday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said. The inauguration ceremony will take place on Thursday. Kim will serve a four-year tenure. The 55-year-old Seoul National University graduate has been teaching at the KNUA since 1997. He is an authority on Korean architecture. Kim designed the presidential guesthouse, “Samcheongjang,” the Korean garden in Frankfurt as well as KNUA cam

PeopleAug. 26, 2013

Exhibition ponders a life in art through waterdrops

Artist Kim Tschang-yeul holds a retrospective that looks back on his artistic career, following his grand retrospective held in Taiwan earlier this year. The exhibition presents some 40 works that cover each stage of the 84-year-old artist’s career, including those from the early 1970s which saw the birth of his signature “Waterdrops” series to the present, shedding light on the transformation of Korean contemporary art as well. The retrospective at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts featur

PerformanceAug. 25, 2013

25 years in making, Hindu encyclopedia is complete

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) ― A comprehensive encyclopedia of one of the world’s major religions is set to be unveiled next week in the U.S. The 11-volume work covers Hindu spiritual beliefs, practices and philosophy, and is the culmination of a 25-year academic effort.The encyclopedia is written in English and includes about 7,000 articles on Hinduism and its practices. The work also deals with Indian history, languages, art, music, dance, architecture, medicine, and women’s issues. The entir

CultureAug. 25, 2013

Ben Affleck to play Batman in ‘Man of Steel’ sequel

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ― Actor Ben Affleck will play Batman in an upcoming Superman sequel that will see the two caped crusaders face off against each other, film studio Warner Bros Pictures said on Thursday. Affleck, 41, will take on the role of reclusive billionaire Bruce Wayne, Batman’s alter-ego, in director Zack Snyder’s 2015 sequel to this year’s Superman reboot “Man of Steel,” starring 30-year-old British actor Henry Cavill. “We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Co

FilmAug. 25, 2013

‘Show Me the Money’ exposes good and bad of the industry

This is the third in a series on producers, MCs, DJs and artists working in the Korean underground hip-hop scene. ― Ed.Despite high ratings and relative success, hip-hop artist MC Meta ― one half of established duo Garion ― said a lot needed to be done for future seasons of Mnet hip-hop audition show “Show Me the Money.”While the hip-hop talent search program, which just wrapped up its second season, did put more up-and-coming underground artists in the limelight, Meta said for him as a producer

PerformanceAug. 25, 2013

Homegrown characters go global

Everyone has a favorite cartoon character from childhood that occupies a special place in their memories. Until 2000, characters that reminded many Koreans of their childhood were not Korean creations. Most were Japanese or American, from the classic Tom and Jerry and Thomas and Friends to Pokemon and Digimon. Amid the swarm of foreign characters, the Korean character Dooly was rare in remaining popular since its debut in 1983 through a televised animation series on KBS. But for those who spent

CultureAug. 23, 2013

Adventures of two larvae capture commuters’ hearts

Two little brave larvae, Red and Yellow, embark on an adventure out into the world from the sewage drain in which they live.They fly out of the sewer after turning into butterflies, but in the blink of an eye, they lose their wings in an airplane accident, and begin an urban adventure facing a series of dangers in a large metropolitan city. Their tales of everyday survival play out continually in “Larva,” featured on screens in Seoul’s subway and buses. “They make everyone laugh. It doesn’t targ

Arts & DesignAug. 23, 2013

Classics served up new

At 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Bicena, a contemporary Korean restaurant in Hannam-dong, Seoul, is abuzz with staff preparing for the lunch guests. A woman places vases holding pastel-colored flowers on the tables, another is busy vacuuming a room. There is a din of activity in the kitchen.Sitting at a table next to the kitchen entrance is a young woman poring over a pile of galley proofs ― Lucia Cho, president of Bicena, is proof reading the restaurant’s autumn menu.If she looks a tad bit frazzled,

FoodAug. 23, 2013

Calendar

Festivals“Seoul Fringe Festival”: The Seoul Fringe Festival will provide a showcase of independent artists. Individual artists or groups can freely perform drama, dance, mime, music and arts at the festival, which will allow the performers and the audience alike to enjoy the freedom of expression and selection. A total of 140 individual artists and teams will put on performances in various indoor and outdoor venues like small theaters, live clubs, galleries and streets near Hongik University in

CultureAug. 23, 2013

Box Office

Now You See MeCrime. Mystery. Thriller. Directed by Louis Leterrier.Opened Aug. 22Four magicians are invited to an obscure address for a meeting filled with secrets. One year later they return as the famous illusionists of the Four Horsemen and pull off a variety of daring heists against corrupt business leaders during their big performances. In the middle of their shows, the stolen goods are distributed among the audience. FBI officer Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) and Alma Dray (Mélanie Laurent)

FilmAug. 23, 2013

Eyelike: EXO’s new album catchy

EXO’s new album catchyEXO“The 1st Album ‘XOXO (Kiss&Hug)’ Repackage”(KMP Holdings)EXO’s 14-track repackaged album is a mainstream mix of hip-hop, R&B, pop and dance and is definitely for the younger crowd. You won‘t find depth and complexity in terms of music or lyrics, but mature listeners nonetheless will find some tracks irresistibly catchy. Title song “Growl” is a dance track with an urban R&B sound and describes a man not wanting his lover to be stolen away. “LUCKY” has a rhythmical melody

PerformanceAug. 23, 2013

Young actors pals offscreen, enemies in ‘Kick-Ass 2’

Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Christopher Mintz-Plasse square off in fisticuffs and a climactic stare-down through their masks when the subversive superhero sequel “Kick-Ass 2” hits theaters on Friday.But during a recent promo appearance at the annual Comic-Con pop-culture fest, Taylor-Johnson, 23, and Mintz-Plasse, 24, are more into comparing weird marks on their forearms caused by spirited fans and playfully squabbling over a glass of ice provided by a publicist.“She got that for me,” Mintz-Plasse

FilmAug. 23, 2013

Fall retreat at Oakwood Premier Coex Center Seoul

Oakwood Premier Coex Center Seoul presents autumn packages for those wishing to take a break with family or friends. The package features a luxurious stay in a studio apartment, a one-bedroom apartment that comes with a king-sized bed, or a two-bedroom apartment with two separate bedrooms, each having a queen-sized bed and a king-sized bed. The deluxe apartments create an ambience that is similar to a private home as they feature an expansive living room and a fully-equipped kitchen. The package

TravelAug. 23, 2013

Eat like a king in a Georgia mountain town

BLUE RIDGE, Georgia ― When I’ve had enough of the heat, humidity and bugs during the dog days of summer, sometimes I just need an altitude adjustment. That’s when I start barking and plan a getaway to the North Georgia mountain town of Blue Ridge.The summer day I drive into Blue Ridge is warm, but not hot. The nearly 1,800 feet of elevation offers a smidge of insurance that, unless there is some sort of climatic anomaly, the temperatures rarely climb out of the mid-eighties.With the peaks of the

TravelAug. 23, 2013

Beer served colder than ice-cold

A mere two weeks into business and word must have spread like wildfire because right when the clock hits 5 p.m. and Asahi Super Dry Extra Cold Bar’s first overseas outlet opens, customers start filing in. Within 30 minutes five out of a total of 10 tables are already taken. The drinks start flowing and so does the conversation. What’s the main attraction? The beer ― which is served between 0 to -2.2 degrees Celsius, lower than the average serving temperature of around 3 ― appears to be the prima

FoodAug. 23, 2013