Articles by Im Eun-byel
Im Eun-byel
silverstar@heraldcorp.com-
Pucca aims to be ‘Mickey Mouse of Asia’ with CJ E&M
Popular animation character Pucca is to off to a new start, partnering with media mogul CJ E&M. Pucca, created by Korean company VOOZ, is an internationally known animation character. Designed with an image of an Asian girl, the red-and-black character is active, energetic and bold, not hesitating to express her affection for ninja Garu. Pucca (VOOZ)Pucca, as a brand, marked $90 million in royalty profit over the past 10 years. More than 90 percent of the profit was generated overseas. According
Television May 2, 2018
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Pursuing ‘permissible’ beauty in Korea
Cosmetics tycoon Elizabeth Arden once said, “To be beautiful is the birthright of every woman,” rewriting the mantra of the beauty industry in the early 20th century.Half a century later, not every woman is yet able to enjoy the right to be beautiful, restricted by personal and social boundaries. Take for example Muslim women in Korea. Their choices of cosmetics, limited by their religious faith, are further narrowed by an unchanging, conservative Korean market. Korean cosmetics stores line the
Culture May 1, 2018
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Remakes of foreign hit series fill up local TV screen
Remakes of popular foreign TV drama series are hitting the local small screen, possibly as they are considered a “safe choice” in the near-saturated current market. (KBS2) (KBS2)KBS2 recently started to air “Suits,” a remake of the popular US series. The Korean adaptation has marked a favorable start, noting an average viewership rating of 7.4 percent for its two episodes. OCN’s remake of BBC hit series “Mistresses” captured the public’s attention over the weekend. As the original British produ
Television April 29, 2018
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Summit banquet menu filled with symbolism
Some of the dishes served at the summit banquet pay homage to the people who strived for the peace and reunification of two Koreas, such as chilled salad made with octopus from Tongyeong, the hometown of internationally acclaimed composer Yun I-sang. Dumplings and bibimbap, prepared with ingredients from the birth towns of the two late presidents -- President Kim Dae-jung and President Roh Moo-hyun -- who visited Pyongyang for previous summits, were served.Swiss-inspired dishes were presented as
Food April 27, 2018
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[Herald Interview] Respecting food for enlightenment
Considering culinary experience as part of the daily practices of Buddhism, nun-chef Wookwan strives to introduce Korean temple food to a global audience. Temple food refers to cuisine prepared in a religious manner for Buddhism practitioners. Today, in an age of abundance for many, the moderate food style has gained popularity, taking center stage in the global culinary scene. Wookwan speaks during an interview with The Korea Herald. (Photo by Park Hyun-koo / The Korea Herald)As a Buddhist nun,
Food April 27, 2018
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Around the Hotels
Gearing up for summer at Sheraton Seoul In early preparation for the summer, Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel presents variations of bingsu, a dessert made of shaved ice, milk and various toppings. Two seasonal fruits -- mango and coconut -- are separately used as main topping ingredients. Both menus provide the signature lamington cake and traditional red bean paste made by the hotel chef.Bingsu can be ordered at the hotel’s Lobby Lounge.Bar, Feast and Fit Cafe until the end of August. Mango an
Food April 27, 2018
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[Epicurean Challenge] Unexpected marine delicacies, sea pineapple and sea cucumber
Though famous for raw fish, Korea’s seafood restaurants don’t dish out only fish sashimi. There are many more on the menu, including some that do not look mouth-watering but prove to be unexpected delicacies. Meongge (left) and haesam chopped into edible pieces. (Photo by Im Eun-byel / The Korea Herald)Meongge is one of them. It’s sea pineapple, a type of sea squirt, whose shape strongly resembles a grenade with small fiery-looking bumps. It is red and rubbery and when squeezed, the bumps squirt
Food April 26, 2018
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BTS to perform new track at Billboard Awards
BTS’ first performance of a new track from its upcoming album will be at the Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs). The K-pop act will perform the song at the BBMAs, according to the band’s agency Big Hit Entertainment. The group has also been nominated for the top social artist award for the second consecutive year. It won the award last year, beating other well-known global artists. BTS (Big Hit Entertainment)The track is part of BTS’ new full-length album “Love Yourself: Tear” set for release on Ma
Performance April 25, 2018
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‘High School Rapper’ muses on teenage life
The once-controversial “High School Rapper” has wrapped its second season, after striving to deliver teenagers’ stories and messages. The TV competition, the high school counterpart to “Show Me the Money” and “Unpretty Rapstar,” aired its season finale on April 13. The eight-part show ranked an average viewership rating of 1.5 percent, relatively high for a cable channel. Songs from the show are also currently ranking near the tops of local music charts. What set the second season apart from th
Performance April 24, 2018
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Lee Sung-kyung to feature as detective in ‘Girl Cops’
Lee Sung-kyung will take the role of a detective in the upcoming film “Girl Cops” (working title).In the comedy-investigative film, Lee co-stars with veteran actress Ra Mi-ran. Taking on the roles of a rookie and a seasoned detective, respectively, the two demoted detectives find themselves accidentally caught up in a major case. Lee Sung-kyung (YG Entertainment)Rookie director Jung Da-won is to lead the production. He won accolades for “Garak Market Revolution” in 2016, a comedic depiction of
Film April 24, 2018
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Lawyers to wear tailored ‘Suits’ in Korea
A Korean remake of the popular US drama series “Suits” aims to focus on interpretation rather than imitation, making the series more relatable to a Korean audience. The Wednesday-Thursday series on KBS2 revolves around the relationship between legendary lawyer Choi Kang-suk and rookie lawyer Go Yeon-woo, played by Jang Dong-gun and Park Hyung-sik, respectively. Choi hires Go as an associate lawyer, even though he isn’t qualified for the job, valuing his photographic memory. Jang Dong-gun (left)
Television April 23, 2018
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Not leaving anything to chance
The arrival of spring is heralded by a slew of wedding invitations in the mailbox and weekends from late April to early June are filled with the ceremonies to attend. While the size and style of weddings differ, many couples, or rather their parents, do one identical thing for the big day -- consult a fortuneteller for the couple‘s “gunghap.” Fortunetellers predict “gunghap” at street stalls in eastern Seoul. (Photo by Im Eun-byel / The Korea Herald)While many people no longer believe in destiny
Culture April 22, 2018
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Around the Hotels
Urban picnic from Park Hyatt Seoul Park Hyatt Seoul’s Italian restaurant Cornerstone offers to deliver picnic sets for guests who opt for an urban picnic from May to June. The basic picnic set presents salads and sandwiches prepared in an Italian manner. A sweet dessert and a drink is included in the price of 13,500 won. For those who desire a more luxurious picnic, champagne set is offered, including caviar and smoked salmon. Customers can chose between Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial, Louis Roede
Food April 20, 2018
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[Video] Future food source evokes nostalgia for old days
Taking a spring stroll along riverside parks, passersby might be startled by a steaming pot of brownish worms. Called “beondegi,“ the wormlike creatures are boiled silkworm pupae. While the insects are considered a possible future food source, Koreans have been eating silkworm pupae for half a century. Beondegi was a common street food in the late 20th century. (Produced and narrated by Lim Jeong-yeo/Reporter Im Eun-byel appears in this video)During the country‘s rapid industrialization, Korea’s
Food April 19, 2018
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‘Big sisters’ to show where ‘Strong My Way’ is
Rapper Cheetah and JeA of Brown Eyed Girls are to be “big sisters” to young Korean women, returning in the second season of “Strong My Way,” which kicked off Thursday.The show’s first season, created by SBS’ mobile entertainment division Mobidic, was well received, recording 12 million views in its 13-episode run last year. Cheetah and JeA, known for their bold manner of speaking, read stories submitted by viewers and dished out harsh yet realistic advice. While the first season focused mainly o
Television April 19, 2018
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