The Korea Times

Miranda Kerr to appear in K-food show

Miranda Kerr, right, poses with Kim Sung-eun, host of “2014 Tasty Road.”One of the world’s top model Miranda Kerr met with Korean model Kim Sung-eun to discuss how to keep her body fit and slim for a K-Food variety show “2014 Tasty Road.” In its latest episode to be aired on Friday, Kerr will share her beauty tips with the show’s host Kim. The “2014 Tasty Road,” normally co-hosted by Kim and Park Soo-jin introduces the best Western and Asian fusion style foods as well as hot places for lifestyles such as beauty and shopping tips from all over Korea every Friday at midnight on O’live TV.

May 6, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

Choi takes his 'art furniture' global

Choi Byung-hoon’s bent chair, created in 2007, is one of his famous "afterimage" series. It is now exhibited in the permanet collection of Vitra Design Museume, in Germany. / Courtesy of Choi Byung-hoonNY critics call it 'object of meditation' Choi Byung-hoonBy Park Jin-haiChoi Byung-hoon's artwork is both practical and esthetic. One of the most recognized pieces of the sculptor and art furniture maker is a chair which has a black sheen granite stone at the foot of a laminated and black varnished walnut veneer chair. The over 100-kilogram stone counter-balances the weight of the sitter, giving the bent wood chair balance and function. But at the same time, the stone doubles as a subject of meditation, giving the sitter a moment of peace to ponder over the myriad of years it took to be formed. It now sits in the permanent collection of the Vitra Design Museum in Germany.Choi, a 61 year-old Seoul-based sculptor, known for pioneering the field of "art furniture" in Korea has explored the relationship between functional objects and art and made them into a whole new

May 6, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

HarryBigButton ready to unleash K-rock

Irish bassist Neil Smith, left, vocalist Lee Sung-soo, center, and drummer Kang Dae-hui, are the members of a post hard rock band HarryBigButton. After releasing their new album “Perfect Storm” on April 2, the band is gearing up to rock more audiences overseas. / Courtesy of HarryBigButtonHongdae band eyes Western rock marketBy Park Jin-haiLee Sung-soo roars through the lyrics with his deep voice and stomps on the stage, his shaggy hair flies rhythmically to the powerful guitar sound.As the performance heats up, his hair clings to his sweaty face and the audience of some 300 as go wild as the band, making it a giant ball of energy and passion.    The post-hard rock band HarryBigButton ― comprised of lead vocalist and guitarist Lee Sung-soo, Irish bassist Neil Smith and drummer Kang Dae-hui ― released their new album "Perfect Storm" on April 2. Based on its local popularity, it is expected to rock more audiences overseas. “The biggest asset to our band is Lee’s voice,” said Kang.Just like Kang said, Lee’s vocals, which

Apr 28, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

Actor Kim returns with a legal drama 'A New Leaf'

Actor Kim Myung-minBy Park Jin-haiVeteran actor Kim Myung-min, 41, returns to the small screen in two years as a lawyer in a new MBC TV legal drama, “A New Leaf,” which will go on air from Wednesday.In the 18-part series drama, co-starring with A-list stars such as actress Park Min-young, Kim will portray a cold-hearted hotshot lawyer who suffers an identity crisis after losing his memory in an accident and begins a righteous war against social ills.Kim, who earned his fame through the 2001 horror movie, “Gooseflesh,” has been taking the leading role in many popular dramas such as “The Immortal Yi Soon Shin” (2004), “Beethoven Virus” (2008) and movies including 2010 movie “Detective K: Secret of Virtuous Widow,” and achieved the nick name, “master of acting.”

Apr 27, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Actor Kim returns with a legal drama 'A New Leaf'

Shows & Dramas

Top American game developers to give advice to local companies

By Park Jin-hai Most local game firms aspire to make inroads into the North American market but find it challenging due to limited information about the dynamics of that market. Consequently, a team of leading mobile game developers from North America will share their experiences and tips to local developers in a seminar. A marketing strategy seminar, hosted by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and organized by Latis Global Communications, a Korean game localizer, will take place at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul, on Wednesday. Among the speakers are Anna Cho, user interface engineer of Storm8, who will compare the American and Korean game’s user experience; Alexander Wong, Ender’s Fund founder, will explain how they produced their mobile game Deadeye Derby; and Chaynor Hsiao, project manager of Play next, will present how to make a smooth transition from PC to mobile.The North American region has become a new battleground for mobile game firms from all over the world, competing to secure an upper hand in this very lucrative market. According to Newzoo, a marke

Apr 27, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Politics

Foreigners embrace meaning of Dokdo

Students from Bulgaria, Spain, China, Japan, Mongolia, Taiwan, and Uganda pose under a banner on Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo, Friday. The state-run Northeast Asian History Foundation arranged the fieldtrip as part of Northeast Asian history lectures for foreign students. / Korea Times photo by Park Jin-haiBy Park Jin-haiDOKDO —The field trip to Korea’s easternmost islets, Dokdo, can be challenging, to say the least.A trip starting in Seoul means traveling down to the port city of Donghae, Gangwon Province, taking a ferry to Ulleung Island in North Gyeongsang Province and then another two and half hours on a boat to Dokdo, also in the province. Foreign students on the journey were half excited and half worried, following the tragic sinking of the ferry Sewol.After the first night in Donghae, and another in Ulleung Island, it was only on the last day of the three-day that the fog shrouding Ulleung Island cleared up, opening the waterway to Dokdo, Friday.Some 18 foreign students from China, Japan, Taiwan, Mongolia, Spain, Bulgaria and Uganda, got on a boat

Apr 20, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

Teen girls flock to EXO showcase

Members of the group EXO perform at a showcase for their second mini-album “Overdose” at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium, Seoul, Tuesday.  / YonhapBy Park Jin-haiIf the decibel level from a cheering crowd measures the popularity of a pop band, EXO tops them all.During the one-and-half hour showcase for the K-pop boy-band’s second mini-album, “EXO Comeback Show,” Tuesday night, the non-stop screams from swooning female teenage fans were literally deafening.Yet it was not even a proper concert — just a showcase prior to their album release slated for April 21 — and held in the evening in the middle of the week. Despite this, some 8,000 thrilled fans filled the Jamsil Indoor Stadium, Seoul.Some fans showed up as early as 11 a.m., although all seats were reserved except for an 800 person standing room area. Around half past four, fans queued for those on a first-come-first-served basis.“I’m a huge fan. I just came here for the showcase,” said Mia, from Japan, who was part of a group of Japanese tourists on a bus.Tong, a 20-someth

Apr 16, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

Boy band EXO plays to sold-out concerts in Japan

K-pop boy band EXO meets some 100,000 fans in Japan at a large-scale meeting event “EXO Greeting Party in Japan, Hello!” at the Saitama Super Arena in the north of Tokyo, from April 11 to April 13. / Korea TimesBy Park Jin-haiTop K-pop boy band EXO wowed nearly 100,000 fans in Japan with sold-out concerts over the weekend, indicating that the geopolitics-driven anti-Korean sentiment there fell short of undermining the 12-member band’s popularity. The band hosted five mini concerts, titled “EXO Greeting Party in Japan, Hello!” at the Saitama Super Arena near Tokyo from April 11 to 13, according to SM Entertainment. They thrilled audiences at each event with nine songs, including “Growl,” “MAMA” and “Wolf,” as well as greeting fans in pre-practiced Japanese, the agency said.  “EXO’s dance routines are covered in school festivals. I like the band since they show powerful dance moves, even male students were amazed. My jaw dropped at the sight of them dancing up close,” said Daiske, 18, who came

Apr 14, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

Hallyu boosts online shopping malls

English online shopping site for Stylenanda, a women’s street-wear maker, shows pictures of K-pop stars wearing their brand. / Courtesy of G-marketBy Park Jin-haiCathy, a 30-something Manila-based business editor, likes to scroll Korean online shopping sites at home.“I buy clothes mostly. And some accessories. There are a lot of choices at Korean online shopping sites,” said the editor who asked to be identified only by her first name. She has purchased several times over the past three years through G-market’s English website.Shay, 19, an art student and K-pop fan in North Carolina, received an oversized pink cardigan through online market place OKDGG and left a review on her blog.Once the key phrase “Korean style” is typed in on China’s eBay equivalent Tao Bao, over 40 million items are shown on screen, whilst “Korean fashion” will turn up some 9 million products.Riding on the popularity of Korean dramas and K-pop, online shopping malls are experiencing increasing sales to people from all over the world.Unlike local we

Apr 11, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Shows & Dramas

American critic falls for indie K-films

American film critic Darcy Paquet, who started the Wildflower Film Awards for independent films. / Courtesy of Darcy Paquet Darcy Paquet launches Wildflowser Film Awards Yeon Sang-ho’s animated film “The Fake” won the Best Director Award.By Park Jin-haiThe local film industry has been on a roll recently. The shooting for the Hollywood blockbuster "Avengers: The Age of Ultron" is still underway in Korea, suggesting that the country and its capital city is an attractive location for international moviemakers. A number of Seoul-based directors, including Bong Jun-ho and Lee Chang-dong, have risen to global recognition and fame, winning acclaimed international film awards. Bong’s “Snowpiercer” will be released in U.S. theaters this summer. Not as visible as the success of commercial films, Seoul also has seen its independent film industry booming over recent years.  At its forefront is Darcy Paquet, 42, an American film critic, who has organized a special award designated for low-budget independent films. “It's weird for

Apr 7, 2014By Park Jin-hai

Park Jin-hai

Read more

Miranda Kerr to appear in K-food show

Choi takes his 'art furniture' global

HarryBigButton ready to unleash K-rock

Actor Kim returns with a legal drama 'A New Leaf'

Top American game developers to give advice to local companies

Foreigners embrace meaning of Dokdo

Teen girls flock to EXO showcase

Boy band EXO plays to sold-out concerts in Japan

Hallyu boosts online shopping malls

American critic falls for indie K-films

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