Lloyd “King of Hearts” Zone 4/Interscope RecordsAfter a lackluster response to 2008’s “Lessons In Love” and departure from the label that gave him his start, The Inc., things were looking less than promising for Lloyd and his smooth falsetto. But he regrouped and found a home at Polow da Don’s label Zone 4, a partnership with Interscope Records, and the move seems to be paying off with his new alb

Depapepe“One”Sony MusicWeather and music tend to have a match. For hot summer days, the refreshing sound of bosa nova is recommended; for rainy and gloomy days, sticky jazz sounds might be appropriate. Japanese guitar duo Depapepe’s music matches bright sunny days and summer vacation trips. After the 2009 album “Do!,” the duo is back with their fifth album “One.” In Korea, the duo became famous af

Seoul Philharmonic OrchestraDebussy, RavelUniversal MusicAfter reaching a long-term contract with Deutsche Grammophon in April, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s debut album with DG is finally on the shelves.The SPO’s performances of Debussy’s “La Mer” (The Sea) and Ravel’s “Ma Mere L’oye” (Mother Goose) and “La Valse” under maestro Chung Myung-whun are featured in the album. Ravel’s programs wer

If you lived through the Age of Enlightenment, you probably didn’t know it. Likewise, the Age of Reason. Or the Age of Innocence. But the Age of Harry? For Muggles not to know they’ve been living through the Potter Era would be like not noticing a Hogwarts’ commencement exercise marching through their living room. Or the noseless Voldemort sitting in the breakfast nook.“Harry Potter and the Deathl

People usually associate Uljin in North Gyeongsang Province with the wild because it is far from the expressway and blocked by a high mountain. However, the county is much closer than people think. If you travel along National Road No. 7 via Yeongdong Express Way and Donghae Expressway, it takes less than four hours by car from Seoul. The first spot to check out for a beautiful summer vacation in

A night tour of the island prison that housed notorious criminals includes a visit to the penitentiary’s hospitalALCATRAZ ISLAND, California (AP) ― When night fell on The Rock in San Francisco Bay, visitors moved shadow-like through the former prison’s lantern-lit hospital rooms, a gloaming against dingy walls with peeling blue paint.A hard wind whooshed and rattled a window in the hospital cell w

Monica Ali’s first novel, “Brick Lane,” made waves in 2003. Some hailed it as a realistic portrait of Bangladeshi life in London, while others condemned it as exaggeration and fabrication. Her fourth book, “Untold Story,” makes no pretense at realism. Instead of drawing back the curtain on immigrant lives, Ali writes a happy-ish ending for that most tragic of English roses: Princess Diana.What if

ContradictionsBy Yang Gui-ja(Cornell East Asia Series)Among many popular novels in the late 1990s, author Yang Gui-ja’s 1998 best selling novel “Contradictions” has managed to be an easy read while delving into the contradictions of the human condition.Jin-jin, a woman in her late 20s, is deeply influenced by the lives of her mother and her aunt. The twin sisters, who used look just like one anoth

Thirty years is a long time to live in the shadow of a tragedy.Those who survived the collapse of the Hyatt skywalks or who treated victims or lost a loved one have managed in their own ways to move on from that night.But for many, it has not been easy.Some escaped death, only to live a life of physical or emotional pain that challenged their spirits and altered the course of their lives.Some who

Yukgaejang is a spicy soup made by boiling beef with vegetables such as green onions, bracken, mung bean sprouts and taro stalks. It is a good soup for the summer to stimulate appetite and recoup physical strength with its high protein content. Yukgaejang (Institute of Traditional Korean Food)Ingredients ● Broth: 400 g beef (brisket), 20 cups water fragrant seasoning: 100 g green onion, 6 cloves g

Cafes put soy, mangoes and sticky rice cakes into cool dessertsHot weather brings out the summer treats at cafes and dessert shops across the nation. While that generally signifies bingsu (Korean shaved ice dessert), ice cream and gelato, a growing number of establishments are taking their cue from Asian ingredients. Fueled by the “well-being” movement and a well-traveled palate, three spots dish