The spring/summer collection by Christian Dior’s new artistic director Raf Simons is on view in Seoul. The French fashion house set up an in-store pop-up unit at multi-brand shop My Boon in Cheongdam-dong. The display presents Simons’ first ready-to-wear spring/summer collection for Christian Dior. The collection focuses on the structured silhouette of Dior’s iconic “bar” jacket and hyper-feminine take on tailoring. Dior’s “bar” suit, introduced in 1947, dubbed the “New Look” at the time, featur

Affordable morning matinee concerts to reach out to ordinary people

Voluntary Agency Network of Korea or VANK, a nongovernmental South Korean organization of volunteers who work to promote their country to the world, will perform at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on Friday to highlight the Korean sovereignty of Dokdo on Independence Day, March 1. VANK said Wednesday that 150 of its young members plan to stage a show in commemoration of the historic movement for independence from the Japanese colonial rule and to prevent the revival of Japanese militarism.The VANK m

Prime Minister Chung Hong-won, who began his official duties on Wednesday, contributed 100 million won ($92,000) to a local charity organization in a gesture to take care of citizens in need and prioritize the lives of the people.Chung, 68, was formally appointed by President Park Geun-hye as her first prime minister on Tuesday after the National Assembly approved his nomination earlier in the day.After paying a visit to the national cemetery as his first official duty, he visited the Community

The right animal can be fun and educational in a childcare center but the wrong animal can make kids sick, a U.S. health official warned. Dr. Neil Vora, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, said examples of risky pets include reptiles such as turtles, lizards and snakes, as well as amphibians such as frogs and salamanders -- all commonly carry salmonella.“Children younger than age 5 are at particularly high risk for serious illness with salmonella,” Vor

Various spring-themed events are being held to lure consumers who wish to enjoy outdoor activities as a warm breeze welcomes the new season.Several hotels in Seoul have opened strawberry dessert buffets where visitors can savor the many tastes of strawberries. More than 30 dishes are available, including tarts, meringues, macaroons and mille-feuille. The prices range from 35,000 won to 50,000 won. Also, spring-themed cooking classes are popping up. The food blogger who owns “Atelier Bom,” a baki

Lack of sleep has a potentially harmful effect on gene expression, according to a study out Tuesday that sheds light on the link between sleep deficits and a wide range of health conditions.A sleep deficit -- even just a week‘s worth -- can have damaging effects on our genes, researchers said in a new study out Tuesday.Lack of adequate shut-eye had already been linked to conditions from heart disease and cognitive impairment to obesity.But sleep researcher Derk-Jan Dijk and his fellow researcher

On her inauguration day, President Park Geun-hye was seen wearing five outfits. While Park cannot be charged guilty of vanity for changing so frequently ― each event did call for attire appropriate for the occasion ― those who had looked forward to a fashion moment or two from the country’s first female president were largely let down. Wearing a lightly padded coat to the Seoul National Cemetery was a fashion faux-pas: Such a solemn occasion calls for a classic long coat, in wool or cashmere.The

Gwangju International Center will run its first GIC Culture tour on March 23, with a trip to Namwon.GIC Tours and GIC culture programs were run separately once a month last year, but this year they have been combined.Nestled in the northwestern foothills of Jirisan Mountain, Namwon has a long musical legacy, and is the setting for two of Korea’s five remaining “pansori,” the stories of Chunhyang and Heungbo.The tour will make its first stop at The Birthplace of Korean Traditional Music, a center

The darker side of love will be shown in Seoul from Friday with “Venus in Furs.”Adapted from the novella of the same name by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, who eventually inspired the term “masochism,” the play, staged by Crushed Goblet, follows two people exploring the book. The characters discuss the book, taking on various roles both dominating and diminutive. “It begins in the modern day and carries you back and forth to other times. I think it departs in some very interesting ways,” said Stepha

About 80 expats braved the cold along the banks of the Gapcheon River in Daejeon on Saturday and Sunday for an Ultimate tournament.The first Daejeon Frozen Fives, it is one of several tournaments in Korea, the biggest being the Dirty Dozens, an international annual event in Jeju.Originally called Ultimate Frisbee, the sport is typically played with teams of seven ― although the Daejeon event is five-a-side ― moving a Frisbee by passing it, with the aim of reaching scoring end zones. The players