Exhibitions“Whale, the Moving Island”: Lotte Gallery holds the solo photo exhibition of the famous underwater photographer Chang Nam-won at the Lotte gallery, located 12th and 14th floor of the Lotte Department Store in Sogong-dong, Seoul. The exhibition features pictures of humpback whales Chang took in the waters off Vavau Island, 1,900 kilometers away from New Zealand. Photo works include the rare moment when a whale approaches closer to a diver, and moves around, which is considered to be a

We Need to Talk about Kevin (U.S.)Opened July 28Drama. Directed by Lynne Ramsay. Eva (Tilda Swinton), who used to be a prominent travel writer, now works for a small travel agency. Her son, Kevin (Ezra Miller) is in prison after committing an ineffable crime at his high school. She looks back at her memories of the difficult relationship she had with her son, who never bonded with her throughout his life. The Thieves (Korea)Opened July 25Crime. Action. Directed by Choi Dong-hun. Anycall (Gianna

“All We Know: Three Lives” By Lisa Cohen (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)Three women who blazed with the passions of their generation but who are now forgotten. Three women who carved out what it means to be contemporary, independent, free. Three women who reached for success ― but didn’t always know, as the daughters of Victorians, what their ambitions even were or could be. In her triptych biography of Esther Murphy, Mercedes de Acosta and Madge Garland ― all born in the 1890s ― Lisa Cohen brings u

“A Cupboard Full of Coats” By Yvvette Edwards (Amistad)“A Cupboard Full of Coats,” Yvvette Edwards’ first novel, was good enough to crack the long list last summer for the Man Booker Prize. So why is it only now crashing ashore here? Beats me, but I’ll predict it makes waves now that it has.Maybe the subject matter explains the delay. Set among London’s Caribbean immigrants, “Coats” is the backward-looking story of a battered woman and three people who played a role in her death: the two men who

NBA player Amar’e Stoudemire is so passionate about promoting literacy that he has a tattoo on his forearm that says “Read.” This week, the 29-year-old captain of the New York Knicks is translating that ink to the page with a new book series he’s written for middle-graders called “STAT: Standing Tall and Talented.”Titled after his nickname, “STAT” is based on Stoudemire’s life as a middle schooler. Published by Scholastic, the kickoff title, “Home Court,” is written from his perspective as a 6-f

“The Lounge” and “Salon de The” at Lotte Hotel Seoul are serving “Royal English Tea Set” and “Champagne Afternoon Tea Set.” The afternoon tea set menus serve delicious pastries prepared by a pastry chef working with three-Michelin star chef Pierre Gagnaire. Pastries include ginseng and pear glass, sable Breton berry, chocolate mousse cake, lemon tart, marble cake, orange financier, macaron, scone, chocolate, and assorted sandwiches. The Royal English Tea Set offers a choice of coffee or tea, ser

The hotel’s restaurant The Garden presents “Summer Mediterranean Seafood Barbecue Promotion” from Aug. 2-31. Offering fresh seafood and natural ingredients like tomatoes, olive oil, fruits, nuts, grains and cheese, the menu is rich in nutrition and taste. The Mediterranean seafood barbecue dinner buffet includes garlic buttered grilled king prawns, king crab stew marinated in citron and thyme, lamb steak garnished with fresh summer peach chutney, and 40 other dishes all prepared and grilled by t

The hotel presents “Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day) Package” giving major discount to guests who purchase the hotel’s early bird promotion by the end of August. The package offers the lowest price of the year. The package consists of a one-night stay in a superior room, two movie tickets at Megabox Central and access to the hotel’s fitness club and swimming pool. Visitors may also enjoy shopping at Shinsegae Department Store in Gangnam directly connected to the hotel through underground passag

The hotel recently completed a full guest-room renovation and is now offering a range of relaxing summer packages from Aug.16-Sept.5. The “Cool Package” provides a one-night stay in a deluxe room and free access to the gym as well as its swimming pool. The “Healing Package” offers a one-night stay, breakfast, gelato ice cream and free access to the sauna. The “Family Package” for families of three or more, presents one night in the Grand Suite Residence, breakfast buffet, ice flake “patbingsu” a

The hotel’s Zoe Bar presents a cocktail promotion with its famous bartender, Ssami. Ssami has won the “Green Day Midori New Recipe Seminar & Bartender Contest” for two consecutive years in 2011 and 2012. He will also compete in the World Cocktail Competition’s Bartender Contest, which will take place in Prague in 2013 as Korea’s representative. Guests may enjoy the “Fresh Breeze,” the prize winning cocktail of the 2012 contest, and “Day of Heaven,” the prize winning cocktail of 2011 as well as a

Gegamjeong is a stew made of blue crab and red pepper paste. In olden days, it was often served on the king’s dining table. The delicate crab flesh and spicy soup give gegamjeong a unique taste. The crab is tasty and nutritious, and there is a saying, “Travelers should not look at the blue crab.”Ingredients● 2 bodies blue female crab ● 120 g beef (minced top round) ● Seasoning sauce: 1/2 tsp clear soy sauce, 1/2 tsp minced green onion, 1/4 tsp minced 1/2 tsp sesame salt, 1/8 tsp ground black pep