The Korea Herald

Louise Bourgeois’ legacy remembered

CultureMay 29, 2012

Kukje Gallery exhibition features early iconic works shown for the first time in Korea An exhibition of works by the late French-American artist Louise Bourgeois opened last week, featuring some of her early iconic pieces that are being shown for the first time in Korea. Titled “Personages,” the exhibition showcases 14 pieces created between the 1940s and the early 1950s that established Bourgeois as one of the most prominent sculptors after World War II.Known in Korea for the gigantic spider sc
Korea-Arab group to host culture festival

Expat LivingMay 29, 2012

The Korea-Arab Society is hosting the Arab Cultural Festival from June 7-10 at COEX. The festival will hold special exhibitions of Arab culture and tourism for the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Arabic countries. There will be performances from the Jordanian National Folkloric Group and Moroccan Andalusian Orchestra. The festival will provide experiences including writing in Arabic script and dressing in traditional Arabian costumes for photo shoots. Free mobile tickets are availa
Applications open for Korean tests

Expat LivingMay 29, 2012

Applications for Korea’s two main language proficiency tests open in early June.Applications for the Test of Proficiency in Korean, taken at universities across the country, are open June 12-25.The TOPIK is available in three levels, with beginner and advanced in the morning and intermediate in the afternoon. The exam will be available in Korea on July 22.Applications to take the Korean Language Ability Test ― formerly known as the Korean Language Proficiency Test ― open June 1-14.To apply, visi
Migrant’s song contest taking applications

Expat LivingMay 29, 2012

The 2012 Migrant’s Song Festival is now accepting competitors who enjoy singing K-pop. All migrants are welcome to enter and participate at the festival, in which the grand prize winner will take home 10 million won. The preliminary round runs from 1-5 p.m. on June 17 at Gyeong-dong Church in Seoul. The second and third rounds are slated for August and September respectively in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. Those who wish to participate in the festival should submit an application form an
Seongbuk GVC spreads Latin warmth

Expat LivingMay 29, 2012

Seongbuk Global Village Center will be hosting a Latin American Festival from noon-8 p.m. on June 9 at the Seongbukcheon Fountain Square. The festival, sponsored by the Embassies of Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Guatemala and Colombia, will feature Latin American folk songs and dance. There will also be stalls offering wine and beer tastings and the chance to try traditional Latin American food. Seongbukcheon Fountain Square is at Hansung Unviersity Station Exit 2. (hs@heraldm.com)
The Primary rises to the surface

Expat LivingMay 29, 2012

Expat band releases debut EP ‘Beneath the Tide’Expat rock group The Primary’s first record is an international affair.The Cheongju-based group from Northern Ireland, Scotland, Canada and the United States recorded “Beneath the Tide” in Korea, sent it for mixing to the U.S. and are now distributing it through a website in India. Guitarist Tony Boyd said that the most popular song was “Head in the Door,” a gently building song that crescendos from a cello bass line and acoustic rhythm.“It’s defini
Reduce costs, shop seasonally at markets

Expat LivingMay 29, 2012

This is the third in a series on how to get by as a vegan or vegetarian in rural Korea. ― Ed.So you’ve suffered the tribulations of Korean restaurants, but you’re longing for something new. In most areas, you will either have to travel or cook for yourself. If you’re doing the latter, the cheapest place for produce is the street market. It’s generally about half the price of “marts” and cheaper than chain stores. The main disadvantage is that you have no idea where the food came from. Some is gr
Busan gets taste of the bard in the park

Expat LivingMay 29, 2012

Shakespeare in Busan plans two-week run of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ in Dalmaji AmphitheaterBusan expatriates will this week get another chance to experience a summer theater tradition they might not have expected in Korea ― Shakespeare in the park.Shakespeare in Busan will put on “Much Ado About Nothing” this week and next at the Dalmaji Amphitheater in eastern Busan.The area is popular with hikers and director Jennifer Howell said the venue has a fantastic atmosphere.“It’s breathtakingly beauti
Forty ancient sites discovered in Iraq

CultureMay 29, 2012

NASIRIYAH, Iraq (AFP) ― Teams of Iraqi archaeologists have discovered 40 ancient sites in the country’s south from the Sumerian, Akkadian and Babylonian periods, an Iraqi antiquities official said on Monday.“Teams, which have been working since 2010, were able to discover 40 archaeological sites belonging to the Sumerian, Akkadian and Babylonian periods,” Amer al-Zaidi, the head of the antiquities inspectorate in Dhi Qar province told AFP.The sites, which have not yet been fully explored, are lo
Senior gardening plans save money, improve quality of life

HealthMay 29, 2012

A project in Britain that paired seniors and gardening enthusiasts increased the quality of life of both and saved healthcare funds, officials said. Sarah Jackson, a horticulturalist, found volunteers who had no access to land to plant a garden with older people who wanted to maintain their gardens but could no longer work on them anymore. Three years later, Jackson said not only did the elderly
Korean violinist wins third place at Queen Elisabeth Competition

PeopleMay 28, 2012

BRUSSELS (Yonhap News) ― South Korean violinist Shin Hyun-su won third prize at the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels Sunday, for her performance of Johannes Brahms’ Sonata for violin and piano No. 3.The 25-year-old Shin, who started playing the violin at the age of 4 and began her solo career at 11, has competed in a number of renowned contests and won second prize at the Hanover International Competition in 2006.As the third-place winner, Shin will receive a prize of 17,000 e
Terminally ill U.S. K-pop fan to visit South Korea

PeopleMay 28, 2012

NEW YORK (Yonhap News) ― An American teenager with an incurable disease is set to visit South Korea next month and meet her favorite K-pop stars.From an early age, Donika Sterling of Brooklyn, New York, suffered from a rare disease that has gradually slowed down parts of her body and made it difficult for her to move. The 15-year-old girl’s dreams came true, however, when one of her grandmother’s patients at a Manhattan hospital heard her story and decided to send her to South Korea, where she p
U.N. warns of crowds at Machu Picchu

CultureMay 28, 2012

LIMA (AFP) ― The U.N.’s cultural arm UNESCO is calling for emergency measures to prevent the town that feeds tourists to Peru’s archeological marvel Machu Picchu from becoming overrun.The 15th century Incan city is perched on a mountain high above the town of Aguas Caliente, which has seen a boom in hotels and restaurants to accommodate an ever-growing number of visitors.“The authorities charged with protecting the archeological site of Machu Picchu, located in the Cusco region, must take rigoro
Culture forum to bring experts to Seoul

CultureMay 28, 2012

The third annual Culture Communication Forum organized by the Corea Image Communication Institute will bring leading cultural figures together in Seoul in September.Vladimir Tolstoy, director of the Leo Tolstoy Museum estate; Dominique Wolton, research director of the French National Centre for Scientific Research; Hermann Parzinger, president of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation; Geradine Doogue, ABC Australia journalist and Yi Sun-kyung, a Canadian filmmaker and writer, are among those
Couple splits over wife's 550 cats

CultureMay 28, 2012

An Israeli man says he wants to divorce his wife because she refuses to part with her 550 cats.The man, whose name was not reported, petitioned the Rabbinical Court in Beersheba for divorce from his cat-loving wife this week, The Times of Israel, Jerusalem, reported Sunday.He told the court he was unable to sleep in the couple's bedroom because his wife's hundreds of cats were constantly sleeping