The Korea Herald

Tinted gold passes for precious stones

FashionApr 11, 2012

MEDELLIN, Colombia (AFP) ― All that glitters is gold under a new thermochemical process developed by Colombian engineers for colour-tinting the precious metal to make it look like sapphires, rubies or emeralds.The tinting can increase the value of gold by a factor of five, meaning the chemically-altered precious metal is likely to appear in jewellers’ display windows worldwide soon, according to University of Antioquia engineers.“It does not involve painting the gold or covering it with some mat
‘Little Paris Kitchen’ spells success for young British chef

FashionApr 11, 2012

PARIS (AFP) ― From au pair to television chef of the moment, Rachel Khoo has come a long way since she landed in Paris from London six years ago, armed with schoolgirl French and a love of cooking.With a bestselling recipe book and BBC series, “The Little Paris Kitchen,” now under her belt, the 31-year-old looks well placed to be the next big thing on the television chef scene. Or rather, the next small thing.For Khoo’s new-found fame comes courtesy of the micro-restaurant which the bubbly brune
Designers show mixed bag of goodies

FashionApr 11, 2012

Organza, dots lend light mood to dark palettes of winter monthsGlobal warming, or more accurately, global climate change must have been on the minds of many designers presenting their fall/winter collections during last week’s Seoul Fashion Week.Never mind the unseasonably cold and windy weather ― the gusty wind knocked out a wall of a tent at Olympic Park that housed the press room ― the audiences were treated to some delightful lightness afforded by the use of organza, fine silk, punched fabri
Doomsday condos on sale for those who can afford it

TravelApr 11, 2012

Luxury flats built inside missile silos to fend off disaster“Act now, or you’re a loser.”A salesman abides by this strategy to prepare for the worst as he seeks to sell ultra-safety underground havens designed to withstand Doomsday. ‘Doomsday preppers,’ luxurious underground havens built deep under the Kansas prairie, have been sold to four buyers for a total of about $7 million so far, the Daily Mail reported.The luxury flats located within 3-meter-thick walls of abandoned missile silos stretc
Chairman Cho at the vanguard of sports diplomacy

PeopleApr 10, 2012

Chairman Cho at the vanguard of sports diplomacyBy Kim So-hyunEver since he took the helm of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games Bid Committee in 2009, Hanjin Group chairman Cho Yang-ho has been at the forefront of Korea’s sports diplomacy. Even after PyeongChang won the right in July last year to host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, Cho continued to contribute towards achieving world peace through sports.Cho was named an international ambassador for the Peace and Sport, a Monaco-based orga
Final book of Churchill trilogy coming this fall

PeopleApr 10, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) ― The third and final volume of the late William Manchester’s beloved series on Winston Churchill is coming out this fall, nearly 25 years since the previous book.In November, Little, Brown and Company will publish “The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill: Defender of the Realm, 1940-1965.” The new work was started by Manchester and completed by Paul Reid, a former writer for Cox Newspapers. Manchester, who began the Churchill series in the 1980s, was in poor health during his lat
Dior names Simons as artistic director

PeopleApr 10, 2012

PARIS (AP) ― Christian Dior has named Belgian designer Raf Simons as its new artistic director, seven months after its icon, John Galliano, was convicted by a Paris court for drunken anti-Semitic ravings.A fashion rebel of a different sort, Simons ― who began his career as a furniture designer and has had his own successful menswear label ― will present his first show for the renowned Dior fashion house in July, according to Monday’s announcement.Galliano was dismissed by Dior in March 2011, day
Rain to promote military service

PeopleApr 10, 2012

The Military Manpower Administration appointed singer Rain as the ninth military service promotion ambassador on Tuesday.“Make it widely known that fulfilling military service is a proud and honorable act while working as the military service promotion ambassador,” Military Manpower Administration Commissioner Kim Young-hoo said after appointing Rain as the goodwill ambassador. Rain will serve as the goodwill ambassador for one year. During that time he will model for various promotion projects
Kang donates profits from restaurant business

PeopleApr 10, 2012

Former TV celebrity Kang Ho-dong announced Tuesday that he would donate all profits from his shares of 678 Corporation. Once a leading show host, Kang is the largest shareholder of the company, which operates seven restaurant brands specializing in pork, chicken and beef dishes, including 678 Chicken and Baekjeong. Kang became the company’s largest shareholder in 2005 and currently holds a 33.3 percent stake worth more than 15 billion won ($13 million). 678 Corporation has not disclosed the deta
Lotus Lantern Festival designated as intangible cultural heritage

CultureApr 10, 2012

Yeondeunghoe, the lotus lantern festival that accompanie Buddha’s Birthday, has been designated as an intangible cultural heritage by the Cultural Heritage Administration said Monday.The first form of the festival dates back to Korea’s Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-935 A.D.), and has been held on the day of Daeboreum ― a Korean holiday that celebrates the first full moon of the lunar calendar. The religious ceremony now takes place annually in Seoul on the nearest Sunday to Buddha’s Birthday.“Though Ye
Georgia’s Stalin museum to focus on his atrocities

CultureApr 10, 2012

GORI, Georgia (AP) ― A museum that has honored Josef Stalin in Georgia since 1937 is being remodeled to exhibit the atrocities that were committed during the Soviet dictator’s rule.Georgian Culture Minister Nika Rurua said Monday that his nation, which became independent in 1991, can no longer host a museum “glorifying the Soviet dictator.’’Stalin was born Josef Dzhugashvili in the central Georgian town of Gori in 1879, and the museum opened here in 1937, at the height of purges that were later
Seoul Shakespeare Company hopes ‘Tempest’ will go down a storm

Expat LivingApr 10, 2012

Seoul Shakespeare Company has stepped things up for its production of “The Tempest,” which starts this weekend. The company holds performances of scenes and monologues, but only puts on one full-length play a year, which drives them to make the most of it. This year they have moved to a larger theater, Sotang Hall, and added subtitles. That aside, they have full costume, set and lighting design and a cast of 15 ― relatively large for an expat production.“This is my third Shakespearean production
International hikers plan Gangjin trip

Expat LivingApr 10, 2012

Seoul International Hikers Club is planning a trip to Gangjin, South Jeolla Province, on April 21.The group will visit Baekryeong-sa, a temple that is more than 1,200 years old and produced several great monks during the Goryo Kingdom.The trip coincides with the temple’s tea ceremony, conducted each year to honor the great monks. They will have a small concert in a camellia forest at the same time.The group leaves on a chartered bus at 7:50 a.m. near Gwanghwamun Station. To register, contact sih
Seoul Global Center offers Korean course

Expat LivingApr 10, 2012

Seoul Global center is running its second Korean language course of the year from May 7-July 27.The course is free except for textbook costs, and nine levels are available, from first beginner to intermediate and idiom classes.The classes are twice a week in the evenings or mornings, with days and times depending on level.To apply for the course, visit the center in person this Monday or Tuesday with a copy of your Alien Registration card and a passport photo. Online or proxy applications are no
Foreign Ministry holds video contest

Expat LivingApr 10, 2012

The Foreign Ministry is inviting expats to join a video contest to promote Korea.Entrants should post a 3-minute clip on the theme “I love Korea Because …” and upload it to YouTube or another video hosting site. They should then fill in an application form, and send it to culturemofat@gmail.com or culturemofat@mofat.go.kr.Prizes include a car, a 1-week trip to Korea and tickets to a live K-pop show. Two laptops will be given out as second prizes, as well as three third prizes of a tablet PC and