The Korea Herald

Steel city’s ‘last geisha’ defies tsunami

PeopleMar 29, 2011

KAMAISHI, Japan (AFP) ― Tsuyako Ito, the last working geisha in the Japanese steel city of Kamaishi, is no stranger to disaster ― having survived devastating U.S. air raids in World War II and three major tsunamis.“But this tsunami was the worst of all,” the 84-year-old said of the monster wave that engulfed towns such as Kamaishi, along Japan’s eastern coast on March 11.The tsunami struck as Ito was preparing to go to sing and play the traditional three-stringed shamisen for guests at a luxury
Taylor’s unpublished love letters up for auction

PeopleMar 29, 2011

CONCORD, New Hampshire (AP) ― Before becoming a bride eight times over, Elizabeth Taylor was a 17-year-old starlet scribbling letters to her first fiance, charting on pale pink stationery his progression from her one-and-only to the one who got away.“I’ve never known this kind of love before ― it’s so perfect and complete ― and mature,” Taylor wrote to William Pawley on May 6, 1949. “I’ve never lo
Poet Ko receives honorary doctoral degree

PeopleMar 29, 2011

Poet Ko Un, a Korean literary colossus often cited by local news media as a likely Nobel winner, is to receive an honorary doctoral degree in literature from Chonbuk National University.The university said Sunday that the degree recognizes his contribution in letting the world know the beauty and literary value of Korean poems as well as his strong sense of history and active participation in soci
[Come Together]

Expat LivingMar 29, 2011

This is a regular feature introducing associations and clubs for expats. This week, Expat Living spoke to Mark Chi of Busan Expat Sailing Club ― Ed.Name of Club: Busan Expat Sailing ClubLocation(s): Sooyoungman Marina in Haeundae, BusanNumber of members: varies from 25 to 40 depending on the time of the yearStarted: 2008Who is it for? It was started for expats, but we are open to everyoneWhat goes
GEPIK hiring freeze sparks anger in Gyeonggi

Expat LivingMar 29, 2011

The recruiting body for native English public school teachers in Gyeonggi province has sparked anger with a three-month hiring freeze. The Gyeonggi-do English Program in Korea announced that it would not hire any new teachers, or renew current contracts ending between this May 25 and Aug. 31. An email sent Tuesday signed as from GEPIK coordinators and Gyeonggi Province Office of Education seen by
‘Rugby on skates’ rollin’ into Korea

Expat LivingMar 29, 2011

When it comes to full-contact sports, roller skates might not be among the essential kit that first comes to mind. But roller derby, soon to hit Korea for the first time, is no ordinary kind of sport.“Roller derby is a full-contact, all-female roller sport,” explained Elizabeth Egeland, one of the four founding members of Republic of Korea Derby, Korea’s first roller derby league.“There are genera
SFAA opens only to press and buyers

FashionMar 28, 2011

The biannual fashion show held by South Korea’s veteran fashion designers who are affiliated with the Seoul Fashion Art Association will only be open to buyers and members of the press this season. Seoul Fashion Art Association’s 2011 F/W collection kicks off its three-day collection on April 12 at the Fluxus building in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul. The main theme will be “Eco” and the shows ar
Compact, diverse: 2011 F/W Seoul Fashion Week

FashionMar 28, 2011

Shorter, more focused event includes new program that concentrates on inking deals abroadIt is finally spring, but for the fashion-savvy it is already fall. 2011 F/W Seoul Fashion Week kicked off its six-day run Monday at SETEC in Daechi-dong, southern Seoul. Started a decade ago, Seoul Fashion Week is now one of Asia’s biggest fashion fairs, having showcased about 900 designers and promoted over
S. Korea likely to be most aged nation in 2050: report

CultureMar 28, 2011

South Korea is expected to become the most aged country in the world in 2050, a report showed Monday, raising worries it could erode the economy's growth potential.The percentage of South Koreans older than 65 is forecast to reach 38.2 percent in 2050, the highest in the world, according to the report by the Korea Institute of Finance.The average life expectancy of South Koreans is projected to hi
Modern men attracted to powerful, independent women

CultureMar 28, 2011

Economic downturn is changing the ideal types of men and women. Men and women both prefer powerful partners whom they can depend on, the Daily Mail reported, citing a survey by Electronics Arts, a game company. Megan Fox (AP)About 66 percent of modern men are attracted to high-flying females and the number goes up to 71 percent among men between 30 and 34 years old. About 35 percent of men said th
Chung to head Academy of Korean Studies

PeopleMar 27, 2011

Former presidential chief of staff Chung Jung-kil has been nominated as president of the Academy of Korean Studies.The academy board said Friday that it selected Chung as the successor to Kim Jung-bae, who will retire on April 20. The new president should be approved by the minister of education, science and technology before taking office. Chung Jung-kilThe 69-year-old Chung earned his undergradu
Graffiti artist puts tagging behind him

PeopleMar 27, 2011

LOS ANGELES ― For years Cristian Gheorghiu craved the thrill of the chase. Spray-paint can in hand, he lived on the edge, always a step ahead of the law. His canvas was L.A.’s lampposts, brick walls and concrete riverbeds where he scrawled ragged images and his own nickname, “Smear” ― probably thousands of times. The graffiti made him a subculture sensation. But just as the East Hollywood graffiti
‘Resource-rich Congo awaits investors’

PeopleMar 27, 2011

Cho Don-young, honorary consul of the African state, expects to take on visa workThe Republic of Congo is a central African country little known to the Koreans. Even those who are vaguely aware of a country called Congo are likely to confuse the state with its similarly named neighbor, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Ending this confusion may be the first task for Cho Don-young, who is the fi
OMG! Online abbreviations make the OED

CultureMar 27, 2011

LONDON (AP) _ OMG! The exclamatory online abbreviation has won the approval of the Oxford English Dictionary.The term _ short for ``Oh my God'' or ``Oh my gosh'' _ is one of dozens of new entries in the authoritative reference book's latest online update.Other Internet-inspired expressions given the stamp of approval include LOL, ``laughing out loud''; IMHO, ``in my humble opinion''; and BFF, ``be
Serengeti: Tanzania’s food chain up close and personal

TravelMar 25, 2011

IN THE SERENGETI, Tanzania ― The lion isn’t sleeping tonight, and neither are most of the people around him.The eerie calls of male lions echo throughout the Serengeti at night.In a tent, even a luxury one, it is an unsettling sound, but the workers at the comfortable Kirawira Lodge in the western Serengeti smile reassuringly and insist that lions can’t work the zippers on the tent flaps. But even