Jerome Ford, an antiques appraiser, left work an hour and a half earlier than usual Friday to put himself at the front of a long line of people at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.After another hour and a half waiting, he got what he wanted: one of the seats in the front row for the South Korean nonverbal comedy and percussion show “Nanta,” the opening installment of the inaugural three-day “Korean Culture Week.”Ford, 68, from Alexandria, Virginia, was among about

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The Philadelphia home where Oscar-winning actress Grace Kelly grew up and accepted a marriage proposal from Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1955 is now in the hands of the royal family.Her son, Prince Albert of Monaco, has confirmed to People Magazine that he was the recent purchaser of the six-bedroom, 2.5-story Colonial home in the city's East Falls section. He said in an interview on the magazine’s website posted Friday that the house is “very special to our family.” He s

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) -- A member of the Swedish Academy that awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in literature to Bob Dylan says the American singer-songwriter's silence since receiving the honor is “impolite and arrogant.”Per Wastberg said Dylan’s lack of reaction to the honor the academy bestowed on him last week was predictable, but disrespectful nonetheless. “One can say that it is impolite and arrogant. He is who he is,” Wastberg was quoted as saying in Saturday's edition of the Swedish newspa

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The United Nations celebrated Wonder Woman's 75th birthday on Friday by naming the comic book character as its new Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Woman and Girls, despite frustration from both inside and outside the world organization that the spot should go to a real -- and less sexualized -- woman.The carefully choreographed ceremony was marred by some 50 UN staffers protesting by the visitors’ entrance to the UN, who then went inside the Economic and Social

INCHEON -- Imagine two large windowless concrete buildings standing parallel to each other with a plaza between them. Stifling, mirthless, one might think. But not so for the two entertainment facilities being built as part of Paradise City, an integrated resort five minutes from Incheon Airport by monorail. Designed by Dutch architect Winy Maas of MVRVD, a firm co-founded in 1993 with Jacob Van Rijs and Nathalie de Vries, Paradise City’s Chromite and Sandbox, the club and entertainment building

This rice cake, yeongyang chaltteok, is one of the easiest rice cakes you can make at home. No kneading, no shaping, no pounding, and no special tool other than a steamer is required. Yeongyang means healthy, and chal-tteok refers to sticky, chewy rice cakes that are made with glutinous rice (sweet rice) powder, chapssal garu. Traditionally, black soybeans (called seoritae or geomjeongkong), dried jujube (Korean dates, daechu), and dried pumpkin strips (hobak ogari) are added to this type of ric

Two sisters craft Greek-style yogurt in Seorae Village

Seoul Lantern FestivalFirst launched in 2009, this year’s annual Seoul Lantern Festival will be held from Nov. 4 to 20 at the Cheonggyecheon stream in Seoul. As one of the most anticipated festivals in Seoul, the annual festivities attract roughly 3 million visitors every year. Visitors can expect to see beautifully lit lanterns scattered all along the 1.2 km-long Cheonggyecheon, stretching all the way from Cheonggye Plaza and Supyogyo Bridge. The lanterns will be lit daily starting at 5 p.m. un

Nestled at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and surrounded by acres of desolate beauty, Santa Fe often surprises first-time visitors with its wealth of offerings, from culture, history and a vibrant culinary scene to outdoor pursuits such as hiking and skiing.Settled by the Spanish in the early 1600s, Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the U.S. It nurtures links to its rich history and to its blend of Native American, Latino and Anglo cultures. Even the newest buildings pay homage

Gala dinner at Ambassador Hotel Group The Ambassador Hotel Group will host gala dinners with a Michelin starred chef to mark the 130th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic ties. The events will take place at Grand Ambassador Seoul on Nov. 9 and at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Gangnam on Nov. 11.The event will feature five wines from the Bordeaux, Bourgogne and Chatelain regions, which will be paired with a seven-course menu prepared by chef William Ledeuil from France. He will showcase traditional

Artist Yang Kyung-soo hopes his pictures will contribute to fairer, more reasonable office culture

FRANKFURT (AFP) - She's a literary sensation whose debut novel has sold over 100,000 copies, yet unless you speak Dutch you’ve probably never heard of writer Lize Spit. But all that's about to change as publishers line up to translate her dark tale of friendship and betrayal.Why would a traumatized young woman return to her hometown with a block of ice in her car?It is this question at the heart of “The Melting” that has gripped readers and caused a stir unlike any other Dutch-language debut in

Around 4,000 people from around the world are to take part in a charity event in Seoul early next month to make kimchi for impoverished residents as the Seoul metropolitan government will hold a three-day festival to cherish the Korean tradition of making and sharing the iconic spicy fermented cabbage side dish, the local government said Thursday. (Seoul Metropolitan Government)The Seoul Kimchi Festival, which will open on Nov. 4, is aimed at promoting the Korean practice of making a great deal