The Korea Herald

Bryson tours Britain again in ‘The Road to Little Dribbling’

BooksJan 21, 2016

LONDON (AP) -- Bill Bryson loves Britain. Really.　The Iowan-born writer, who takes an affectionate if sometimes exasperated look at his adopted country in “The Road to Little Dribbling,” cherishes Britain's landscape, its history, its architectural heritage, its people. He’s not so keen on its reality: TV shows, its litter and -- this is a shock -- its beer.　With a touch of embarrassment, Bryson admits that he is no fan of real ale, the cask-conditioned beer that for many is iconically English.　
Famous fairy tales are thousands of years old: study

CultureJan 21, 2016

LONDON (AFP) - Fairy tales such as Beauty And The Beast are much older than previously thought and are actually thousands of years old, academics found in research published Wednesday.　Their analysis indicates that Beauty And The Beast and Rumpelstiltskin are around 4,000 years old while Jack And The Beanstalk can be traced back more than 5,000 years.　Anthropologist Jamie Tehrani from Britain's Durham University and folklorist Sara Graca da Silva of New University Lisbon used techniques initally
Oldest Christian monastery in Iraq razed

CultureJan 21, 2016

IRBIL, Iraq (AP) -- Satellite photos obtained by the Associated Press confirm what church leaders and Middle East preservationists had feared: The oldest Christian monastery in Iraq has been reduced to a field of rubble, yet another victim of the Islamic State group's relentless destruction of heritage sites it considers heretical. 　St. Elijah’s Monastery stood as a place of worship for 1,400 years, including most recently for U.S. troops. In earlier millennia, generations of monks tucked candl
Tonymoly opens shops in Saudi Arabia

FashionJan 21, 2016

South Korean cosmetics maker Tonymoly said Thursday it has opened two shops in Saudi Arabia, tapping into the Middle Eastern market for the first time. In December, Tonymoly opened its first shop in Andalus Mall in Jeddah, and launched a second one in the capital city of Riyadh. Tonymoly said it will open 5-6 more shops in the first half of this year to grab a bigger chunk of the fast-growing beauty market in the oil-rich nation. The firm expected sales to take off this month as more local consu
Samsung starts blood donation drive amid low reserves

HealthJan 21, 2016

South Korea's top conglomerate the Samsung Group said Thursday it has kicked off an inhouse blood donation campaign in an effort to help the country tide over a shortage of blood reserves.The campaign will be carried out at key affiliates' major facilities across the nation until the end of February, with around 20,000 staff members expected to join it, the group said.Samsung said it has also donated two buses with blood donation facilities worth 500 million won to South Korea's Red Cross.Samsun
Free English walking tour offered in Seoul

Expat LivingJan 20, 2016

Student volunteer group Seoul Free Walking Tour will run guided walks around the city’s historic center of Jeong-dong and Bukchon, an area east of Gyeongbokgung Palace that is famous for its traditional houses.The Jeong-dong tour starts at Gyeongbokgung Station and visits sites around Deoksugung Palace, many of which are related to early Western involvement in the country in the late Joseon era.The Bukchon tour starts at Anguk Station, moves to the Bukchon Cultural Center and then to Gyedonggil
U.S. military portrayals of Korea examined

Expat LivingJan 20, 2016

The Royal Asiatic Society, Korea Branch will host a talk by veteran expat Jacco Zwetsloot on the portrayal of Korea in U.S. military media under the U.S. Army Military Government of Korea from 1945-48. He will focus on Korea Graphic, the weekly newspaper printed by the Troop Information and Education section of the 24th Corps for troops stationed in the U.S. zone of occupation. As U.S. troops were discouraged from getting too close to the country, Korea Graphic was a key source of information fo
Seoul seeks student volunteers

Expat LivingJan 20, 2016

Seoul Metropolitan Government is seeking student volunteers to help out with the city’s community projects.The volunteers will participate in group volunteer events, give online classes on foreign languages and culture to children living in island areas, and help with translation, cleaning and other services at Gwanghwamun Plaza Flea Market. Those who teach children from island areas at least twice a week over 10 months will be eligible for a scholarship of up to 2.5 million won from KT.Voluntee
Foreign craft fairs to open in Seoul, Busan

Expat LivingJan 20, 2016

Two foreign cultural markets will open in Seoul and Busan this month with a selection of handicrafts from vendors based across the country.Celebrating its first anniversary, the monthly Busan Foreign Culture Market will open Saturday at Owl and Pussycat, Hq, Beached Bar & Sharkys Bar in the city’s Gwangan area, with a magical theme.The market will feature handmade accessories, stationery, soaps and scents, many of which will have touches from “Harry Potter.” Busan Abandoned Pet Sanctuary will al
Taxing times for expat earners

Expat LivingJan 20, 2016

Along with a new year, January heralds a new nuisance – end-of-year tax settlements.　The Korean tax year is the same as the calendar year, and for most employees, tax is deducted from monthly pay based on estimates, and the end-of-year settlement is used to make corrections to that estimate.　However, some deductions are not available to foreign taxpayers, and what counts and does not is not always obvious to expats. (123RF)　Exemptions are available for recorded cash and card spending, dependents
Haitai Confectionery eyes IPO following honey chip craze

Food&BeverageJan 20, 2016

Haitai Confectionery & Foods Co., South Korea's second-biggest confectionery, said Wednesday it is preparing for an initial public offering this year, taking advantage of the huge success of its honey-flavored potato chips.Haitai said it has made deals with two local brokerage houses to list its shares on the Seoul bourse during the first half of this year.Launched in August 2014, Honey Butter Chip created a craze in honey-flavored products among foodies, spurring many copycats by its rivals. Th
[Herald Interview] Hyatt Jeju seeks to be ‘home away from home’

CultureJan 20, 2016

General manager Patrick Verove says he was destined to work at hotels by the sea
Eight out of 10 Koreans drink over one cup of coffee a day

Food&BeverageJan 20, 2016

Eight out of 10 adult Koreans drink at least two cups of coffee a day, and many of them make their own coffee at home in addition to visiting cafes, a poll showed Wednesday.According to the survey conducted on 1,076 respondents who attended a global cafe exhibition in November, 36 percent said they drink about two cups of coffee a day, while a quarter drink three cups, and 15 percent indulge in four or more cups. The Seoul International Cafe Show, the annual cafe exhibition's host, said six out
Japan‘s ’Tuna King‘ laments Tsukiji market move

CultureJan 20, 2016

TOKYO (AFP) - Kiyoshi Kimura‘s ear-to-ear grin is tough to miss in Japan -- it’s splashed across ubiquitous billboards advertising his nationwide sushi chain.　But the self-styled “Tuna King” isn't smiling about plans to move Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji market, the world's biggest fish emporium, and warns that its unique identity is at risk of being destroyed.　Kimura’s office is a block away from the historic site where in 2013 he famously slapped down a record $1.8 million bid at the traditional New
Penthouse halts magazine after 50 years, goes digital

CultureJan 20, 2016

NEW YORK (AFP) - Adult magazine Penthouse will end its print edition after 50 years, becoming the latest publication to go exclusively digital.　Parent company FriendFinder Networks Inc. said the magazine will henceforth be released in online-only format and that subscriptions would be converted to digital.　“This will be a new way for its readers to experience the world's best adult magazine,” said FriendFinder chief executive Jonathan Buckheit in a statement.　“Reimagined for the preferred consu