The Korea Herald

Beer taste alone triggers reward chemical in brain

HealthApr 18, 2013

PARIS (AFP) ― The taste of beer, even without any effect from alcohol, triggers a key reward chemical in the brain, according to a study on Monday that explores how people become hooked on booze.Neurologists at the University of Indiana asked 49 men to drink either their favorite beer or Gatorade, a non-alcoholic sports drink, while their brains were scanned by positron emission tomography.The goal was to look at dopamine, a chemical in a part of the brain called the ventral striatum that gives
Korean novel published in Argentina

BooksApr 18, 2013

Korean author Han Kang’s 2007 novel “Vegetarian” has been translated into Spanish and published in Argentina, the Literature Translation Institute of Korea said.The sensual novel tells the story of a video artist who finds himself obsessed with his sister-in-law after she suddenly stops eating meat. He asks her to be a model for his art project, which requires painting her naked body with flowers. The book deals with human desire and violence, as well as conflicted dynamics between social norms
‘Hopper’ bio sketches troubled rebel

BooksApr 18, 2013

Like a stoned Forrest Gump, Dennis Hopper always managed to be where the action was in American pop culture history.When James Dean was inventing the Angry Young Man in “Rebel Without a Cause,” Hopper was on the set (and in the movie).When Andy Warhol was turning the art world on its ear, Hopper was buying one of his early soup cans (and went on to scoop up Rauschenbergs and Ruschas). When the old movie studio system was dying, Hopper used the success of “Easy Rider” to help drive a nail in the
Self-published book hits best-seller lists

BooksApr 18, 2013

SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas (AP) ― After a feverish month of inspiration, Colleen Hoover had finally fulfilled her dream of writing a book.With family and friends asking to read the emotional tale of first love, the married mother of three young boys living in rural East Texas and working 11-hour days as a social worker decided to digitally self-publish on Amazon, where they could download it for free for a week.“I had no intentions of ever getting the book published. I was just writing it for fun,’’
Complicated nature of relationships

BooksApr 18, 2013

A Cold and Lonely PlaceBy Sara J. Henry (Crown)Most of us thrive on human contact ― spouses, friends, family. But for others who have been wounded by the people they love most, isolation in a cold and lonely place may seem like paradise.That sense of severing all previous ties and never truly getting close to people permeate Sara J. Henry’s second insightful second novel. As she did in her 2012 Agatha-winning debut, “Learning to Swim,” Henry explores the complicated nature of relationships while
The effect of political cartoons

BooksApr 18, 2013

The Art of Controversy: Political Cartoons and Their Enduring PowerBy Victor S. Navasky (Knopf)Few people afflict the comfortable more savagely and effectively than political cartoonists. In “The Art of Controversy: Political Cartoons and Their Enduring Power,” veteran magazine editor Victor S. Navasky investigates how they work and celebrates some of the greats, from pioneering artist William Hogarth to contemporary caricaturist David Levine.His book features 76 black-and-white illustrations pl
Calligraphy of Buddhist monks reflects their personalities

CultureApr 18, 2013

It is said that handwriting reflects a man’s character. Korean calligraphy using a brush and ink is said to be the epitome of self-discipline and academic achievements as it demands patience and self-control.At the National Museum, an exhibition highlighting the calligraphy works of two of the greatest Buddhist monks of the modern Korea is held through June 16.A total of 80 works and artifacts of Ven. Hanam (1876-1951) and Ven. Tanheo (1913-1983) are on display, including nine calligraphy pieces
Lotus Lantern Festival set for May 10-12

CultureApr 18, 2013

From May 10 through 12, major Buddhist temples and the Cheonggyecheon Stream neighborhood in central Seoul will be filled with colorful lotus lanterns to celebrate the 2,576th birthday of Buddha that falls on May 17 this year. The Celebration Committee for Buddha’s Birthday, the Yeondeunghoe Preservation Committee, on Wednesday said that the annual “Yeondeunghoe,” or lotus lantern festival, will be back this year with more hands-on experiences for visitors. On the first day, traditional lanterns
Pension chief leaves office

PeopleApr 18, 2013

Jun Kwang-woo stepped down from the National Pension Service as chairman and CEO on Thursday. He said in a farewell speech at the service that he had tried to bolster public trust in the service and its investment capabilities, among others, while he was in office. “Thanks to our all-out efforts to build people’s confidence in us, the number of pension subscribers topped 20 million for the first time last year,” he said. A well-diversified investment portfolio helped the pension fund surge from
Japan’s stressed princess may travel abroad: reports

PeopleApr 18, 2013

TOKYO (AFP) ― Japan’s Crown Princess Masako, who has been treated for a stress-induced illness for a decade, is expected to travel abroad for the first time in about seven years, multiple media reports said Wednesday.The 49-year-old former diplomat may accompany her husband, Crown Prince Naruhito, on an official visit to the Netherlands to attend the coronation of Willem Alexander on April 30, dailies, news agencies and TV networks said.It will be her first overseas trip since Naruhito’s family
Portugal’s retro brands win new fans

FashionApr 17, 2013

LISBON (AFP) ― From vintage sardine tins and embroidered napkins to artisanal soaps, Portugal’s retro products are winning new fans as a handful of companies introduce their old-school aesthetic to the international market.“The Americans have McDonald’s ― we’ve got tinned fish,” jokes Tiago Cabral Ferreira at the Conserveira de Lisboa shop which has sold sardines, mackerel and other canned fish from the heart of Lisbon’s old town for the past 83 years. And it’s the retro-styled tins, with their
Sustainable living highlighted at Milan show

Arts&DesignApr 17, 2013

MILAN (AP) ― Bathrooms that beg indulgence. Tiles that reduce pollution. Lighting that mimics a rainbow. Extravagance, social consciousness and innovation were strange, but alluring, bedfellows at the Milan Furniture Show and the myriad side events dedicated to design that wrapped up Sunday, ending a weeklong celebration of domestic bliss in its many forms. The burgeoning event was originally conceived to promote Italian furniture making, which is withstanding the recession better than many indu
Louvre Abu Dhabi gives peek at collection

CultureApr 17, 2013

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) ― Abu Dhabi’s new branch of the Louvre considers no artistic subject to be off limits but will not “shock for the sake of shocking,’’ a top overseer said Tuesday. She spoke as the museum prepared to open a sample of its growing collection to public view, shedding light on the choices the city makes as it expands its international profile while testing how far to open its conservative culture.Objects including a medieval nude sculpture and Christian icons sugg
Several ancient Korean books made available online

CultureApr 17, 2013

More than a thousand ancient Korean books of academic value in a U.S. university and a Japanese library are now available on the Internet as a South Korean university has recently begun an online scanning service.Korea University’s Center for Korean Studies Materials said Wednesday it has recently opened a website (http://kostma.korea.ac.kr/riks) that provides the scanned images of some 1,000 books and 50 volumes of printed material from Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) that are now in the possession
Chung Myung-whun to record first solo piano album

CultureApr 17, 2013

Pianist-turned-conductor Chung Myung-whun will record his first solo piano album, local media reported Wednesday. The 60-year-old musician has built up a career as a maestro by leading orchestras around the world, including the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, the Radio France Philharmonic and the Opra Bastille Orchestra.Chung is now arranging the details for a solo piano album with German label, ECM, according to industry insiders. His second son, Jeong-seon, the first Korean producer at ECM, is e