NEW YORK (AP) -- Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, a pioneer and reigning giant of modern literature whose imaginative power in "Beloved,'' "Sula'' and other works transformed American letters by dramatizing the pursuit of freedom within the boundaries of race, has died at age 88.Publisher Alfred A. Knopf announced that Morrison died Monday night at Montefiore Medical Center in New York after a brief illness."Toni Morrison passed away peacefully last night surrounded by family an

Seo Eu-ra inspires freelance wannabes to explore independent career path, offering both tips and caution

Actors Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo have finalized their divorce, as the court approved the divorce settlement Monday.The settlement comes one month after Song Joong-ki filed for divorce from Song Hye-kyo at the Seoul Family Court. According to Song Hye-kyo’s agency UAA, there will be no division of property or settlement money.The two tied the knot in October 2017 after meeting as the co-stars of hit TV drama series “Descendants of the Sun” in 2016.By Im Eun-byel (silverstar

Song Hye-kyo and Song Joong-ki’s divorce was finalized at a Seoul court Monday.The two settled their divorce at a closed-door hearing held at 10 a.m. Monday at Seoul Family Court. The hearing lasted for about 20 minutes, a court official said. Their divorce was granted 26 days after the petition was filed June 26. Both cited irreconcilable differences as the reason. Korean law allows a marriage to be dissolved without a trial on the condition of mutual consent.The divorce settlement did no

Joe Hahn of US rock band Linkin Park is holding a photo exhibition titled “Carry On” in Korea, in which he will be showcasing memorable moments.“Carry On” is a collection of photos that Hahn took during the band’s most recent world tour “One More Light” in 2017. Around 70 photos capture the moments that band members connect with fans on stage.  Prior to the official exhibition, the Korean-American musician held a pop-up event on Thursday at culture

A peace park named after the late Kim Bok-dong, an iconic Korean victim of Japanese wartime sexual slavery, will be built in her hometown, officials said Thursday.The municipal council of Yangsan, a South Gyeongsang Province town about 420 kilometers southeast of Seoul, said it and 21 civic groups have jointly formed a preparatory committee to construct a public park in memory of Kim, who died in January aged 93. The park, tentatively named "Kim Bok-dong Peace Park," will serve as a pl

FINA President Julio C. Maglione received an honorary doctorate degree from Honam University on Monday for his contributions to promoting world peace through the proliferation of sports.The Gwangju-based university cited Maglione’s efforts as a medical practitioner to achieve advancements in proliferation of health and welfare for humanity. An awarding ceremony was held on Monday morning at the school, attended by Maglione himself who had been visiting the city to attend the 2019 FINA Worl

Actress Song Hye-kyo made her first official public appearance on Saturday, about a week after her husband, Song Joong-ki, announced that he had filed for divorce. On July 6 the actress attended an event in Sanya, on the Chinese island of Hainan, to promote South Korean cosmetic brand Sulwhasoo.Photos of her at the event immediately went viral as Harper’s Bazaar Hong Kong shared them on its Instagram page.The pending divorce between the two was announced June 27 through Song Joong-ki&rsquo

‘Cambodian wife’ Sruong Pheavy finds unexpected success in billiards in Korea

Though she does not have a restaurant, there are still nearly 1 million diners who enjoy Gabriela Kook’s food around the globe. 　More widely known as Kook Gabie, or Gabie Kook, Kook, 30, is a content creator, who shares her life via YouTube. Her videos have diverse subjects from lifestyle to beauty, but she is most well-known for her recipe videos. “Everything led me to cooking and eating,” Kook said during an interview held at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on Wednesday as a part of th

Korean singer Lee Hee-moon sometimes goes onstage in gender-bending attire. Wearing a curly wig and high heels, Lee commands the stage, backed by a rock band.The music, however, is inspired by traditional Korean music. 　Though gugak -- Korean traditional music -- singers are usually associated with an old-fashioned image, Lee sets himself apart with his music, manner and appearance. The Korea Herald met with the 44-year-old singer for an interview at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on Wednesday. He was a

As a part of the 2019 Culture Communication Forum, a debate on the internet content market and Korea’s place in it was held Tuesday at Grand Hyatt Seoul. The delegates present were: bestselling author Ito Ogawa from Japan, US pop columnist Jeff Benjamin, film director Ilya Khrzhanovskiy from Russia, think tank director Bronwen Maddox from the UK, film director Shakun Batra from India, Korean folk singer Lee Hee-moon, photographer Andreas Muhe from Germany, film director Herve Demers f

The government said Tuesday it plans to designate South Korean actor Lee Min-ho next week as a promotional ambassador to promote overseas institutes, established by South Korea, that offer foreigners Korean language courses and Korean culture activities.The culture ministry and the Seoul-based King Sejong Institute Foundation are scheduled to hold a ceremony in Seoul next Tuesday to mark the designation of Lee, an icon of "hallyu," or the Korean wave, as an envoy for the state-run King

Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, the two top-profile couple, are taking legal procedures for a divorce after two years of marriage. As the two met on set, the other male actors Song Hye-ko have acted with are gaining attention. In 2000, Song Hye-kyo played a central character in a romantic television drama “Autumn in My Heart’ with Song Seung-heon and Won-bin. A year later, she starred in a TV drama series “Guardian Angel” along with Kim Jong-min.  In 2003, Song appea

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi seems to be one of the first celebrities to have broken her silence on the pending divorce between Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo.On Thursday Zhang wrote on her official Weibo account, “Respect their choice, believe it to be the best choice, and hope to see them at their best in the future.” While she did not mention the high-profile couple by name, many believe the post alluded to Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, who on Thursday announced their plans t