The Korea Herald

[Weekender] Urban adventure at Seoul’s campground

TravelJul 18, 2014

Groups of adults sit around plastic camping tables littered with grilled meat and soju bottles. Children run between neat rows of orange and green tents, blasting each other with water guns. But in among the guitars and the cicadas you can hear the roar of an 11-lane highway, and skyscraper peaks rise up behind the tree line. Welcome to camping, Seoul style.Opened in 2009 as part of the Hangang Renaissance project, Nanji Camping Ground is the city’s largest public camping site, situated at the e
[Weekender] Calendar

TheaterJul 18, 2014

Dance“Sleeping Beauty on Ice”: The ice ballet rendition of Sleeping Beauty has captivated audiences for decades since its premiere in St. Petersburg, Russia. Founded in 1967, the Saint-Petersburg State Ballet on Ice will be continuing its long-held tradition by bringing its performance of “Sleeping Beauty on Ice” to Korea. The award-winning cast of ice skaters soar through the air in stunningly visual twists and turns in their ballet-inspired choreography of the classic children’s tale. The perf
[Weekender] Box Office

FilmJul 18, 2014

Kundo: Age of the Rampant (Korea)Opening July 23Action. Directed by Yoon Jong-bin“Kundo” is set in the 13th year of King Cheoljong’s reign in mid-19th century Joseon, when rampant corruption in the ruling class and its exploitation of the populace pushed the common people over the edge. Dolmuchi (Ha Jung-woo) is a not-so-intelligent but kind-hearted butcher, a typical lower-class job at the time. One day, Dolmuchi makes a dangerous deal with Jo Yoon (Gang Dong-won), a noblemen’s son who was an o
[Weekender] Around the hotel

Food&BeverageJul 18, 2014

Opening of Cafe 395 at Millennium Seoul Hilton Millennium Seoul Hilton is opening the doors of its new flagship restaurant Cafe 395 following a three-month-long renovation. Based on the “open kitchen” concept, Cafe 395 brings diners face to face with chefs who prepare dishes for the restaurant’s buffet selection on the spot. From the seafood corner to the grilled station, from Asian specialties to the Italian and French tables, Cafe 395 offers diners an international experience. The buffet, whic
[Weekender] Bookstores struggle for survival

CultureJul 11, 2014

Bookshops closing amid fierce price competition and declining demand
[Weekender] Korea in need of ‘reading movement’

CultureJul 11, 2014

After publishing over 3,000 books in the 39 years of his publishing career, Kim Eoun-ho, president of Hangilsa, one of Korea’s leading publishing houses, believes publishing a book is an act of asking how one should live. Kim attempted to answer this deep probing life question by publishing his own book, “The Forest of Books, Sound of Books.” The book is compiled from his handwritten journals from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 in 2013, centering on his day-to-day life as a publisher, and stories about 800 d
[Weekender] Used books defy market woes

CultureJul 11, 2014

Korea’s bookstore industry is in the doldrums, as dismal sales continue to force many sellers out of business. But at least one bookstore is expanding, defying the broader market downturn. That is Aladdin Used Books ― a used-book franchise of online seller Aladdin. The company, which runs 19 shops, has chalked up an average 30 percent annual growth in sales, said company spokesperson Jo Sun-ah. Aladdin Used Books is not the typical small, “crammed to the ceiling” kind of shop. Rather, it is the
[Weekender] Mega stores seek to connect with readers

BooksJul 11, 2014

Kyobo focuses on personalized consulting, Yes 24 engages customers with offline events
[Weekender] Small, unique booksellers survive competition

BooksJul 11, 2014

Generally speaking, price and brand power matter most in the bookstore business. These factors have earned price-competitive chains the lion’s share of the market, while the small, independent bookstores continue to wither.In reality, the mom-and-pop shops are more embattled than what we see in rom-com films like “You’ve Got Mail” and “Notting Hill.”But not all of the neighborhood bookshops are losing out. Some are staving off the competition through differentiation strategies. Your Mind Your Mi
[Weekender] Independent bookshops cater to English readers

CultureJul 11, 2014

Whether looking for the timeless literary classics from Brontë or Fitzgerald, or prefering to check out Danielle Steel’s newest tale of high society crisis or the next mentally disturbing nightmare sequence of Stephen King, Seoul has a couple of well-established bookstores to accommodate all of your English book needs.While it may be no longer that difficult to track down physical copies of the latest English-language publications in the “Foreign Section” at any Seoul’s big chain book establishm
[Weekender] Calendar

CultureJul 11, 2014

Pop musicg.o.d. 15th Anniversary Reunion Concert: The newly reunited ’90s K-pop idol group g.o.d. will be embarking on a nationwide concert tour starting in July. After more than 12 years apart, the five original members of g.o.d. made their highly anticipated comeback in May with their newest single “The Lone Duckling.” The K-pop veterans are slated to hold two concerts, on July 12 and 13, at the Jamsil Sport Complex’s Auxiliary Stadium in Seoul, before moving on to Gwangju, Busan, Daegu and Da
[Weekender] Box Office

FilmJul 11, 2014

Santa Barbara (Korea)Opening July 17Romance. Directed by Cho Sung-kyuWhen naïve music director Jung-woo (Lee Sang-yoon) meets a talented creative director Soo-kyung (Yoon Jin-seo) to work on an advertisement project together, at first, they do not get along very well because of striking differences in personalities. But one day, they happen to find similarities in three things: movie taste, a love for wine, and longing for Santa Barbara in the U.S. With these similarities, they grow closer. Howe
[Weekender] Eyelike: f(x) reaffirms funk with ‘Red Light’

MusicJul 11, 2014

f(x) reaffirms funk with ‘Red Light’f(x) “Red Light”(KT Music)K-pop girl group f(x), known for their innovative and funky style, has returned with yet another album filled with unique sounds ― this time, funky as usual with an added touch of electro-pop.The group’s new 11-track studio album “Red Light” opens with an eponymous lead single featuring diverse electric sounds behind a pop melody, all embellished with a dose of hip-hop. “Red Light” begins with some ominous clock-ticking and the member
[Weekender] Around the hotel

CultureJul 11, 2014

Summer set menu at Park Hyatt SeoulPark Hyatt Seoul’s The Lounge is presenting a summer set menu until August. The set menu includes a bowl of bingsu, (ice flakes with various toppings), two smoked martinis and a snack dish. Guests can choose from four types of bingsus: Pat Bingsu, made with red beans and rice cake; Berry Bingsu, made with fresh berries, chocolate and nuts; Honey Bee-ingsu made with honeycomb, vanilla ice cream, apple puree and pecans; or Spicy Melon Bingsu, made with cantaloupe
[Weekender] Seoul’s eclectic, flourishing nightlife

CultureJul 4, 2014

Nighttime culture becomes more diverse, international and sober