There they sit, scrumptious looking baked goodies that tempt the taste buds.But just how fresh is that quiche or cake or pie or all manner of tantalizing treats behind glass displays?Housewife Janice Tan, 69, bought a cold quiche about three weeks ago from a popular bakery chain, only to discover mold on it when she heated it up at home the next afternoon.She recalled, “I was disappointed and shocked that what I thought was a reputable cafe would sell an item that was not fresh. Such extensive m

Singer-actor Park Yu-chun grabbed the Rookie Actor Award at the 34th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards for “Sea Fog” on Thursday. Park, 29, was recognized for his excellent acting skills in the film, in which he played the part of Dong-sik, an obedient young sailor on a Korean fishing ship. “Sea Fog” is better known by its official Korean title “Haemoo.” On the podium, the hallyu actor thanked the production crew and his fellow actors for their wonderful teamwork. “I gained a lot by simp

It is not the bad bilateral bond between them but history that calls for China and the U.S. to build a new type of major power relations.With history beckoning, the way to handle China-U.S. relations is not to pursue the best-case scenario, but to avoid the worst. This will not be achieved without the realization of a new type of major power relations. In other words, building a new type of major power relations should not be an option but an inevitable trend.However, there are several key perce

The presidential office’s response to the release of a Social Weather Stations survey showing that 43 percent, or about 9.3 million Filipinos, considered themselves hungry, and 55 percent, or some 12.1 million Filipino families, thought themselves poor, was true to form.The survey isn’t accurate, the palace said in so many words. Why, the National Economic and Development Authority and the Philippine Statistics Authority had declared that poverty in fact decreased in early 2013 to 24.9 percent,

Xinjiang’s image has been tainted with negative perceptions.No thanks to the merciless terror attacks and violent clashes carried out by some people from the autonomous region, Xinjiang natives are suffering from prejudice against them.Kurbanjan Samat, a 32-year-old Uighur, believes the stereotype stems from the lack of understanding and has vowed to change that, one person at a time.“Photography is my passion. When I am holding a camera, I feel a sense of social responsibility,” he said.He star

Hallyu top star Ha Ji-won flaunted her curves in TROA shirts and tuxedo jeans by designer Han Song, exuding charm at a cocktail party with U.S. fashion muses. The action blockbuster queen showed up at a cocktail party that was hosted by TROA on Oct. 28, wearing white shirts and shiny-textured tuxedo jeans that were made of “hanjisa,” one of Korea’s finest raw materials. Actress Ha Ji-won poses at a cocktail party that was hosted by TROA on Oct. 28, wearing white shirts and shiny-textured tuxedo

As a little girl, Lee Mei Li longed to play with her elder sister’s Hello Kitty supermarket set, but to no avail ― she wasn’t even allowed to touch it. Instead, she made do with her Hello Kitty mug, which she drank from throughout her primary school years.Imagine little Mei Li’s joy had she just known that two-and-a-half decades later, she would be delighting fans the world over by authoring a book on making crocheted Hello Kitty dolls.Featuring step-by-step instructions on creating 24 character

The spy show “All Quiet in Peking” has surprised everyone by infiltrating the top ranks of Chinese TV.Domestic TV productions have been losing younger viewers because of their inferior quality and fierce competition from U.S. serials. But young, well-educated viewers who comment on creative works on douban.com rated “All Quiet” in Peking 9.1 out of 10 ― a score that surpasses most U.S. productions and perhaps all Chinese TV series.The 53-episode serial focuses on the social upheaval before New C

The Sakura Collection fashion event started Sunday, in Osaka Prefecture, hosting models and designers from five Southeast Asian countries as they showcase the designers’ remarkable creations, mainly made from Japanese textiles on a Japanese theme.Organizers hope the event will draw more people who are interested in Japan and help spread Japanese traditional industry around the world.The organizing committee selected Kansai Airport in Izumisano for Sunday’s activities and Osaka Castle in Osaka fo