(Asia Literary Review) By Michael Breen et alAsia Literary Review, an English-language quarterly journal distributed globally, has dedicated its Spring 2012 issue to Korean literature.“Koreans are rightly proud of their unique culture and their literary heritage; they respect and appreciate their writers and poets,” wrote Ilyas Khan, the journal’s publisher.“And if any place could be described as a country of readers, it would be South Korea. Their writers, however, have yet to be discovered by

Buzz Bissinger has already called someone a moron on Twitter this day, but really, the virtuosic vitriol that has characterized his Twitter feed has been somewhat subdued lately.Instead, Bissinger is sitting on a chair in a family room off the kitchen of his house in Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill neighborhood and talking about stuff so personal, so self-flagellating, that it would make you gasp if it weren’t comically shot through with F-bombs.Next to him is his son, Zach Bissinger, 28, well know

The World Heritage Map, released each year in English by UNESCO World Heritage Centre in Paris, has been published in Korean for the first time by the Korean National Commission for UNESCO (KNCU).  The world map points out a total of 936 world heritage sites around the world, including 10 sites in Korea such as Changdeokgung in Seoul and Bulguk Temple in Gyeongju. A total of 30,000 copies have been printed and distributed to more than 200 locations in Korea, including the World Heritage sites an

National Folk Museum exhibition features wooden furniture from Joseon periodRenowned artist Kim Hwan-ki was known for his attachment to Korea’s traditional wooden furniture.An avid collector of the wooden pieces, he often used them as the subjects of his famous paintings. A 1956 piece features simple wooden shelves filled with white porcelain jars of different shapes. A special exhibition hosted by the National Folk Museum of Korea introduces the world of Joseon wooden furniture and its distinct

Jo Yeo-jung stars in Kim Dai-seung’s highly convincing noir ‘The Concubine’Despite the media frenzy and concern for her “going nude too often,” actress Jo Yeo-jung appears to have a fine taste in selecting her roles.After breaking into Korea’s film scene by going nude in her 2010 erotic period drama “The Servant,” the actress has chosen another period thriller with explicit sex scenes. But despite the media hype about Jo’s graphic nude scenes, “The Concubine” is actually an alluring thriller rev

 Having overcome a troubled childhood, ‘Drifting House’ writer is fascinated by survivorsAuthor Krys Lee found out what her “obsessions” are after writing her first collection of stories. They are “survivors of different forms,” or “people who don’t quite belong.” And the Korean-American writer’s obsessions are evident in her powerful debut collection, “Drifting House” (Viking/Penguin Press). The stories take place in Korea, the U.S. and even North Korea, but all of her characters are struggling

A children’s book by a Korean author was published in the Czech Republic last week, just in time for the country’s biggest international book fair.It is the first time a Korean work of children’s literature has been published in the Czech Republic.The book, titled “Dream about Joy of Music,” is written by children’s writer Park Eun-young and illustrated by Koo Bo-ram. The book chronicles the life of the legendary classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791).The Czech Embassy in Seoul s

Reality TV star publishes his memoir in KoreaIt’s hard to imagine Korean-American reality TV star and former lawyer Yul Kwon being timid and quiet as a child.But his latest Korean-language memoir reveals something that most of the public, well-aware of Kwon’s academic and professional triumphs, would find a surprise.The 2006 “Survivor” winner and Yale Law School graduate said he had severe social anxiety disorders as a child, and was very often a target for bullying, in the book titled “I Evolve

Runway Cop (Korea)Opening May 31Comedy. Directed by Shin Tae-ra. Detective Cha Cheol-soo (Kang Ji-hwan) does not care about the way he looks or what others think of him. He is fat and does not wash enough. His hair is always greasy and his clothes smell. But assigned to investigate a drug case in Korea’s flashy fashion industry, he is ordered to lose at least 20 kilograms and pretend to be a fashion model to investigate the case undercover. Granny is in 1st Grade (Korea)Opening May 24Drama. Dire

Many times Hollywood came calling, wanting to make her book “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” into a movie. But Heidi Murkoff said “Huh?”It’s a best seller, yes, with some 40 million copies in four editions in print. But it’s a self-help book, packed with answers to the burning questions a lot of pregnant women and their husbands ask. Murkoff, 53, didn’t see a movie in that.“These movie pitches never survived my gut check,” Murkoff says. She was waiting for somebody who “got it,” that “What

“A Simple Murder” By Eleanor Kuhns (Minotaur) During the mid-19th century, the Shakers were the largest and most successful utopian group in existence, with tight-knit communities scattered throughout the Northeast and in Kentucky. The religious sect, which began in England during the late 1700s, stressed equality of the sexes, pacifism and hard work. Sexual relations, even among married couples, were forbidden, making it a difficult religion for many to follow.Today, the Shakers are mainly reme

Sandwiched between two respected Texas historians on a hard church pew, the compact Englishman looks nervous, stroking his stubbled chin as he eyes 60 or so people crowded into the Buffalo Gap Chapel waiting for the sound of that voice they couldn’t have escaped hearing over the last 40 years.Never mind that he’s performed before crowds a thousand times bigger, sold a gazillion records, won Grammys and an Academy Award. British singer and drummer Phil Collins is fidgeting because he’s about to g

  State-run institute also plans to translate Korean works of genre fictionThe Korea Literature Translate Institute announced on Tuesday they will select 15 local writers and support them with publishing their works overseas.The 300 million-won ($257,000) project consists of translating excerpts from the selected writer’s works of fiction and sending them to literary agencies in foreign countries, especially the U.S. The institute is to announce the selected writers by the end of this year. “The

'Taste of Money’ to compete at Cannes film fest along with Hong Sang-soo’s ’In another Country’Regardless of whether or not director Im Sang-soo has met any real-life chaebol families, this is how he imagines their lives to be in his latest drama: They have a Philippines-born housemaid, are ruthlessly immoral, commit murder with no shame, speak Korean with a smattering of English, and are utterly unhappy. Just a couple of days before the opening of this year’s Cannes film festival, Im’s “Taste o

‘Taste of Money’ to compete at Cannes film festival along with Hong Sang-soo’s ‘In Another Country’Regardless of whether or not director Im Sang-soo has met any real-life chaebol families, this is how he imagines their lives to be in his latest drama: They have a Philippines-born housemaid, are ruthlessly immoral, commit murder with no shame, speak Korean with a smattering of English, and are utterly unhappy.Just a couple of days before the opening of this year’s Cannes film festival, Im’s “Tast

Standard Chartered Korea sponsors exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in time for OlympicsA total of 34 Korean contemporary artists have been selected for an upcoming “Korean Eye” exhibition in London, which will be held at the Saatchi Gallery from July 29 ― just in time for the summer Olympic Games. The exhibition, sponsored by Standard Chartered Korea, a leading global financial group, presents some 100 works by 34 established Korean artists, including Ahn Chul-hyun, Kang Hyung-koo, Moon Beom, B

New secretary-general Seok talks about roles of Korea, Japan and China in facing historyNortheast Asian History Foundation, a state-run research institute, aims to facilitate historical reconciliation and further regional cooperation among Korea, Japan and China through continuous research, the organization’s newly appointed secretary-general said. “There are no institutions like the Northeast Asian History Foundation in China and Japan,” said Seok Tong-youn, who was appointed secretary general

Director of ‘Love Letter’ criticizes Japanese media’s coverage of the nuclear disasterFor those used to seeing Iwai Shunji’s sentimental romantic films such as “Love Letter” and “Hana and Alice,” his latest film may come as a surprise.The film, titled “Friends after 3.11,” is a documentary with no fictional narrative. The anti-nuclear film deals with the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, and Shunji’s own friends who were affected by the catastrophic event. “I’m a filmmaker but I’m also a human

A guide to appreciating Korean tea and culture It’s been almost a month since the first picking of green tea leaves took place in Korea. For those who are familiar with the well-known tea cultures of India, China, or Japan, it may be a surprise to discover Korea also has a rich history of tea ceremonies. Known as “darye” in Korean, the ceremonies have been practiced for some 2,000 years, since the time of the ancient Gaya Kingdom (A.D. 42-562).May is the perfect month to enjoy all aspects of Kor

Granny is in 1st Grade (Korea)Opening May 24Drama. Directed by Jin Gwang-gyo. Nan-ee, a 70-year-old illiterate woman, lives with her granddaughter in her rural hometown. She has just lost her son to a car accident and is still grieving. One day, Nan-ee finds out her late son had left her a letter while he was alive. Anxious to find out what’s in the letter, Nan-ee decides to learn how to read and write for the first time in her life. At first, she makes her 7-year-old granddaughter, Dong-ee, tea