Around the world, ask movie-lovers where they saw their first movie witch and the answer’s the same.“I was, like everyone, frightened by the witch in ‘The Wizard of Oz,’’” says English actress Gemma Arterton. “That’s who we all grew up with, right?”Jeremy “Hurt Locker” Renner agrees. And he can top that.“‘Wizard of Oz’ was the very first job I ever had. On stage. I played the Scarecrow. So for me, there was always just one witch. That first witch. The Wicked Witch of the West.” But, Renner adds,

Brad Meltzer’s thrillers gravitate to best sellers’ lists. His contemporary novels, which include “The Inner Circle” and “The Book of Lies,” are steeped in historical facts.But wait, there’s more. Meltzer has written five comic books, including the Eisner Award-winning “Justice League of America,” has two nonfiction books to his credit and is the host of “Brad Meltzer’s Decoded” on the History Channel. His newest thriller is “The Fifth Assassin.”Q: In “The Fifth Assassin,” a killer re-creates th

The Third BulletBy Stephen Hunter(Simon & Schuster)Someone should have asked a sniper.That’s what Stephen Hunter ― a best-selling novelist who created Bob Lee Swagger, the best shooter there ever was, the Gun Whisperer ― believes.The gaping hole in the middle of most Kennedy assassination theories, Hunter says, is that the theorists, even those attached to the original Warren Commission, don’t know the first thing about shooting, ballistics or angles.“Looking at the body of assassination materia

Just like the way we talk and act, how we dress tells a lot about us. It reflects our personal history, status, taste and desire. “We must put up with our clothes as they are ― they have their reason for existing,” Mark Twain once said. “They are on us to expose us ― to advertise what we wear them to conceal. They are a sign; a sign of insincerity; a sign of suppressed vanity; we put them on to propagate that lie and back it up.”American psychologist Jennifer Baumgartner’s book “You Are What You

Filmmaker Lee Jun-ik is returning to movie-making two years after he announced his withdrawal from the local industry.Lee is currently working on a new project titled “Wish,” which stars heavyweight actor Sol Kyung-gu, according to the film’s production company Lotte Entertainment. Lee, whose notable previous works include “King and the Clown” (2005) and “Radio Star” (2006), announced his withdrawal from the business in 2011 after his period drama “Battlefield Heroes” failed to achieve commercia

A Japanese-born director’s award-winning film is being released in Korea in March, according to the film’s promoters.Director Yang Yong-hi, who was born and grew up in Osaka and obtained South Korean citizenship in 2002, has been making documentaries based on her family history of ethnic Koreans living in Japan. “Our Homeland,” which is Yang’s feature debut, premiered in Korea at last year’s Busan International Film Festival and received positive reviews from the local press. The film is based o

Film producer Choi Yong-bae, who was in charge of last year’s highly political film “26 Years,” is receiving a special honor from the Korea Film Reporters Association (KOFRA).Choi has been selected as the “Person of the Year 2012” in the local film industry, for his film “26 Years,” whose production cost was paid by online crowdfunding. The film tells the story about five ordinary people who get together to draw up a plan to assassinate the former president Chun Doo-hwan, for the massacre of inn

Losing weight and getting facials were what it took the three men to play the leading role of “Rebecca,” one of the most anticipated musicals in the first half of the year.“This is a role that requires wearing suits all the time,” said actor Yoo Jun-sang, who is sharing the role of an English aristocratic widower with actors Oh Man-seok and Ryu Jung-han. “And you have to look good in them. So I can’t eat too much. Otherwise I wouldn’t look so good.”It’s been more than a week since the opening of

It isn’t hard, the first time Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe square off in “Broken City,” to see that the two stars are enjoying themselves mightily. Wahlberg is a New York cop asked to resign in the wake of a controversial shooting, and Crowe is the mayor asking for his badge. They meet in the mayor’s City Hall office ― it’s a tense, tough exchange, with Jeffrey Wright, another formidable actor, off to one side. But there’s clearly an amiable vibe mixed in with the brinkmanship, too.“Russell d

Adam Mansbach is a novelist best known for a parody. But don’t think that he bears any ill will toward “Go the F**k to Sleep,” his hilarious, bestselling ode to toddler-whipped parents.“It’s a funny thing; I think people expect that I’m somehow embittered by being known for that book, and I’m definitely not,” says Mansbach. “It’s opened some doors for me. I’m grateful for all of the attention. People who know me are tickled by what happened because it was an honest manifestation of my humor, and

Abraham Lincoln is history’s most scrutinized American. Nearly every facet of his life ― his political accomplishments, ethics, religion, marriage, even his sexual orientation ― has been explored in the 148 years since his assassination. What could a new Lincoln biography offer?For author David Von Drehle of “Rise to Greatness,” the answer lies in tracing Lincoln’s transformation from inexperienced new president of a crumbling country to steady-willed leader who saved the Union in its most vulne

Three heavyweight actors are co-starring in one of the most anticipated films of the first half of the year.Choi Min-sik (“Oldboy,” “I Saw the Devil”), Lee Jung-jae (“The Thieves,” “The Housemaid”), and Hwang Jeong-min (“The Unjust,” “You Are My Sunshine”) are returning to the big screen next month in a crime thriller directed by Park Hun-jeong.The thriller tells the story of police detective Ja-seong (Lee Jung-jae), who is assigned by his boss Park (Choi Min-sik) to do an undercover investigati

The Korea Herald is publishing “Korea’s Cultural Pride,” a 10-part series on the country’s cultural and natural heritage. A total of nine tangible and 14 intangible examples of heritage in Korea have already been designated UNESCO World Heritage items for international preservation. This year,15 cultural properties are on the tentative list, awaiting designation. This installment explores the Seoul City Wall, the Joseon-period city wall that guarded the capital and was also an intrinsic part of

Three Korean films have been invited to the upcoming Berlinale’s Panorama section. The section features new independent and art house films that deal with “controversial subjects or unconventional aesthetic styles.”One of the three films is director E J-yong’s “Behind the Camera,” which tells the story of an eccentric filmmaker and 14 actors and actresses who work with him on a film project. The movie premiered at last year’s Busan International Film Festival and received positive reviews from t

Following “Phantom of the Opera” and “Aida” of last year, the performing arts scene is seeing the arrival of heavyweight openers for the 2013 season.Among them is major musical company EMK’s much-anticipated imported musical “Rebecca,” which opened at LG Arts Center on Friday. Following “Rebecca,” one of the most anticipated homegrown musicals, “The Goddess is Watching,” is opening at Chungmu Art Hall on Tuesday in Seoul.“Rebecca” is based on Daphne Du Maurier’s 1938 novel of the same title. The

CHUNGJU, North Chungcheong Province ― Located in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, Godowon Healing Center is a serene place, a rarity these days. Surrounded by mountains and trees, it is where people meditate, eat what’s healthful, and go for slow walks in the hope of clearing out what is cluttering their mind. It may be hard to believe, but the center’s famous director, Go Do-won, used to be a very busy man. He enjoyed a prolific career as a journalist and as a speech writer for late Preside

Godowon Healing Center offers something to enjoy for all ages. The center opened in 2010 with funds donated by Go Do-won’s readers. The property, located in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, gives visitors an opportunity to have a quiet time to learn more about themselves, away from their daily lives.The center’s program is very diverse. There is a program for soon-to-be mothers, newly married couples, young adults, and those who suffer from painful disorders. There is also a walking program,

“Gangster Squad” may be loosely based on truth ― the takedown of notorious Los Angeles crime lord Mickey Cohen 60 years ago ― but it feels about as real as a mob-themed costume party. At least there’s a certain sport in counting how many neo-noir cliches director Ruben Fleischer (“Zombieland,” “30 Minutes or Less”) can get his all-star cast to engage in over the course of nearly two hours.Sean Penn, trapped underneath a layer of unconvincing makeup that makes him look more like a Batman or Dick

1356By Bernard Cornwell(HarperCollins, NY)All in all, the Middle Ages in Europe was lousy living for most people.How can you tell? Just pick up “1356” by prolific author Bernard Cornwall and you’ll see. Like the period it is written about, it needs a strong stomach to finish.The pragmatic hero, Thomas of Hookton, is ordered to find the fictional lost sword of Saint Peter, “la Malice,” which is reputed to bring victory to the armies that wield it. Of course, others are also hunting the weapon.The

It’s been a few weeks since Tom Hooper’s “Les Miserables” was released in local theaters. The star-studded musical film, whose cast includes Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway, has been doing well at the box office, attracting over 4 million viewers as of Thursday. And it’s not just the film’s importers that are making money. Thanks to the movie’s popularity, publishing houses are also seeing sales rise of the French novel published in 1862 ― a book considered one of the greatest pieces of literatur