For the past few months, YouTube has been a popular platform for celebrities seeking more opportunities to promote themselves. But recently, big players have been emerging on the platform, seeking “communication” with fans -- and they have been setting new records. Chef and restaurant tycoon Paik Jong-won started the YouTube channel Paik’s Cuisine on June 11, and has already gathered more than 1 million subscribers.  “I started the YouTube channel after seeing my mot

It is often thought that novelists are prejudiced by their love for the printed word. Writer Han Kang, the 2016 winner of the Man Booker International prize for her novel “The Vegetarian,” is among the prejudiced. On Wednesday, Han shared her love for literature and printed books in a special lecture at the 2019 Seoul International Book Fair held at Coex in southern Seoul. Literature critic Kang Ji-hee hosted the event. “I sometimes wonder, what will be the next thing afte

A majority of Koreans love fried chicken, but some take it to a whole new level. For instance, those who attend BBQ Chicken University, dedicated to the art of the deep-fried dish. Established by the fried chicken franchise Genesis BBQ, the institute is not a real university. It is a training camp for new employees and franchisees. But it also welcomes those who would like to know more about the secret to delicious fried chicken.  According to the institution, its one-day program instructed

Going vegan at Grand Hyatt Seoul 　Grand Hyatt Seoul has introduced its new vegan burger at its poolside barbecue station.The Beyond Burger vegan patty that is nearly indistinguishable from meat comes with vegan cheddar cheese, vegan mayo and a variety of fresh vegetables. It is made from 100 percent plant-based ingredients.Listed on the Grab & Go menu offered at the poolside barbecue station, the burger can be ordered alongside other salads, sandwiches and low-calorie options. There are also

Friday is a big day for yoga, as it marks the fifth International Day of Yoga.In 2014, the UN declared June 21 the International Day of Yoga, saying that the sport could contribute to development and peace. Celebrating the day, around 1,200 people gathered at Gwanghwamun Plaza on Sunday to practice yoga together. The massive yoga session at the center of Seoul drew attention to the thousands-year-old practice, which has lately seen a resurgence.Boosted by a rise in its popularity, yoga classes a

Pianist Mikhail Pletnev is to hold a recital in Seoul next week.For the June 27 recital at the Seoul Arts Center, the Russian pianist will perform Beethoven’s Rondo in C Major, Piano Sonata No. 23 “Appassionata” and a series of compositions written by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt.  Pletnev, 62, is a multi-faceted musician, who is a pianist, conductor, composer and also a cultural figure.The winner of the 1978 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition, Pletnev atte

Note: This is the last installment of the Seoul Food Alley series. Over the last two months, The Korea Herald has explored back alleys of Seoul, introducing clusters of restaurants specializing in local delicacies, including stir-fried baby octopus, tteokbokki, sundae and grilled meat. - Ed. Tucked away behind the shiny jewelry district of Jongno 3-ga are decades-old restaurants serving bossam, boiled pork wrapped in kimchi. Though bossam is widely enjoyed in Korea, the restaurants here a

An upcoming global forum in Seoul from June 30 to July 2 will delve into the internet content market. Culture Communication Forum 2019, an annual event organized by the Corea Image Communication Institute, invites figures from around the world to experience Korean culture and promote their own culture. Twelve “content creator” delegates have been invited this year. They are bestselling author Ito Ogawa from Japan; US pop columnist Jeff Benjamin; film director Ilya Khrzhanovskiy

For foreigners in South Korea who are planning a summer retreat in Gangwon Province, Daemyung Hotel & Resort’s Sono Village may be an option. On Wednesday the resort chain announced a promotion for foreign guests staying at Sono Village, a Vivaldi Park property in Gangwon Province, a two-hour drive from central Seoul. Under the promotion, a silver suite at Sono Village costs 215,000 won ($181), a deluxe gold suite 241,000 won, a grand gold suite 263,000 won and a royal deluxe suit

This month marks the end of an era and the beginning of a new one for classical music, as Ensemble Ditto wraps up its 12-year journey.The all-male chamber ensemble was launched in 2007 with the aim of introducing classical music to a broader audience. Young musicians, including star violist Richard Yongjae O’Neill, teamed up to present artistic and innovative repertoires. But the journey will soon come to an end, as this is the last season for the ensemble. The last Ditto festival, “

Yang Hyun-suk, the former head and chief producer of YG Entertainment, may face a police investigation over drug allegations involving the agency’s high-profile artists, amid a series of scandals that have damaged the reputation of the leading agency behind the rapid growth of the K-pop industry.On Saturday, police told local media that Yang may face criminal charges if the allegation that he threatened a whistleblower turns out to be true. Yang could be summoned for questioning if the whi

Going vegan at Grand Hyatt Seoul Grand Hyatt Seoul introduces the how, new vegan burger at its poolside barbecue station.The Beyond Burger vegan patty that is nearly indistinguishable from meat comes with vegan cheddar cheese, vegan mayo and a variety of fresh vegetables. It is made from 100 percent plant-based ingredients.Listed on the Grab & Go menu offered at the poolside barbecue station, the burger can be ordered alongside other salads, sandwiches and low-calorie options. There are also

For composer-conductor Choi Jae-hyuck, this June is a time of anticipation. The winner of the 72nd Concours de Geneve Composition Prize, Choi grabbed the attention of the classical music scene for conducting Stockhausen’s “Gruppen” at the 2018 Lucerne Festival with maestros Simon Rattle and Ducan Ward. June 28 will be a big day for the 24-year-old musician. His works will be put onstage across continents, in Paris and Seoul. Ensemble InterContemporain, a renowned cont

Seoul’s alleys are filled with eateries specializing in particular dishes. The Korea Herald takes you on a foodie trip to narrow alleys where decades-old establishments beckon diners with their secret recipes, often handed down through generations. -- Ed.Going out for grilled meat is always a treat, especially if you can sit outside in the nice early summer weather.Seongsu-dong Galbi Alley, situated near Seoul Forest in eastern Seoul, allows diners to grill meat outside. Tables and chairs

While the Seoul International Book Fair is set to open next week, the Korean Literature Showcase will take place from June 18 to 22 at the Coex Convention and Exhibition Center.Organized by the Korean Culture and Information Service, the event, launched last year, aims to introduce and promote Korean literature to other parts of the world.  This year, 10 overseas publishers from 10 countries who are interested in publishing translations of Korean literature are participating. Around 30 loca

With an award recognizing an imprisoned Egyptian publisher’s struggle for freedom of the press, Seoul International Book Fair 2019 is set to open next week.The annual fair will take place June 19-23 at the Coex Convention and Exhibition Center in Gangnam, southern Seoul.　This year, the festival will highlight the importance of the freedom of the press, organizers said during a press conference Monday in central Seoul. On June 21, the International Publishers Association will award the

Relaxing spa at Grand Hyatt SeoulGrand Hyatt Seoul’s The Spa presents special spa treatment programs for the summer. The Vitamin Pulse Facial program includes a 30-minute back massage and one-hour anti-aging massage. The Green & Citrus treatment consists of a 90-minute body massage along with a bottle of organic cleanse juice. The Spa allows customers to choose the type of music to be played during its treatments. Treatments cost 220,000 won each. For more information or reservations,

News last month that Fenty, a luxury fashion house Rihanna launched with LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, chose 67-year-old model JoAni Johnson to represent its new collection created much buzz in the fashion world. With long, graceful silver hair, she is a model in every aspect, and the epitome of what’s been called a fashion “graynaissance”: the rise of gray-haired models to the forefront of fashion. Choi Soon-hwa may be Korea’s Johnson. At 77 years old, she strut

In all its retro glory, an alley in Seoul -- serving grilled “seagull meat” -- has risen as a popular dining spot. Though the name may indicate its location to be near a port city, “seagull meat alley” is actually situated at the heart of central Seoul, near Jongno 3-ga Station.(Video shot and edited by Lee Sun-hye /The Korea Herald) Don’ let the name galmaegisal, which could mean seagull meat in Korean, mislead you. The name refers to skirt steak, the cut

Celebrated science-fiction writer Bernard Werber is currently visiting Korea to promote his new book, the Korean title of which translates to “Death.” The best-selling author is known for his unique style of writing that looks at society through the eyes of nonhuman entities. His novels have been successful in France, Korea and other parts of the world, including “The Ants” trilogy, “Les Micro-Humains (The Third Humanity)” and “Le Papillon des Etoiles (B