Though the fur-free movement has been sweeping the fashion industry, some designers continue to experiment with the natural material, targeting the younger generation with hip, trendy designs. The anti-fur movement is not new. In September, the British Fashion Council announced all the designers for London Fashion Week would ditch fur for the shows. The city of Los Angeles is currently planning to ban the sale of fur.  Models wear fur creations by rookie designers at Asia Remix fashion show held

Lowering into a lunge, stretch your left arm up. Close your eyes and concentrate on the balance. Then, with your right arm, grab a beer and take a sip, perfecting the “sun salutation” poseIt has been a while since “beer yoga” arrived in Korea, after being embraced by Berlin hipsters.  Beer yoga class is held at PGA Golf Academy in southern Seoul on Saturday. (Almondon)A one-day beer yoga class was held Saturday at PGA Golf Academy in Sinsa-dong, southern Seoul, organized by yoga instructor Hwang

Seoul Garden Show kicked off Wednesday at Yeouido Park, aiming to offer a picnic-like experience for visitors. This year, the annual show now in its fourth edition, is held under the theme of “Seoul Picnic.” Around 95 gardens are spread across the park. Local and foreign garden designers created the small garden spaces, showcasing gardening trends as well as the hobby’s beauty. Thirty-two gardening equipment businesses have also set up booths, with parasols, benches, interior plants and home gar

“Rom-com queen” Seo Hyun-jin will take on the role of a top star in JTBC’s upcoming Monday-Tuesday drama series “Beauty Inside.” The character has a secret -- her face changes into that of another person for a week every month.  Seo Hyun-jin poses for photos at a press event Monday at Times Square mall in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. (Herald DB)Co-star Lee Min-ki plays a successful director of an airline firm who also has a secret -- he cannot recognize anyone’s face. For him, it is always as if he i

Daemyung Leisure Industry, a major ski resort and water theme park operator in Korea, has launched packages that invite foreign tourists to experience Korea’s culture and history. Targeting the millennial generation’s desire for local experiences, the packages focus on unique experiences that are only offered in Korea.  The MVL Hotel Goyang (Daemyung Leisure Industry)The MVL Hotel Goyang, a five-star hotel in Gyeonggi Province, presents the Go Peace & Shopping package, which includes a two- or t

Bringing together master artisans and young craftsmen, Yeol, the Korean Heritage Preservation Society, is holding an exhibition of modern craft art inspired by traditional craftsmanship.“Crafts of Fire” at the exhibition space Yeol Bukchonga in the neighborhood of Bukchon, central Seoul, running until Oct. 18, is a culmination of a yearlong project by iron casting master Kim Jong-hoon and young glass artist Yang Yoo-wan. Glass pieces blown by glass artist Yang Yoo-wan are on display at Yeol Bukc

“Switch off the light. Switch on the insight.” Song Young-hee, 47, is CEO of social enterprise N Visions and a person who finds his way through the darkness. He also created that darkness, bringing the exhibition “Dialogue in the Dark” to Korea. Song Young-hee, CEO of social enterprise N Visions, speaks during an interview with The Korea Herald. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)“Dialogue in the Dark” is an awareness-raising exhibition. Though an exhibition, there is not a hint of light in the exh

Walking into a tailor shop, one imagines being greeted by a stylish, well-manicured man. He sports a classic yet chic beard and is dressed in an expensive-looking bespoke suit, complete with lapel pins, cufflinks and a silk pocket square. Stepping into Matthew in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province, a 30-minute drive southeast of Seoul, a different picture unfolds. A tall woman in her 30s walks up to you with a big smile, donning a long dress. She introduces herself: Kang Ae-wan, master tailor of the sho

Farming the icy land of Siberia with bare hands, running away from the enemy on the windy plain of Manchuria, working at a sugar cane farm under the burning sun in California: though the phrases may sound foreign, they are Korean, by means of the writers’ ethnicity. While Korea has been working on promoting its literature to the rest of the world, the definition of Korean literature remains unclear. Typically, works created by Korean writers in the Korean language are considered Korean literatur

Champagne bubbles at Park Hyatt SeoulPark Hyatt Seoul’s premium vinyl music bar The Timber House is hosting a Veuve Clicquot promotion through the end of the year. Ordering the “Bubbly Lovely” set, customers can choose among three champagne options: Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label, Veuve Clicquot Rose and Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame. The set includes a Korean beef cutlet, cheese platter or fruit dessert platter. Prices range from 275,000 won to 625,000 won. On every last Saturday of the month, Veu

KBS2’s “2 Days & 1 Night” has been awarded a Presidential Citation for promoting domestic tourism. In light of the 45th World Tourism Day, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism awarded 24 figures for contributing to the local tourism industry.  From left: Singer Jung Joon-young, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Do Jong-hwan and TV personality Kim Jong-min pose for photos at the World Tourism Day ceremony held at the National Museum of Korea in central Seoul on Thursday. (Yonhap)Whil

A member of a bereaved family has applied for an injunction to ban the screening of the upcoming film “Dark Figure of Crime,” arguing that the production crew did not ask for permission before making a story about the murder of her brother.In the movie, a prisoner confesses that he killed seven people, six more than what he was charged for. The story follows a detective who believes the criminal. One of the six cases was based on the murder of her brother.  “Dark Figure of Crime” (Showbox)The mo

With the novel “Kim Ji-young, Born in 1982” set to be adapted for the big screen, the book’s sales have seen a significant bump in sales. According to Kyobo Bookstore, the novel took the No. 10 spot on its best-seller list for the third week of September, jumping 22 spots. (Mineumsa)The bookstore said sales volume increased by almost three times. Women in their 20s and 30s accounted for 60.9 percent of purchasers. The novel, written by Cho Nam-ju, depicts the life of an ordinary woman named Kim

Tradition is an inspiring source for fashion designers. But after the inspiration, comes the challenge of reinterpretation -- redesigning the past in a current context.Hanbok, traditional Korean clothing, is no longer worn every day by most people. Though praised for the beauty of its color and silhouette, many feel it uncomfortable and impractical. Reinterpretation is necessary to revive the clothing into modern wear. But it is not easy to find the right balance between the old and new while cr

Art of afternoon tea at Grand Hyatt Seoul The Gallery at Grand Hyatt Seoul, in collaboration with local artist Choi Jeong-hwa, is presenting a promotion titled “ARTernoon -- Your Heart is My Art.”In line with the ongoing exhibition “Choi Jeong-hwa: Blooming Matrix” held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s branch in Samcheong-dong, the pastry chefs have created a collection of culinary art pieces, inspired by the artist’s works, such as tea-bag shaped cookies and mini opera ca

Global hotel chain Marriott International will open three more hotels in Korea, in response to growing demand from middle-class tourists.The hotel chain’s portfolio is divided into three tiers: luxury, premium and select-service. Hotels in the select-service tier aim to provide guests with a high-quality experience at a reasonable price.  A penthouse room at Four Points by Sheraton Gangnam (Mariott International)Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield by Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton and Aloft Hote

What happens inside closed museums and art galleries at night has always evoked curiosity, with the Hollywood film series “Night at the Museum” highlighting such interest. Visitors will get to experience many national and public art spaces at night as part of Korea Art Week, a nationwide annual art event held to promote “Art in Life.”The art week runs from Oct. 2 to 14, with night events at museums slated to take place between Oct 5 and 6.  Korea Art Week (Korea Art Week) Kim Do-il, president of

Seoul is promoting itself as Asia’s leading design hub with a series of design-related events.Hosted by the Seoul Design Foundation, Seoul Design Cloud, a mega design event comprising Seoul Design Week, Seoul Upcycling Week and Seoul Fashion Week -- different from the biannual fashion event -- kicked off Monday at Dongdaemun Design Plaza.“With Dongdaemun Design Plaza as the center, Seoul’s design will take a leap. And Seoul Design Cloud will show the way,” Choi Kyung-ran, the head of the Seoul D

The third edition of Michelin Guide Seoul will be released on Oct 18. Michelin Guide Seoul 2019 will be revealed at an award ceremony at Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, in southern Seoul. This year’s ceremony will be held under the theme of “Journey to Passion,” paying homage to passionate chefs and food connoisseurs. Since its launch in 2017, the Seoul guide has had two three-starred restaurants and four two-starred restaurants. A total of 18 restaurants have earned one-starred status. The

In the city of Seoul, many of us live in apartments. The common housing form, however, is not usually considered a cozy space tailored for the residents’ needs. Rather, it is usually thought of as the outcome of mass production, a realistic way to house more people in less space. Should then we accept the reality and live in dreary, boring spaces? No, according to Yoon So-yeon, founder and CEO of interior design startup Apart:mentary. We all have the right to live in a nice home. And more, she s