Christian leaders from around the world gathered in Seoul to talk about the future of Christianity. The Christian Leaders Fellowship held a press conference at Korea Press Center in the city on May 10. The organization was formed last year, marking the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. It is headed by Pastor Park Ock-soo. More than 24,000 pastors from 70 countries are participating in the CLF.The 2018 World Christian Leaders’ joint press conference is held on May 10 at the Korea P

Altang’s name describes pretty much everything about the dish. Al refers to egg, tang means soup. It’s a soup of fish roe, and a lot of them. The soup is filled with white small sausage-looking creatures, which are roes of pollack. Pollack roe is the main ingredient of the dish. While roes are usually sliced up when used for pasta dishes, for altang, they are served whole. The texture of cooked roe may take you by surprise. The egg mass is firm yet soft. When chewed, the roe easily breaks up, fi

Caught in “Rising Sun” flag controversy, Korean-American actor Steven Yeun will not meet Korean press at Cannes Film Festival. The actors and the director of film “Burning” were to meet Korean media outlets in Cannes for an interview on Friday. But Yeun and fellow actress Jun Jong-seo will not be attending the event, leaving only actor Yoo Ah-in and director Lee Chang-dong at the press event. Steven Yeun in “Burning” (Pine House Film)Yeun will participate in the official press conference and an

Anchor Lee Jung-pyo has apologized to Twice for his inappropriate comment at a university festival. Last Friday, Twice performed some of its hit tracks, including “What is Love?” and “Likey,” at a festival organized by Sungkyunkwan University. After its performance, Twice left the stage. Lee, who was hosting the festival, said to the audience, “Everyone, Twice won’t come back (by just shouting) for an encore. At a time like this, (shout) ‘service.’”He repeated the comment, encouraging the audien

BTS dropped the track list for its upcoming album “Love Yourself: Tear.” According to the band‘s agency Big Hit Entertainment on Monday, there will be 11 tracks in total, with the lead track called “Fake Love.” One of the songs will be a collaboration with Steve Aoki. The band has worked with the world-class DJ, making a remix version of its hit track “Mic Drop” last year. BTS is set to release the new album on Friday, ready to perform “Fake Love” for the first time at the 2018 Billboard Music A

Network broadcaster MBC is conducting an investigation of its hit entertainment show for its offensive use of news clips from the Sewol ferry disaster. In an episode of “Omniscient” aired on May 5, the production team used news coverage clips from the Sewol ferry sinking to describe comedian Lee Young-ja, one of the cast members on the show, eating fish cake.  Screenshots of “Omniscient” using Sewol ferry accident news coverage clips (MBC)More than 300 people, mostly high school students on a fi

Upcoming SBS drama series “Secret Mother” hopes to draw attention to the overheated Korean education environment, adding elements of mystery along the way. The Saturday-Sunday TV series features Kim So-yeon and Song Yoon-ah as the main leads. The story is set around “Gangnam mothers,” referring to moms excessively committed to their children, especially for their academic achievements.  Song Yoon-ah (left) and Kim So-yeon pose for photos at a press event held for “Secret Mother” at SBS headquart

Red Velvet talked about what it was like to perform in North Korea.The K-pop act attended a luncheon hosted by President Moon Jae-in at Cheong Wa Dae on Friday, as the girl band had visited Pyongyang last month to stage an art performance along with several other artists.  Red Velvet (South Korean joint press pool in Pyongyang)Before the lunch meeting, Red Velvet recounted the performance of their hit tracks “Bad Boy” and “Red Flavor” in Pyongyang to the press.“The North Koreans were unfamiliar

K-pop act Seventeen will hold a special exhibition to celebrate their 3rd anniversary since debut. The band’s management agency Pledis Entertainment released an official poster for the exhibition titled “17’S CUT – The Shining Moments of Seventeen and Carat for the Past 3 Years.” Carat is the nickname for Seventeen’s fans. Seventeen (Pledis Entertainment)The exhibition will take place at Teamwork Design at Seongdong-gu, Seoul from May 26 to June 3. A total of 11 groups of visitors will be permit

In Gangnam-gu of southern Seoul, there is a unique cafe decorated with a character named Pucca. Countless Pucca dolls are placed in the cafe and framed paintings of Pucca hang on the walls. But the cafe isn’t bright and pastel-hued. The light is dim, the walls are black and the menu may not appeal to those with a sweet tooth. Puccafe, set to open mid-May, will serve vegetarian dishes along with healthy juices. By night, the cafe will be transformed into a jazz bar. The cafe reflects the values a

City barbeque at Grand Hyatt SeoulPoolside Barbeque, an outdoor buffet restaurant at Grand Hyatt Seoul Hotel, recently reopened. The restaurant will present a unique gourmet experience, only on summer nights. On the side of the emerald-colored outdoor pool, buffet stations are prepared, filled with varieties of fresh salad, grilled dishes and desserts. Grilled dishes -- from meat, vegetable to seafood -- are immediately cooked upon order over charcoal. An unlimited beverage package, including be

Seonjitguk, literally translated, means soup made with cow blood. But no worries, the soup is not as intimidating as its name. At first glance, seonjitguk is far from bloody red and looks rather mild. The visual is as ordinary as any other Korean soup, as the broth is made by simmering ox bones with shreds of Napa cabbage. The soup’s name originates from chunks of congealed blood called seonji.  Seonjitguk (By Im Eun-byel / The Korea Herald)Making seonji is simpler than it seems. Scoop cow’s blo

Cable channel tvN’s new courtroom drama series “Lawless Lawyer” aims to set itself apart from other works of the genre, with its lawyers winning not just lawsuits, but also fights. The new Saturday-Sunday series features actors Lee Joon-gi and Seo Ye-ji as the main leads. Lee is to play a gangster-turned-lawyer who seeks revenge against the powerful. The story takes place in the fictional city of Kisung, where corruption is rampant.  Lee Joon-gi and Seo Ye-ji pose for photos at a media briefing

Actress Park Shin-hye will star in tvN’s new drama series “Memories of the Alhambra.”Park is to take the role of a character named Jung Hee-ju, who owns an old hostel in Granada, Spain. Hyun Bin is the other protagonist in the series, playing a mysterious man who visits the hostel on a business trip.  Park Shin-hye (SALT Entertainment)Alhambra, which means “red palace” in Arabic, is a palace located in the city of Granada, a popular tourist destination. The actress is currently traveling in Spai

It is hard to keep up with fast-changing lifestyle trends just by reading books, magazines and posts on social media. Therefore, local entertainment media company CJ E&M hopes to serve as a lifestyle curator for locals by hosting the 2018 Olive Con, a lifestyle shopping convention.  Visitors look around a convention hall filled with lifestyle booths. (CJ E&M)The convention started Wednesday and will end Sunday at the Coex Convention &Exhibition Center in southern Seoul. It features cooking class

Krishjun Banavali, 11, has faced racial discrimination here just because his skin is darker than others. His mother Lee Sang-hee is a Korean who married an Indian national. Their son speaks both Korean and English fluently and attends a local elementary school. “There are so many prejudices against multicultural families that we must be helped and cared for. The word ‘multicultural’ itself may be full of prejudices,” said Lee. The hurtful words about his skin color affected Krishjun, but after 2

French-styled boutique hotel to open Shinsegae Chosun Hotel will be launching a new boutique hotel named L’Escape in central Seoul, with a stylish French concept.French architect Jacques Garcia designed the hotel, inspired by the 19th century aristocracy in Paris. The interior of the hotel aims to re-create the atmosphere of the city. As its name suggests, the hotel hopes to serve as a place where people can “escape.” The 25-story building will hold 204 rooms, along with a modern Chinese restaur

The 54th Baeksang Arts Awards ceremony was held Thursday, honoring outstanding local entertainment productions. The awards ceremony has been held annually since 1965 to recognize achievements in the TV and film industry. This year’s event took place at the Coex Convention & Exhibition Center in southern Seoul. It was hosted by comedian Shin Dong-yup, singer-actress Suzy and actor Park Bo-gum.  Winners of the 54th Baeksang Arts Awards (Yonhap)TvN’s mystery-thriller drama “Stanger” and the period

Succeeding the hit entertainment show “Infinite Challenge,” MBC’s new quiz show “Quiz Q” begins with a great burden.Beloved TV series “Infinite Challenge” aired its last episode on April 21, after a 13-year run. The series earned the nickname “national entertainment show,” gaining popularity across all age groups. Producer Kim Tae-ho of the show announced a sudden halt last March, citing the need for a break. He explained, “It has been hard to keep the show’s original color while maintaining fre

Walking down the streets of traditional markets, some might be shocked by the graphic scene of pig’s trotters hanging upside down. Upon closer look, you will find that the trotters display their fat toes too. Many Koreans actually enjoy eating these trotters. Called “jokbal,” the dish is go-to late-night soul food. It is also representative of Korea’s delivery service culture, as it arrives at your doorstep even in the middle of the night, typically 30 minutes after ordering. (Video shot and pro