STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) ― If you’ve walked into a ski lodge the past few years, likely as not you’ve seen tables filled with gray-haired skiers wearing sweaters so old they’re back in style.That’s because the number of skiers on the far side of 50 ― some on the very far side ― has been creeping up each year, according to the National Ski Areas Association.Credit advances in artificial hips and knees that make it possible for skiers to continue enjoying the sport; shaped skis, along with b

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) ― In Paul Salopek’s first year of his trek across the globe, the reporter walked alongside his camels for days in Ethiopia without seeing glass or bricks or any other signs of modern humanity, ate a hamburger on a U.S. military base and was shadowed by minders in the Saudi desert. He has only 32,000 kilometers to go.Salopek is walking from Ethiopia to Chile, a seven-year journey that aims to reproduce man’s global migration. Beauty and difficulty filled his first year, which

AMSTERDAM (AP) ― Ever wish your hotel room could be marked “Do Not Disturb” in glowing lights, to drive the message home? That option is on its way. Two European companies have developed a system in which colored LEDs are combined with specialized carpets to make tailored hotel signs that appear underfoot instead of on walls. Obvious uses include having glowing red arrows direct guests to the nearest escape or exit in case of emergency. Or displaying guests’ names outside their doors. Ed Huibers

Opera Gallery Seoul presents an exhibition by Korean and French artists currently in the spotlight for their portrayal of beautiful tree images. The gallery’s fourth exhibition of the year showcases pine tree sculptures by Lee Gil-rae and imaginative, colorful paintings by Jean Francois Larrieu under the title “Dream Blossom” from Thursday to Dec. 31. “It will invite viewers to the world of fantasy and imagination the two artists create with trees as the symbol of the origin of life,” said a gal

Fashion would seem an unlikely topic for discussion in the male-dominated world of politics, but with more women entering politics and ascending to positions of power, it has become a frequently raised topic. For better or worse, the style of women leaders have been under constant scrutiny, making women leaders and their fashion inseparable.“Women leaders are getting more attention for their fashion because there isn’t a set of specific sartorial rules and guidelines as in menswear. For men, sui

Eudon Choi is one of the hot, emerging designers in the global fashion scene, successfully debuting at London Fashion Week last year and winning the Samsung Fashion Design Fund three years in a row. His latest win was announced on Tuesday along with his long-time friend and designer Heo Hwan of Heohwan Simulation.The course of his career in fashion has been an attempt to step outside of his comfort zone. He started working as a menswear designer in Korea, but ventured into womenswear, driven by

Mercure Seoul, located in the heart of Seoul’s Gangnam district, has been offering friendly and accommodating service at an affordable price for both local and international travelers since it opened in March 2012. To meet the vision of the hotel CEO Woo Hee-myung that emphasizes “best value at a reasonable price,” Mercure Seoul Ambassador Gangnam SODOWE, has been targeting guests looking for affordable, yet satisfying service, especially in food and beverage. The mid-sized hotel, which is part

LOS CABOS, Mexico ― Much of what you need to know about Cabo San Lucas happens during the first weekend of October.It’s Sammy Hagar’s birthday.Yes, that Sammy Hagar, the second-best singer Van Halen ever had and the rock ’n’ roll wordsmith responsible for sentiments such as “Your Love is Driving Me Crazy” and “I Can’t Drive 55.” When Sammy ages another year ― he recently turned 66 ― Cabo San Lucas celebrates. More accurately, Sammy Hagar celebrates with a concert at Cabo Wabo, his sprawling bar-

KAILUA, Hawaii (AP) ― People from across the world are drawn to the coastal town of Kailua. Its white sand beaches are among the nation’s best. Some recommend the Honolulu suburb for its laid-back vibe. And President Barack Obama vacations there with his family each Christmas.But now, the neighborhood board is asking a state tourism agency to stop encouraging visitors to stay overnight in their town.It’s the latest salvo in a long-running battle over how much tourism Kailua wants and should allo

Nam June Paik was an artist ahead of his time and his influence on today’s media artists is greater than when he was alive in the 80s and 90s, according to Doug Aitken, winner of the 2012 Nam June Paik Art Center Prize. “Paik was incredibly ahead of his time ... his works were about mixing up the media and this has been the DNA of today’s media artists,” said Aitken at the press opening of his exhibition at Nam June Paik Art Center in Korea last week. Aitken was awarded the NJP Art Center Prize

MBC has stopped sales of “I Got C,” a song featured on the entertainment show “Infinite Challenge” that is in hot water over plagiarism claims.The broadcaster said it reached the decision to stop all sales of the song with Amoeba Culture Entertainment, which represents the hip-hop producer Primary, until the issue is settled. It said it would stop selling the CDs, which feature other songs made for the show, after Nov. 15 in a banner message on its website. The decision was made as the controver

A touring exhibition that promotes the use of wool opens in Seoul next week with a showcase of creative wool clothing and products by Korean designers. The 2013 Wool Modern exhibition, part of The Campaign for Wool of the Woolmark Company and supported by the Prince of Wales, seeks to raise awareness of the versatility of wool, its aesthetic qualities and environmental benefits. The exhibition started in England in 2011 and has been held in Germany, Australia and China. The use of wool peaked wi

Installation artist Suh Do Ho won the prestigious Red Dot design award for his video installation “Who Am We,” according to his studio on Wednesday. Suh won the Best of the Best Award in the category of TV, film, cinema and animation at the Red Dot Awards in July, as well as the IDEA bronze award and the gold award at the Busan International Advertising Festival this year for the same work. The interactive video installation features hundreds of portraits of employees at Hyundai Motor Group, who

Artist Kang Hyung-koo is best known for hyper realistic portraits of iconic figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Van Gogh and Andy Warhol. The celebrity images have grown so popular overseas that Kang has set several auction records: his “Vincent Van Gogh in Blue” sold for $587,240, eight times the lowest estimated sales price, at Christie’s Hong Kong sale in 2007. His “Monroe in Green” was auctioned for three times the lowest estimate in May this year. In the upcoming Christie’s Hong

The latest trends and forms of contemporary art will go on display starting Wednesday at the newly opened Seoul branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. The museum, located in the heart of Seoul next to Gyeongbokgung Palace, is marking its opening in a big way, presenting five exhibitions that encompass diverse forms of contemporary art in exhibition spaces that measure a total of 10,450 square meters. “The new museum has set its role as a comprehensive museum integra

The controversy surrounding alleged plagiarism by celebrated hip-hop artist Primary is escalating as listeners find more similarities between Primary’s songs and the creations of David Schreurs, a producer for Dutch jazz singer Caro Emerald. Accusations of plagiarism surfaced earlier this month with the release of “I Got C,” which Primary produced with comedian Park Myung-soo for the popular MBC entertainment program “Infinite Challenge.” The song topped most of the major music charts in Korea.

Four veteran entertainers, Cho Yong-pil, Gu Bong-seo, Ahn Sung-ki and Patti Kim, are to receive the Order of Cultural Merit from the Korean government. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Sunday, the four entertainers have been selected to receive the silver crown medal, Korea’s second-highest cultural honor.Cho was recognized for his enormous impact on the Korean pop music scene and for remaining one of the most influential figures in the country more than 45 years after

Take a KTX train to Busan and stay a night on a cruise ship in waters off Busan. The Korea Railroad Corporation has launched a new package that offers a trip to Busan on the high-speed KTX and a one-night stay on a cruise ship. The new package, priced at 225,300 won-619,000 won per person, includes round-trip tickets on the KTX, accommodation, dinner and breakfast on the Panstar cruise ship and entertainment activities on the cruise. The cruise ship circles major attractions in Busan including T

POSCO officials on Thursday denied news reports that its chairman Chung Joon-yang is stepping down. Earlier news reports said the chairman of the Korea’s top steelmaker offered to resign under mounting pressure over a series of tax investigations. However, company officials said there are no plans to discuss his resignation at the board of directors meeting scheduled for Friday. By Lee Woo-young  (wylee@heraldcorp.com)

An extensive survey of star photographer Ryan McGinley’s works is on exhibit in Seoul for the first time. The New York-based photographer has been known for his portrayal of youth and diverse emotions associated with it such as freedom, passion, liberation, anxiety and rebellion. The Seoul exhibition presents his major series featuring youthful images, which have caused a sensation in the art world and offered hope to his viewers of all generations. McGinley is also known for being the youngest