The first home bar run by Park Na-rae until last year was decorated with various knickknacks the comedian had collected over the years for a bargain. On the floor lay a Union Jack-patterned rug, while a rotating disco ball hung from the ceiling. The walls displayed a bright orange painted by Park herself. In the past, Koreans renting their homes were wary of decorating or making alterations because they did not regard the spaces as their own, Park says. She too has a lease on her current apartme

Two key figures rendered the historic US-NK summit possible Tuesday, breaching the language barrier between the US and North Korean leaders: the interpreters.The pair have attracted much attention as the only people privy to the full content of the private meeting between the two leaders.Kim Jong-un’s interpreter has been identified by the White House as Kim Ju-song from the North Korean Foreign Ministry. Accompanying US President Donald Trump is Lee Yun-hyang, 61, division chief of Interpreting

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shook hands and opened a monumental summit Tuesday on the island of Sentosa in Singapore.The two leaders were framed in an extraordinary, globally-broadcast image for a summit that could either result in a step toward peace or increase threats of nuclear weaponry. The two arrived consecutively at the venue, the Capella luxury resort hotel, by their respective limousines. In this image made from video provided by Host Broadcaster Media

US President Donald Trump met with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday, ahead of a highly anticipated summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un set for Tuesday. Trump was greeted by Lee at the Istana, the official residence of Singapore’s president. The US leader was accompanied by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, national security adviser John Bolton, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and White House chief of staff John Kelly.The two leaders attended a working

Summer has suddenly arrived in Korea after an untimely wet and humid May. Temperatures soared up to 31 degrees Celsius Friday, prompting many Koreans to either head outdoors to enjoy the sun or indoors to avoid the heat.Korea is becoming increasingly known for its myriad of themed cafes and equally diverse drinks served in cafes. The following are five iced drinks recommended by Cafe Huamdong, located in Seoul‘s Yongsan-gu. Ice cream cafe latte (Lim Jeong-yeo/The Korea Herald) Ice in a cup (Rumy

The Korean Association of Newspapers delivered a statement to the Culture Ministry and the National Assembly on Monday, saying that legislation is the best way for the country’s online portal sites to adopt an “outlink system” for news articles displayed on their platforms. Although it would be ideal for newspapers and portal sites to agree on a system through negotiation, such a voluntary change in the current custom seems impossible given portal sites’ past decisions and the market structure,

Instead of their favorite coffee, Starbucks-goers on Franklin Avenue were welcomed by a notice reading “we’ll see you tomorrow,” footage from Brooklyn in New York City showed, on Tuesday.　Starbucks closed over 8,000 stores in the United States on Tuesday afternoon, so that 175,000 employees could undergo anti-racial bias training, in response to protests and boycotts amid allegations of racist incidents caused by staff at the coffeeshop.　The protests followed an incident at a Starbucks store in

Sung Kim, the US State Department’s key Korea expert, was spotted departing for the border village of Panmunjeom on Wednesday morning.Kim and a team of US negotiators are set to hold talks with North Korean officials concerning the upcoming US-North Korea summit. The two sides will fine-tune details on North Korea’s denuclearization and a security guarantee for Kim Jong-un’s regime, according to reports.Spotted heading for Panmunjeom from Seoul at 10 a.m. were Sung Kim, a South-Korean born Ameri

With K-pop sensation BTS’ unprecedented rise in the global music scene, overseas direct purchases of the group’s album are soaring on Korean online retail sites. BTS’ third and most recent album “Love Yourself: Tear” has been sold to over 54 countries from April 18 to May 18 on Gmarket Global Shop, the online retailer operated by eBay Korea announced Tuesday. Orders continue to flood in despite the album’s steep price, 65,000 won ($60.4), Ebay Korea said. BTS (Big Hit Entertainment)The largest p

As Seoul continues to evolve into an epicurean city dotted with popular eateries, customers are seeking increasingly exclusive dining experiences.Trending these days are small-scale, one-chef restaurants that often only seat three to four tables. At Rawpie Table, chef Lee Hae-chang wears multiple hats. He’s the cook, the server, the cashier, the kitchen assistant, and even the interior designer at the Italian diner that opened last November in Seoul’s Huam-dong. It’s not an easy task. In charge

The Chuncheon International Mime Festival wrapped up its seven-day run Sunday. Over 500 artists in 52 teams from 13 countries participated in the festival this year, performing in over 100 shows on six stages throughout Chuncheon, located in Gangwon Province. The festival consists of various mime and movement-related shows featuring themes of water, fire and other elements. The closing ceremony featured a performance titled “Fire City Burning,” involving a huge bonfire and fireworks. The festiva

Several famous Busan restaurants have been caught storing expired food, preparing dishes in severely unhygienic kitchens or misrepresenting the origin of their ingredients. Rags covered in rat feces and trash buckets being used to defrost seafood were found in restaurants lauded as must-visit spots to both locals and tourists. Seafood is being defrosted in a trash bucket filled with hose water. (Yonhap)A total of 25 restaurants in violation of health codes were exposed upon an inspection by the

A memorial ceremony honoring the ninth anniversary of the passing of late President Roh Moo-hyun took place Wednesday at his grave in Bongha Village.Politicians and mourners flocked to the village, located in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, to pay their respects.Prior to his presidency from 2003 to 2008, Roh advocated for student activists and human rights as a lawyer and politician. Roh died by suicide in 2009. Roh Moo-hyun's wife Kwon Yang-sookBy Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com) Photos by Yonh

The advent of social media provided individuals with a platform on which they could showcase their own content. Then came the birth of social media stars, who amassed hundreds of thousands of followers and fans without ever having appeared on television or film. Such online celebrities are increasingly being sought after by brands for their ability to drive huge hikes in sale.Online influencers’ fame may not be on as large a scale as celebrities on traditional media, but their ability to propel

Brightly colored lanterns hang in the air at Jogyesa Temple in central Seoul. Seoul citizens flocked to the chief temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday, a national holiday here that falls on May 22.People joined their hands in prayer, wishing for good fortune and blessings in the future, along with family members’ health and peace on the peninsula.Thousands of Buddhist followers and citizens attended the morning ceremony, according to Jogyesa Temple. Childre

BTS performed its new track “Fake Love” at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday, US time. The six-member boy band delivered an energetic performance, showing off powerful dance moves alongside emotion-filled vocals. International fans in the audience were spotted cheering and singing along to the song, with some appearing teary-eyed.The song is from BTS’ latest album “Love Yourself: Tear.” BTS won the top social artist award at the awards for the second consecutive year. By Rumy Doo (doo@he

Figure skating champion Kim Yu-na made her first appearance in an ice show in four years on Sunday. She performed a special gala program at the “All That Skate 2018” ice show held at Seoul’s Mokdong Ice Rink. The world-class athlete performed to Jonny Greenwood’s “House of Woodcock,” part of the original soundtrack for the 2017 film “Phantom Thread.”No jumps were carried out but Kim mesmerized the audience during the three-minute show. Skating in a flowing white dress dotted with dainty flowers,

Director Lee Chang-dong’s “Burning” garnered a record high score in the Cannes Film Festival’s daily newsletter upon its jury screening. With a 3.8 average, the film has nabbed the highest score in the history of Screen’s Cannes jury grid, surpassing the previous record of 3.7 set by Maren Ade’s “Tony Erdmann” in 2016.All but two critics awarded the film the full four stars, with two giving three stars. Screen’s review described the film as “quietly devastating…a film of wondrous complexity and

Rains continued to pour down Thursday night and into Friday morning, leading to flooding in various parts of Korea.The lower-level of the Jamsu Bridge, connecting Seoul’s central Yongsan-gu and southern Seocho-gu, was temporarily closed Friday morning as the Han River’s water levels rose 6.32 meters. Korea has been witnessing prolonged rainfall since Wednesday. Seoul clocked in some 133.5 millimeters of precipitation in three days. Gangwon Province was hit by torrential downpours early Friday mo

K-pop star Seungri has become a model for the online dating app Tinder in Korea, YG Entertainment announced Thursday. In one of the ads, Seungri is dressed in a suit and holds a champagne glass. In another, he is dressed casually with a smartphone in his hand.  (Tinder)“Friends of many nationalities that I meet through tours abroad and business use Tinder a lot,” said Seungri in a press release. “It’s a good fit for me, as I enjoy meeting new people,” he said on modeling for the app. Larger vers