2013년 9월 30일 월요일

upcoming Korean movie “Hwai”


Filming dates 2012/12/10~2013/04/25 Synopsis A boy named Hwai has 5 criminal fathers. Seok-tae, a cold but charismatic leader, Ki-tae, a stammering driver specialist, Jin-seong, an ideal planner, Beom-soo, a guns specialist and Dong-beom a cold actionist. Hwai has been brought up in a unique way, learning skills from his 5 fathers instead of going to school but has adapted to life, not knowing his past. However, Seok-tae who wanted Hwai to be as strong as his fathers, brings him to a crime scene one day... After the day a gunshot is fired... Hwai faces the hidden truth and everything around him begins to change! Release date in Korea : 2013/10/09 With Kim Yoon-seok, Yeo Jin-goo as leading roles. With rising star like yeo jin goo, this movie is getting lot of attention and expections. yeo jin- good reconized among many child actors and actress in korea dramas and movies for his good acting. he was especially good at showing emotion at sobbing and crying scenes.




they added new images for the upcoming Korean movie “Hwai”
Unconventional and immersive story, centered on kim yun seok, yeo jin gu supported by character actors such as jang hyeon seong,jo jin woong, Kim sung kyun,park hae jun. 'Hwai: a child swallows a monster' will be released on October 9.

World's first Louis Vuitton airport outlet losing its charm?

Two years ago,the world's only duty free Louis vuitton store opened in incheon airport.
High fashion brand of France, Louis Vuitton, signed a deal to open its world’s first airport duty free outlet at Incheon International Airport of Korea in 2011.
Many foreign tourists planning to visit Korea and Koreans who would go abroad through Incheon International Airport were pleased by the news.
However, this issue has become a hot potato in the media because of the excessive profits to LV than other brands in Incheon airport. “We believe that Louis Vuitton was very demanding in the conditions for opening its first airport outlet. No other international airport would agree such conditions, but Incheon airport did.” said an industry source who knows the French brand well on condition of anonymity.
The privileges given to LV were advantaged location and lower tariff than other brands.
LV could not only open their outlet in front and center, between Gate 27 and 28, but they also pay only a quarter or one third of their revenues as a rent, although other duty free shops pay around 40 percent in general.
Because of this treatment, other existing shops had to move to another location and it caused great inconvenience to customers.
Due to these unfair conditions, Incheon airport has been criticized by public by reasons of crushing the pride of nation and snobbism.
Incheon International Airport retained its No.1 world ranking in customer satisfaction for last 6 years. Nevertheless, why did Incheon airport give those unfair privileges to LV giving up their pride? I think they could not help choosing that way for their benefit, because Louis Vuitton is expected to contribute to overfulfillment for 1.5 trillion won on Incheon airport’s annual revenues. Then, how can LV bring such enormous benefit to Incheon airport? This is because of the popularity of Louis Vuitton. It means LV is “common” and “familiar” brand to ordinary people than other luxury brands.
LV also treats luxury items, but it has competitive price. There are many lines in luxury brands and among the rest, low-priced line of LV is cheaper than other brands’.
However, most people consider LV as very high fashion and luxurious brand. Thus it can give good satisfaction for customers by not that much expensive price, but affordable a bit hard, so LV could be so famous in Korea.
This is the reason why we can see so many Korean women are carrying LV bag on their shoulder in anywhere, even though, they are not all that rich.
On 29th, oct 2013, according to duty free air star avenue, average daily sales of 280 million won of last year was plunge to 230 million won this year, reduced by about 18%. Even considering open special first year sales, it was down to minus(-)7% growth rate more than doubled compared to last year. now it's slowly losing its reputation

 
Incheon Airport Duty Free store has privilege of world's only duty free LV shop and high sales of first year made (LVMH) group,owner company of LV brand to pay special attention.
In May last year,LVMH Chairman Bernard Arnaud directly came visited this store for this reason.
It was speculated by industry source that this sales reduce was due to decline of japanese tourists in korea caused by yen,japanese currency drop.
Another speculated reason for reduced sales of duty-free stores of Louis Vuitton is popularities of LV brands is cooling down in domestic market.
Luxury industry official said, " Until a few years ago, you could easily see long lines of customers waiting in front of shop and Louis vuitton bag had nickname of 3 seconds bags in korea because you could see LV bag in every 3 seconds on street, is losing power in the domestic market,"

Meanwhile, Louis vuitton store at incheon international airport was run by shilla duty free since september 10,2011




2013년 9월 28일 토요일

yoo seung joon controversy still continues? his new movie in china

This week, fans got to see a brand new trailer featurette to help promote the upcoming September 24, 2013 3D premiere of The Wrath Of Vajra. New chinese action movie that once korea's super star yoo seung joon starred in. It shows the following with director Law Wing Cheong discussing the three opponents lead actor Xing Yu faces in the film, played by Jiang Baocheng, Nam "Poppin" Hyun-Joon and Steve Yoo Seung-Joon. Yoo goes on to describe his character saying "My character has very strong beliefs and will do anything for them." with Law adding "Yoo's character is very interesting. He wants Iron Curtain and Crazy Ape to beat Vajra but at the same time he'd rather them lose so he can fight Vajra himself."

For those of you who have no clue about who Yoo Seung Jun is, I just want to say he was the biggest star of K-pop. Since his debut in 1997, everyone was singing his songs, dancing his moves, and knowing his name. He had fame and fans more than anyone else in the K-pop industry and everyone wanted to be the next Yoo Seung Jun. So, how come he is never mentioned in any variety shows or dramas, or in South Korea in general? Well, he basically got caught in a lie.

He was born in Korea, but was raised in the United States and it wasn’t until 2002 that he had to choose between being a Korean citizen or an American citizen. Despite the fact that he promised Korean citizens that he would follow the law of South Korea and serve his time in the military several times in interviews, he gave up his Korean citizenship to gain American citizenship at the last minute negating the ability of the Korean government to draft him. Hearing the news, fans became outraged of his actions and everyone including the government turned against him, the government considered his actions to be ‘desertion’ deported him to the US and banned him out of the country and out of their lives.

Since the ban in 2002, the only time he was allowed to come back to South Korea was in 2003 for his father-in-law’s funeral. More than the citizenship controversy, the main problem was about the lying and betrayal. He lied and betrayed not only one person, but the whole country.
South Koreans take the mandatory military service for men seriously. It’s a law for all South Korea born men to serve time in military and even though no one seems to want to go, they do, and there’s no exceptions for anyone and that includes celebrities.
Why is this such a big deal? What many international K-pop fans fail to realize is that technically, South Korea is still at war with North Korea because no peace treaty was ever signed at the ‘end’ of the Korean War. The tension between the two countries is very high and the reigning peace can be broken at anytime.
That’s why the mandatory service is so important, so that they not only have a military force, but that the men of South Korea will have some defense and battle knowledge should the unthinkable occur.

It would be interesting to see how his new chinese movie will be accpted in korea and if he could ever come back to korea in future.

YG entertainment cafeteria's foods so good

YG Entertainment's agency restaurant recently got revealed among online fans.
Recently, an online community forum revealed several pictures under 'YG's restaurant that even Big Bang visits often.'
The YG restaurant had previously been introduced to the public by groups Big Bang, 2NE1, Se7en, and other artists of YG Entertainment. It had also been revealed through SBS "K-pop Star" before. The agency restaurant, taking up the whole basement floor of the 7-floor building, had a neat interior with a diversity of quality food.

YG's CEO Yang Hyun Suk said, "It's not easy for celebrities to go to normal restaurants to eat because of all the attention they get, so it's not easy for them to eat every meal. Thus, we brought 4 amazing cooks on board our company, for this restaurant, just for our artists."

 Internet users who saw this commented, "No wonder the artists like that restaurant," "Even though it never opens to public..I want to try it once," etc.

2013년 9월 27일 금요일

"Project cheonan ship" movie

A recently released film in South Korea set out to spark a discussion on free speech in the country, and amid opposition and cancelled viewings, it has done just that. Project Cheonan Ship is a film on the aftermath of the 2010 sinking of the Cheonan warship, a South Korean navy submersible that went down in waters near North Korea. South Korea concluded that a North Korean torpedo was the cause of the sinking, though North Korea denied any involvement. The film features experts in a range of fields offering possible alternative causes of the ship’s sinking. In August, members of the South Korean navy and relatives of a few of the 46 sailors who died in the sinking sought a court injunction to prevent the film’s release. “There is freedom of expression, but no freedom of distortion…If the movie is released, it could defame the reputations of the 46 fallen soldiers and their bereaved families”, the group’s lawyer said in a statement. The injunction was denied in court and the film opened according to schedule on Sept. 5 at 30 theaters across South Korea, mostly in independent film houses but in a few major theaters as well. It did well on its opening weekend, ranked first among independent films and eleventh overall at the box office. After two days, the film was pulled by Megabox, a major theater chain. This is believed to be the first time in Korean history that a film has been pulled in this way. Megabox said that they had received warning from conservative civic groups who planned to picket the theaters showing the film. The theater company said they didn’t want to put viewers’ safety at risk, and therefore stopped showing the film to avoid trouble. A big part of the reason why the issue of the Cheonan sinking is still prickly is that there was a long debate over the cause of the sinking and though the evidence strongly points to North Korea, there still isn’t a uniform consensus on what happened. An international investigation commissioned by the South Korean government eventually concluded that indeed, a North Korean torpedo had sunk the Cheonan. Skeptics continued to argue that the ship could have come in contact with a mine leftover from the Korean War. The debate over the sinking has been split along the lines of South Korea’s political divide: conservatives who support the South’s military alliance with the US and are bitterly opposed to North Korea, and those on the left who don’t approve of the large US military presence in South Korea and see it as the main obstacle to peaceful reunification with North Korea. People in South Korea who voice either explicit or implied support or sympathy for North Korea are often shouted down. There is even a law banning expressions ofsupport for the North: Article 7 of the National Security Law (NSL) stipulates up to seven years in prison for anyone who “praises, incites or propagates the activities of an anti-government organization”. Under the law, North Korea counts as just such an anti-government organization. While supporters say the NSL is necessary to protect a fragile peace against the North Korean threat, critics say it is a vaguely worded prohibition that is really meant to stifle dissent within the country. The makers of Project Cheonan Ship intended not to take a position on the cause of the Cheonan sinking, but to start a conversation about the importance of unimpeded expression of differing views. “Our primary motivation was not telling a story about the Cheonan sinking case itself, but about the intolerant attitude seen in our society after the incident,” Director Baek Seung-woo said in an interview on Sept. 13. Baek said he and the other filmmakers wanted to reiterate the importance of free speech in South Korea. “We made this movie because we believe most people in our society have an understanding of what free speech means, but don’t yet fully appreciate its value,” he said. Even after making the film, they still don’t attempt to make definite claims on how and why the Cheonan went down. Baek explained, “While making the movie, I realized how extremely difficult the case was. I am not expert on marine science or military equipment or explosives. I’m not scientist either. I don’t know what the cause is, but I think the real experts in our society need a more open climate of free speech to really figure out what happened.”


As Korea Seeks to Reign in Coffee Shop Chains Indie Cafes Flourish

South Korea’s cities are overrun with cafés. According to the Samsung Economic Research Institute, the number of coffee shops here jumped from about 6,000 in 2008 to 9,400 in 2011. Other studies put the number as high as 17,000 in Seoul alone. There are so many coffee shops in the South Korean capital that the Fair Trade Commission set a limit on the distance between new coffeehouse chains to at least 500 meters. In addition to Starbucks, which is run by Shinsegae, 40 percent of the nation’s cafés are run by the top five Korean brands—Caffe Bene, Hollys Coffee, Ediya Coffee, Angel-in-us and Tom n’ Toms. A common complaint amongst both expats and an increasing number of Koreans is that chain coffee is cheaply roasted, weak in strength and lacking in taste. This is driving Korea’s coffeeholics to seek out better alternatives in smaller roasting companies and independent cafés. “I started drinking three to four cups of coffee a day when I started working for a company, so I started to drink at franchise coffee shops like Starbucks, Coffee Bean, Angel-in-us and Twosome Place,” says Jay Song, a professor at Busan University of Foreign studies. “Then I thought, if I was going to drink coffee, I would rather drink a good one, so I started looking for good cafés.” Song became so interested in finding good coffee that she signed up for classes about the world’s favorite bean and eventually opened her own shop, My Table All Day Café in Marine City, where she now teaches people about the difference between a good cup of coffee and a bad one. Roh Eun-ji, manager and roaster at Fresh Cups in Haeundae has been in the coffee industry for seven years. She quit working at chain stores to join an independent shop where she could choose her own beans and roast them for a higher-quality taste. Like Song, she believes that as Koreans learn more about finely-crafted coffee, fewer will support the big chains for their fix. “They need to learn how to distinguish fine coffee from others,” says Roh. “For Koreans to be able to consume better coffee, the role of cafés is important to change their awareness of quality coffee.” As far as the low-quality coffee served up by the major chains, Roh’s assessment is that their priorities are misplaced. “From my experience working at the franchise coffee shops, I know that every franchise shop doesn’t have the same quality of coffee. That means people come up with ideas for interior design or advertisements rather than the taste of the coffee.” Considering that last year 63 percent of the coffee consumed in Korea was dispersed from a powdery packet, it will take time for a stampede to rush towards indie coffee shops. Even Jay Song has her doubts. “The simple fact is that price is, sometimes, more important than taste. Some people will view coffee just as coffee and not as ‘culture,’ or care about the perfect blend,” she says. “I think it is difficult to expect that there will definitely be a high-end coffee culture forming in Korea."

Kimchi war between china and korea

SEOUL, South Korea -- You don’t insult the concept of royalty in England, you don’t talk trash about the emperor in Japan and you don’t express ill-will towards kimchi in Korea. The tasty side dish is an institution, a cultural treasure and just shy of a sacred icon in the minds of many on the peninsula. But Korea’s “kimchi sovereignty”, a term coined for the capital of the spicy fermented cabbage that’s appearing on more and more tables around the world, is being pared away by increasing competition from neighboring China. In fact, Chinese kimchi already has a well-established beach head on Korea's home turf with one report estimating that about half the public eateries in the country serve kimchi produced in China. Not only is China going head to head in the kimchi homeland, it’s effectively moved to “ban” the import of kimchi into China by enacting strict inspection regulations. According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation no domestically produced kimchi has been sold into the Chinese market this year. What’s worse is Japan, Korea's largest kimchi customer (the Japanese call it 'kimuchi') accounting for nearly 80 percent of the total export, is turning to cheaper Chinese brands to satiate their K-food trend. According to the Korea Customs Service, exports of kimchi to Japan were down 19.2 percent between January and May this year, accounting for the biggest drop since 2007. While some experts attribute it to the weakening yen others point the obvious finger to China and its aggressive aim to dominate another market. Korean officials have publicly noted that dozens of producers in Shanghai and Qingdao are actively making a push to increase exports to Japan at the cost of Korean producers. “The situation is very serious,” an analyst told the Korea Times. “A great number of domestic kimchi makers have found their sales down by 20-30 percent this year.” When governments join the battle Government participation in protecting domestic industries is nothing new in the world of international trade. Governments around the world have long worked alongside manufacturers to make it more difficult for imported items to gain entrance and break domestic monopolies. Now it seems the Chinese are following the same playbook by making import regulations on Korean food coming across Chinese borders more and more stringent. “Perhaps the Chinese government is aware that the new rule is strict,” said an official at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “I think this is a strategic move aimed at supporting Chinese kimchi makers.” Others see this as a reaction by the Chinese government to "food scares" over the suspected quality of Chinese kimchi—including accusations by Korean lawmaker Ko Kyung-hwa, who last year publicized a study by the Seoul Research Institute of Public Health and Environment that suggested some brands of Chinese-made kimchi contained five times more lead than what's found in domestic products. The ensuing public uproar forced the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) into the fray. After conducting their own tests they concluded that the "Chinese-produced spicy pickled cabbage is safe to eat." The findings by the KFDA also produced some unwanted news for domestic makers championed by Ms. Ko. The testing used 28 domestic and 30 Chinese-made kimchi samples and found that the domestic brands actually tested positive for lead more often than the Chinese brands with seven imported and fourteen Korean-made brands shown to contain less than 0.05 part per million of lead. The remainder of those tested were found to contain no traces of the substance. Following the KFDA findings Korean newspapers quoted housewives saying they would avoid store bought kimchi altogether and make more of the side-dish at home. Ko was skeptical of the KFDA results accusing the government of simply trying to cool down tensions with China, Korea's largest trading partner. "I believe the administration is trying to cool this kimchi scandal down with untrustworthy results," Ko said. To Ko's credit, she was correct that bad press has irritated Beijing officials and thus rendered the tough new Chinese regulations on Korean kimchi imports unsurprising. "The Chinese Foreign Ministry has officially requested us [South Korea] to co-operate to ensure South Korean press fairly reports on China's kimchi exports,' South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted a Seoul official as saying. How this all plays out remains to be seen, but who will be surprised to see the Chinese economy of scale rule the day in a once sacred market? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2013년 9월 25일 수요일

ios7 bug made some korean angry

Although the majority of Apple’s customers will likely be more than satisfied with both the OS’s stylistic and functional changes, some Korean citizens have taken issue with iOS 7′s Maps application, which refers to the islets located between Japan and Korea – over which there has been much debate

Known in the English-speaking world as the Liancourt Rocks, the small islands are referred to in Korean as “Dokdo,” and “Takeshima” in Japanese, with both countries staking a claim to the tiny cluster of rocks. It’s only natural, then, that some Koreans should take offense when Apple’s built-in Maps application chose the Japanese name over the Korean.

On 25th sep,after the upgrade to ios7, some picture taken at dokdo has GPS information marked at oki-shi,Takeshima, japanese name of dokdo island was spreading from various sns in korea. Both Asian countries claim ownership of Dokdo, which has long caused tensions between the two. In iOS 5, when Maps was powered by Google Maps, only the Korean name for the islets was used, and that’s how Korean officials want it to stay. Apple’s Korean unit has reportedly notified the local government that the new Maps service uses the Korean, Japanese, and Franco-English names to describe Dokdo simultaneously. The Korean-language version of the app uses the Korean name, while the Japanese-language version of the app uses the Japanese name Korean officials say, however, that this is “unacceptable.” They argue that the Dokdo has been an integral part of South Korea’s territory, and that therefore only the Korean name should be used. “Although Apple is a private organization, this is an issue that our government cannot concede on. So, we will continue reiterating our stance and requesting Apple to accept our demand,” the official said. ZDNet reports that tensions have been high between Seoul and Tokyo over the Dokdo islets, which are situated in the East Sea between the Korean peninsula and Japan, after South Korean president Lee Myung-bak visited the islets and cited “Tokyo’s unrepentant attitude over its colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula” as the reason for his trip. The Japanese were angered by his comments. Apple’s Korean unit is yet to comment on the situation.

Galaxy Note 3 flexible display release rumour

The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will be arriving in certain regions from today(25th,sep), following its launch earlier in the month, but now there are some doubts about the rumours that are emerging that a version with a flexible display is set to be released. Only yesterday we heard that Samsung were being tipped to provide a cheaper variant of the Galaxy Note 3 that would feature a LCD display, and now a new rumour is suggesting that the company is working on a limited edition version that will feature a flexible display. The rumour goes on to claim that the handset will only be available in limited quantities and could even arrive before the LCD version. Samsung and LG are known to be working on flexible displays for smartphones and this latest rumour does fit in with previous ones that claimed there will be a number of different versions of the Note 3 provided. Currently the only version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 that is known about uses a Super AMOLED Full HD display, so it remains to be seen if these latest rumours hold any water, but the device is also rumoured to feature a metal chassis. If this is true the handset would certainly be a premium version of the Galaxy Note 3, but it might not go down to well with those that pick up the standard model once it has been launched tomorrow and in the coming weeks. Do you think we will see a Galaxy Note 3 with a flexible screen and would you want one?

2013년 9월 22일 일요일

IU comeback in oct


Singer IU has set her comeback date in October. On September 10, IU’s agency, Loen Entertainment, revealed to Newsen, “IU has scheduled her music comeback on October 7. It will most likely be on that date, but the schedule can change.” It’s been over a year since IU’s last album, “Spring of a 20 Year Old.” Since then IU has kept herself busy with her KBS drama “You’re the Best, Lee Soon Shin” and her appearance on variety shows. During that time the singer had been diligently working on her album, and after having her comeback being pushed back several times, she will finally make her comeback in October. She was supposed to come back in september,but it was little delayed. Loen Entertainment also revealed, “The title song has been chosen and we are at the final stages of preparations. IU is currently practicing her choreography.” IU is also promoting in Japan and released the music video for “Monday Afternoon.”

In the teaser images, IU takes on a more mature and edgier look than her previous album concepts, raising the curiosity for how this change will be reflected in her music. Jo Young Chul produced IU’s album and took around nine months to complete. It will contain a range of genres, including jazz, bossa nova, swing, Latin pop, and even folk. It will be released on oct,7

face reader (movie,2013)


What does your face reveal about you? Would you believe that someone could tell your past, present, and predict your future simply from the construction of your face? Would you want to meet the person who could ultimately reveal your destiny? The recently released film, The Face Reader (관상) addresses Korea’s history of face reading. This tradition was quickly adapted into Korean and Japanese culture when Chinese influence was beginning to spread in South East Asia. In the 1930′s the Japanese used an expert face-reader to recruit technicians, including pilots, mechanics, and other military officials. In Korea face reading techniques are still employed in job and match-making recruiting. Face reading experts believe that your bone structure can give way to how your life will play out. The Face Reader addresses the issue of face reading and it’s role in political and military affairs. How accurate is this ancient art? The character Nae-Kyung (Song Kang-Ho) is the most renown face-reader in all of the Josean Dynasty. After determining that he would provide a better life for his son Jin-Hyeong (Lee Jong-Suk) he and his brother in law Paeng-Hun (Cho Jung-Seok) join hands with beautiful Gisaeng Yeong-Hong (Kim Hye-Soo) and turn face-reading into a lucrative business. Rumors of Nae-Kyung’s talent quickly spread and he is eventually brought into the palace to identify conspirators against the king. He is soon caught in a dangerous web of murder, political corruption, and the violent coup for the throne. In this plot of dark ambition, no one is left unscathed. This traditional film of mystery and intrigue will keep you on the edge of your seat as you follow Nae-Kyung’s journey of betrayal and sacrifice, propelled by his earnest desire to provide for his son. Stunning traditional Korean Hankboks (Korean traditional dress) and elaborately constructed architecture serve as the background for the face-reader’s quest for redemption.

The story and characters are supported well by its talented cast which can grip our attention for more than 2 hours. Song Kang-ho, an engaging South Korean actor who has recently been lukewarm in several South Korean films, is back in his element lately with Bong Joon-ho’s terrific SF film “Snowpiercer”(2013), and he proves here again that he is still one of the most interesting South Korean actors. Even with his shabby appearance in the beginning, Song immediately wins our favor to become a likable ordinary hero we can identify with, and his good performance becomes a major asset of the movie as he effortlessly goes back and forth between humor and pathos along with the story. as good as song kang ho, or even better was lee jeong jae, who played the grand Prince Sooyang ,ruthless villain of the movie. He portrayed his evil darkness really well. and While this movie is not entirely free from its flaws including its misplaced/overused score,and sometimes feels dragging in middle of movie explaning historical background for movie little too much. “The Face Reader” is a smart enjoyable movie which successfully mixes comedy and drama to lead us to its tragic ending filled with the sense of bitter resignation. Sometimes, like Nae-kyeong, we have no choice but to be swept along with others as meek individuals even if we can clearly see beforehand what is going on around us – and, as you know, the history has proved that many times.

2013년 9월 19일 목요일

mine cave near seoul


Gwangmyeong gahak mine cave, only cave located near seoul, after opening to public in 2011, 300000 people visited this place and now it's one of favorite weekend gettaway for korean family.
It now even has movie theater and small museum as well. Unlike other mines, Gahak Mine seems to gain popularity among tourists because it provides favorable accessibility to citizens in the Seoul metropolitan region and shed new light on an abandoned mine.
Buoyed by high popularity of the mine, Mayor Yang Gi-dae of Gwangmyeong City expressed a desire for building it as the center of cultural and leisure activities. The mayor designs to establish various theme parks connecting it with nearby garbage incineration plant and Mt. Gahak

I would like to recommend a light trekking and journey of mine cave. Gahak mountain is small. I guess it takes 40minutes for trekking from Anseo Elementary School to Gahak Cave. After trekking, you can enter the cold cave. Average temperature in cave is 12 Celsius little freezing to cool down after trekking.
A journey to cave takes about 30minutes. Of course, you can go to the cave directly without trekking. It is easy to go there by public transportation. I guess it takes 30min from Anyang Station to cave by bus.
Gahak Cave is the only and the biggest mine located in metropolitan area. It is free of charge.

Gahak Mine Cave is the place where mineral resources such as gold, silver, copper and zinc have been pulled up over since 1912 and it was shut down in 1972. It has taken firm stand to stay open for 100 years and now it tries to change itself into leisure facility for entertainment and resting.

location: Around 24, San 17-1,2 Gahak-dong Kwang Myeong city. Mine scale - mine length : 7.8km(elevation 180~195m) - mine extent : 42,785㎡(basin area : 342,792㎡) - mine breadth : 2~5m(average 3.5m) - mine height : 1.5m~4m(average 2.75m) - the output of mine per day : 350 ton - geological features of mine : lime-silicate rock , schist - o level size : an underground tunnel length: 1.45K total area : 14,260㎡

Visit http://cavern.gm.go.kr for more info.

The Ramen Rater’s Top Ten best Instant Noodles of All time 2013 Edition

"This noodle is great – plentiful and of a nice gauge. The slurp up just the right amount of broth and arrive at a very good consistency and chew.
The broth is great – the peanut and spicy elements all combine to make a really fiery as well as hearty combination that is quite enjoyable. The veggies are plentiful and there’s a nice variety of them. This stuff is excellent, just like its Korean counterpart. Nice to see that everyone will get to try this stuff in the USA! 5.0 out of 5.0 stars – wonderful stuff!"
This is what hans lienesch 'professional blogger about ramen around world' said about his number one pick of top 10 instant noodles made in the USA of all time 2013 edition
Hans Lienesch started eating packaged ramen noodles as a child, when his mother would cook them al dente, fry them with egg and call them spaetzle. Now 38, the Seattle-area native and resident has carefully reviewed and categorized more than 1,100 varieties of instant ramen as The RamenRater, reaching global ramen stardom—and, more recently, notoriety.
Earlier this year, he earned the wrath of greater China’s instant ramen enthusiasts after excluding Chinese and Taiwanese brands from his 2013 top 10 lists (for best instant noodles, noodle bowls and noodle cups).
Then last week, he included several varieties from China on his list of the Bottom 10 Noodles of All Time.
Other Asian countries—notably those who have done better in his rankings—have made him something of a ramen rockstar. A Korean newspaper dubbed Lienesch the “God of Ramen,” Japanese television featured interviews with him, and he’s attracted the notice of noodle manufacturers and retailers, who have started sending him noodles to review, inviting him to factories and offering up executives for interviews.

He picked korea's jinjja jinjja ramen made by nong shim company as number one winner of 2013 best ramen of his choice and choose korea's Habanero Ramyun as his pick of Top Ten Spiciest Instant Noodles Of All time 2013 Edition.
He's sure in love with spicy korean ramen even though that might change as his prefernce because he taste so many new ramen everday from different countries.
Interesting job he has indeed!

2013년 9월 15일 일요일

new bike trails in korea (nam yang ju city)


A new bike road opened. it's relatively recent one opened about a one and half year ago in Namhangang (Southern Han River), Gyeonggi-do (Gyeonggi Province). Gyeonggido has been renovating closed railroads and bridges to open the new road as part of the Korean government's Four Major River Restoration Project. The newly opened bike road is 26.8 kilometers long and connects Paldang Station in Namyangju to Yanggeun Bridge in Yangpyeong
It's relatively close to seoul.. you can get there less than 2hours by bicycle if you start from han river bike trail in seoul
This new bicycle path (which also allows walkers as well, but no cars or motorbikes) is attracting many crowds. Enough so to justify setting up restaurants along the bike path that cars just don’t have access to. It’s kind of cool to think of a world revolving around bikes, not cars, but that’s what it’s like once you start riding on this path. Like existing in a car-less world. It’s kind of amazing!
If you don’t have your own bike, have no fear. There are many bike rental shops and there are even various locations where you can borrow a bike for free. Two of those places are just outside Yangsu station and yang pyeong station on the Jungang line. The rental bikes look like quite nice mountain bikes. Bike paths now snake all around Korea. Just by getting on the north side of the Han river in Seoul, you can bike all the way to Chungju in North Chungcheon province without ever having to get off the path. Bike path maps are also conveniently posted along the path in various places, though often only in Korean. I’ve yet to see many foreigners along this path outside of Seoul

2013년 9월 12일 목요일

pharrell williams and g-dragon collaborating soon?

It appears American artist Pharrell Williams wants to collaborate with G-Dragon, and designer Mina Kwon as evident by their recent exchange of tweets. Pharrell Williams wrote, "These two are amazing talents. Korean art is vast and next level. Time to collab." G-Dragon responded with, "Do it Let's Do it!!" Fans may expect to see some future collaboration as these three talented artists clearly want to work together to make something amazing.

9 korean movies nominated for best foreign film of the 86th academy awards

9 Korea movies,The Werewolf Boy, The Terror Live, The Berlin File, Mai Ratima, Namyeong-dong 1985, Montage, Juvenile Offender, The Face Reader, and Ji-Seul, were all nominated for the best foreign language film award for the 86th Academy Awards. All films have had tremendous success in Korea and some have even found world wide popularity. "Films released domestically or which are scheduled to be released between October 1st, 2012 and September 30th, 2013, and are consecutively screened for a minimum of seven days and charged admissions at a commercial theater over three times per days are eligible for entry," according to the KOFIC. An evaluation committee created by KOFIC will grade the films based on "cinematic qualities, US distribution abilities, and director and film’s recognizability" and choose the final entry that will be submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). "Jiseul" is an award-winning film starring Lee Kyeong-joon, Hong Sang-pyo, Moon Seok-beom and Yang Jeong-won. It won three awards at the 2012 Busan International Film Festival and the World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at thte 2013 Sundance Film Festival. "A Werewolf Boy" starred popular Korean actor Song Joong-ki and Park Bo-young. It premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and was also shown at the Busan International Film Festival. "National Security" is a movie about the torture of a Korean activist in 1985 while "Juvenile Offender" centered on a teenage criminal reunited with his mother. "Juvenile Offender" won the Special Jury Prize at the 25th Tokyo International Film Festival while its actor, Seo Young Joo, won as best actor. The film won the Lino Brocka Grand Prize at the 14th Cinemanila International Film Festival. "Berlin File" became a box office hit in Korea when it was released last January. It has earned 52.35 billion won (about P1.99 billion) with 7.16 million tickets sold at the box office. "Montage" is a thriller movie starring Kim Sang-kyung and Uhm Jung-hwa while "Mai Ratima" is a love story between a Korean man and a Thai woman. "The Terror Live" is a film about a TV anchorman transferred to being a radio show host. Yoon Young-hwa, played by Ha Jung-woo, tries to get his job back by getting an exclusive interview with a man who blew up a bridge. "The Face Reader" is an upcoming Korean period film about a son of a dishonored noble family who will experience power struggle against a prince and a general. The selected entry of South Korea will be evaluated by the Foreign Language Film Award Committee of the Academy Award. Five entries will be selected as nominees for the Foreign Language Film Award. The 86th Oscar Awards will be held on March 2, 2014.

Boa's new venture in new KBS drama 'Hope For Dating'

This is her first time grabbing the reigns as a lead actress on the small screen. BoA played the role of a woman who has no luck when it comes to dating and always ends up dating a bad guy. Co-star Choi Daniel will possibly turn BoA's luck around as a dating expert. Her first acting challenge through the new kbs drama was well received by korean viewers, it was broadcasted on the sep ,11th 2013 After making a brief cameo appearance in SBS’ “ATHENA: Goddess of War” in 2010, BoA continued to forge a career in television with SBS’ hit music reality show, “K-Pop Star,” earning credibility as a compelling judge in the singing competition. Having established her position as a television personality through “K-Pop Star,” BoA is taking the next step, tackling a project that may launch a successful career as an actress. Many korean viewers stated on internet that her acting was more than good enought especially considering that it's her first challenge to acting and role that she played was lovely and funny indeed. On speaking about how she prepped for her role, BoA started off by explaining that “I have been a singer for over a decade while this is my first time acting in Korea.” Though she starred in a Hollywood dance movie titled “Make Your Move 3D” recently, this represents her first television drama lead. “I met with the drama’s director every day to discuss my role and practice acting,” BoA revealed. On working with BoA, “Expect to Date” director Lee Eun-jin admitted to hesitating for three weeks before casting the singer. “BoA was not the first up for the role,” said Lee. “When she did her first script reading, I thought that it might not work out.” Lee then revealed that when she met the veteran singer for a second time she was impressed by BoA’s objective stance on the lead role and that helped clench the decision to cast her as the drama’s heroine. Of BoA’s acting, director Lee said, “I would give her a score of 75 points for her acting, not because she cannot act but because I know she can do better given that this is her first time around.” “I possess a very strong image as both a singer and a television show judge,” BoA said. “After the drama finishes airing, I hope to hear that viewers saw me as my character, Joo Yeon-ae, and not as myself.” “Hope for Date” will run on Sept. 11 and 12 on KBS 2 TV at 10 p.m.

2013년 9월 11일 수요일

Korean Film Festival during korean thanksgiving days for foreigners

Every Day From: Wednesday 18 September To:Thursday 19 September From: 09:00 To: 23:00 During Chuseok when Koreans are busy with family obligations, many in the foreign community may feel bored and excluded… This event allows the foreign community to explore Korean culture by enjoying the very best Korean films of the past year. More Information The festival includes 20 screenings of more than a dozen Korean films with English subtitles that have been carefully selected for their appeal to Western tastes and interests. The selection will include a wide range of Korean movies, with something for everyone in the audience. -Action movies, -Violent “Revenge” movies, -Indie and art house, -Documentaries, -Short Films, -Dramas, -Comedies & Romantic Comedies, -Family movies Along with screenings, we will host live performances of traditional Korean music and Korean indie bands on the Art 9 terrace. There will also be a Chuseok lunch buffet and an arts and craft flea market. We invite you to join the festivities in order to enjoy your holiday too. Event Location Art Nine Cinema , Metro Line 4 Chongshin University, Exit 7 Metro Line 7, Isu station, Exit 7 Sadang-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 147-53

how to eat ramen healthy

Korean ramens are getting more popular these days.
The popularity of ramen, also known as instant noodles or oodles of noodles, is picking up in the United States with Korean companies taking up the competitive flag against Japanese producers.
The main attraction is that America is a multi-racial and multi-cultural society and Korean and Japanese producers of the “snack” are increasing their competition with the Japanese having established the early edge.
The interesting part of this equation is that more and more Americans are taking on to the spicy taste of Korean ramen with those of Japan being much more milder in taste.

The expansion of the production facility follows the popularity of an advertisement by Psy of the “Gangnam Style” fame for Shin Ramen Black whose demand has been increasing at a rapid pace.
The sales of the product reached $15 million last year and is expected to rise further to $18 million this year. Similarly, demand for products from leading companies like Ottugi and Paldo has been increasing and these companies are expanding the range of products in the U.S. market, regardless of how spicy they are.

Who doesn’t have a craving for a junk food favorite? I remember living on Ramen Noodles. It was quick, easy to make, and filling but unfortunately not very healthy.
While ramen noodles aren't unhealthy per se, they aren't packed full of vitamins either. But if you're a fan of these cheap, tasty noodles, there are ways to make the meal more balanced.
How to make Ramen Noodles healthier:
1. Replace water with 2 cups of Organic Chicken broth (already flavored with sodium)
2. Add 1/2 teaspoon of fresh minced garlic
3. Add a dash of pepper
4. cut up a few slices of onions
5. Add some chopped Cilantro
6. Throw in whatever vegetables you have left over in your fridge (red & yellow peppers seen in photo)
7. Either crack an egg (stir with fork) or add sliced chicken or wild shrimp (source of protein)

Enjoy occasional healthier Ramen Noodles without worrying about all the sodium and dangerous side effects of MSG.

2013년 9월 5일 목요일

burgundy styling in fall,2013

sexy burgundy lip color ... as the summer heat finally cooled down, fall season has returned. Now fasion sensitive celebrities in korea are preparing for full-fledged fall fashion style. This fall, whether you need any styling suggestion or not,many people are paying attention to new color look in korea entertainment indursties, burgundy color Let's dig a fatal charm of Burgundy red. ◇
Actress Yoon Eun-hye has completed 'true burgundy look' She matched H-line skirt with a burgundy colored blouse to create the feel of a innocent fall style woman Here she wears a blouse dot pattern without heavy feeling Jeongyumi wears burgeny knit with short hair on the fashion magazine 'Marie Claire' pictoria piece, creating a dreamlike atmosphere. actress lee yu bi wears burgundy colored sweater and striped shirt at the premiere of movie nothing short for the daily coordination for many casual lovers

New bride and actress, Lee Min Jung used burgundy color bag to create the Luxurious elegant' look of Cheongdam dong style sort of like Psy use his goofy sunglass and suits to complete his gang nam style look Group girl's generation's Tiffany's see-through dress and a cute felt bag burgundy color to match the sporty feel newst color trend of fall, 2013 in korea might just be red wined color 'burgundy"

Bibimbap (rice and vegetable medley) and burger combined?

“Cooked vegetables, rice, sesame oil and red pepper paste – a nutritionally perfect combination. Aesthetically pleasing, bringing to mind ‘hwaban,’ or literally ‘flower rice.’ Korean culture pursues perfection even in its food. That is bibimbap.” Korean culture, which promotes perfect harmony even in its food, reflects on the wisdom of Korean ancestors. bibimbap is taking its place as Korea’s representative food on dinner tables the world over. More than 30 ingredients harmonize to create a unique combination in bibimbap. The dish is compared to jazz, in which various instruments harmonize. The result is a new interpretation of Korea’s bibimbap. There are many varities of bibimbap you can make depending on ingredients if you put raw beef on top, it's yook whe(raw beef) bibimbap, if you put bean paste as main flavor,it's miso bibimbap and so on... Bibimbap is gaining popularities during past few years worldwide especially among well-being food enthusiasts one popular chef in NYC has won a food contest recently..that shows how popular bibimbap has become nowadays Winning with over thirty percent of the votes, Social Eatz chef Angelo Sosa‘s Korean-inspired Bibimbap burger has been crowned the “Greatest Burger in America” Sosa, a “Top Chef” and “Top Chef: All Stars” alum, is well-known for fusing Asian flavors with American comfort foods. Aside from his glorious Bibimbap burger, Korean Beef Taco, Bulgogi burger, and Shik Hae are also on the menu.

2013년 9월 3일 화요일

Dennis rodman makes second north korea trip

Dennis Rodman said he was simply visiting his "friend" Kim Jong-un Continue reading the main story Korea crisisWhat does Pyongyang want? Why US talks are unlikely What is China's role? Kaesong: focus of frustration Retired US basketball player Dennis Rodman has arrived in North Korea for his second visit this year to meet leader Kim Jong-un. Before landing in Pyongyang, Rodman said meeting "my friend Kim", who is a basketball fan, was part of his "basketball diplomacy tour". He told reporters he would not be discussing the case of jailed Korean-American Kenneth Bae with Mr Kim. Last week, the North revoked a trip by a US envoy seeking Mr Bae's release. Rodman, a former NBA star, spent time with Mr Kim in March while filming a documentary with a US media company. He visited with members of the Harlem Globetrotters team, who played a game with members of North Korea's Dream Team. Rodman remains the most high-profile American to meet Mr Kim since the leader took over after his father died in 2011. 'Friendly gesture' On his way from Beijing, China, to Pyongyang on Tuesday, Rodman told reporters: "I just want to meet my friend Kim, the marshal, and start a basketball league over there. "I have not been promised anything. I am just going there as a friendly gesture." Asked if he was going to discuss the jailed American, he said: "I'm not going to talk about that." Last week, North Korea revoked an invitation for Robert King, the US special envoy for North Korean rights, to visit Pyongyang. Mr King was expected to appeal for the release of 45-year-old Kenneth Bae, who was sentenced to 15 years' hard labour in May, on humanitarian grounds. North Korea said Mr Bae, described as both a Christian missionary and tour operator, used his tourism business to plot sedition. Mr Bae (known in North Korea as Pae Jun-ho) was arrested in November 2012 as he entered the north-eastern port city of Rason, a special economic zone near North Korea's border with China. His trial and conviction came at a time of high tension between the US and North Korea, in the wake of the communist state's third nuclear test.

lee hyori's wedding pictures


singer Lee hyori and guitarist lee sang sun just got married
wedding photos has been released.
She got married in a very private, low-key ceremony at her own holiday manor in Jejudo on 1st of September – she kept her word – it was unlike the usual celebrity affairs She married 이상순 Lee Sangsun, a musician/DJ/composer/guitarist whom she met, working for animal rights and whom she got close to in 2011 in a talent-donation campaign (joint-composing songs) for abandoned pets. Ceremony was held in tight security and it took about 1 hour 30 minutes. Drawing laughter throughout the ceremony two people look happy together. Lee hyori wearing snow white wedding dress and put on wild flowers boasted innocent charm look, lee sang sun also wearing light blue dress looks neat, and dandy. many heart broken male fans will be drinking soju tonight ;)

According to one brand today, Lee Hyori looked for a wedding dress for her wedding through her connections and bought it herself. Instead of getting a brand name dress sponsored, she looked for an affordable priced dress and bought it herself. Lee Hyori had said, "Even from before, I had wanted a quiet wedding and it was agreed by Sang Soon and his family as well so we decided to have a wedding without the ceremony." The singer recently tweeted, "We had no plans of having a fancy wedding in the first place and were planning on just having dinner with both parents and siblings in place of a wedding." She added, "I always wanted to get married quietly and since Sang Soon and his family have also agreed with me, we decided to not hold a fancy wedding. It's a once in a lifetime happiness and I wanted to spend it quietly with Sang Soon and the family." (Source: Nate) and she really kept her word..hoooray

a new movie in which choi min sik co-stars with Scarlett Johansson


Lucy will be an action movie with a distinctly sci-fi premise, about a young woman who is forced to become a drug mule and inadvertently manages to absorb the drug she’s carrying into her own system. Rather than landing her in the hospital, the drug gives her superhuman powers, including telekinesis, the elimination of all sensations of pain or discomfort, and the ability to absorb knowledge instantaneously.

Luc Besson’s Sci-Fi Superheroine Movie Lucy Will Spend EuropaCorp’s Biggest Budget To Date
Choi min sik, korea's leading actor will enter the international stage through movie named "lucy" starring Scarlett Johansson, as well as a global actor such as Morgan Freeman
After big success in Park Chan-wook's film "Old Boy" choi min sik has been getting many love calls from oversea movie industries and movie 'lucy" will be getting many expectations until its release as well.
Recently several korean actors such as Lee byung hyun, song gang ho has led overseas expansion trend in korean movie industries.
Lee in the movie'GI Joe'and 'Red2" foray into Hollywood as a series.
Song gang ho recently been starred in movie "Snow Country trains' with Chris Evans.
Many korean moive fans want to see more overseas success of their favorite movie stars.


crayon pop, angel in disguise?

Crayon pops,Popular girl group, they are scheduled to do volunteer service on sep,13th,2013 they will be providing free meals to seniors and homeless at elderly welfare institutions to participate in gangnam ,seoul Event officials stated that crayon pops are planning to embark on a variety of donation activities in future to repay love and attention they received from the public and the fans worldwide. i wonder they are trying desperatly to refresh their tarnished image from all the ilbe controversy online especially now that they are in danger of cancelling all the commercial deals they were signed earlier

2013년 9월 2일 월요일

crayon pop ilbe controversy

It wasn’t long ago when Crayon Pop, the goofy five-member girl band, seemed like the hottest new act in K-pop. Now they seem all but toast after its members got too cute with Internet hate speech. The controversy began to build up in June, when Way, one of the Crayon Pop singers, tweeted ''You know you guys were 'nomu nomu’ (very very) awesome today, right? We’re jealous of all your fashion sense. To our nomu cute fans, thank you and thank you.’’ And in an earlier television appearance, Choa was called by another member ''jjeolttuki’’ after coming to the stage dragging a foot. Neither ''nomu nomu’’ nor ''jjeolttuki’’ are commonly advised for everyday speech, definitely not when you’re talking to an Internet or television audience. In the language of ''Ilbe’’ (www.ilbe.com), an online message board dominated by people supporting ultra right-wing politics, these words are disrespectful nicknames for late former Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Dae-jung, the last liberal candidates to have reached Cheong Wa Dae. ''Jjeolttuk’’ is particularly discomforting because it can be translated as ''a cripple.’’ Kim spent the larger part of his life as a politician with a hitch in his walk after suffering from torture during the military dictatorship. The crisis might have been manageable if Hwang Hyun-sung, the CEO of Chrome Management, which launched Crayon Pop, hadn’t been implying so frequently that he and the singers read and enjoy the postings on Ilbe. Chrome Management officially issued an apology Wednesday over the trouble created by ''nomu nomu’’ and ''jjeolttuki,’’ but it seems to be a case of too little, too late. When entertainers are associated with a website as controversial as Ilbe, however loosely, advertisers will run screaming from them. Auction, the Korean service of eBay, yanked off all its commercials that featured Crayon Pop. Samsung disinvited them from a highly-anticipated music event it was sponsoring. Crayon Pop was expected to sing at halftime in a football match between FC Seoul and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors next week, but the performance was scrapped after angry protests from fans. Way is in full denial. ''I don’t even know about this website. I just used the words I use all the time. A pig will only see pigs, while Buddha only sees Buddha,’’ she tweeted, leaving Internet readers wondering whether they were just called a hog. Hwang seems to be her equal in intellectual vapidity. In a recent tweet, he wrote ''While talking with a singer, I laughed at something she said, but then, suddenly the mood became all chilly. I realized that joke only works on Ilbe.” Hwang later explained that the singer wasn’t a Crayon Pop member, which was confounding because that’s the only group his company has. In an earlier tweet, he thanked Ilbe users for promoting Crayon Pop. This isn’t the first Ilbe-related controversy involving entertainers. Hyosung, a member of the sexy girl group Secret, stumbled into similar trouble earlier this year after telling a radio DJ ''we don’t do the democratization thing.’’ Between Ilbe users, “democratization” doesn’t mean “to make or become democratic” but something close to “uniformity” and “mob rule.” Hyosung recovered because her popularity in the first place was based on her being voluptuous. Crayon Pop, on the other hand, banked on likability and likability alone. Now it seems they have completely warmed out their welcome.