All about Korea

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Eugene to Open Korea-Japan Volleyball Top Match

2007-04-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

Singer Eugene will open the 2007 Korea-Japan Top Match April 22 at the Olympic Park in Seoul.

The match will be held between top volleyball teams from Korea and Japan.Sources say Eugene was chosen to start off the game with the first serve for her popularity as a singer and actress in TV dramas, movies and musicals.

Eugene will make her debut as a big-screen actress in a movie that opens May 10.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Rain to Perform at Madison Square Garden Again

2007-04-22T06:52:00.000-07:00

Top Korean singer Rain will hold another concert at Madison Square Garden in New York, the venue of his debut performance in America. The New York concert is part of his June world tour, which includes stops in Atlanta, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

Prior to his American tour, Rain will hold a concert at the Tokyo Dome in Japan on May 25th for over 35,000 Japanese fans. The Tokyo Dome is also the home field for Korean slugger Lee Seung-yeop, who currently plays for Japan's top professional baseball team, the Yomiuri Giants. It has also served as the venue for concerts by the global pop stars Beyonce and Madonna.

Rain's world tour organizer confirmed his North American tour schedule in June. Rain will first perform at the Molson Amphitheater in Toronto, Canada on June 9. Then his next concert will be staged at the Philips Arena in Atlanta on June 15, New York's Madison Square Garden on June 23, at the Cow Palace in San Francisco on June 27,and the Staples Center in Los Angeles on June 30.

At the end of this month, Rain will hold a concert in China, followed by one at Japan's Tokyo Dome. Before Rain leaves for North America, he will wrap up the Asian tour with shows in Thailand from June 2 to 3.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Kim Dong-wan’s Suprising Plastic Surgery Confession

2007-04-22T06:50:00.000-07:00

Kim Dong-wan, member of popular boy band Shinhwa and rising TV star, recently revealed that he had undergone plastic surgery.Kim appeared as a guest on the first broadcast of ‘MC Mong’s Pleasure and Pain’ radio show on Monday, April 16th. He congratulated MC Mong on the new show and the two long-time friends, who have known each other since middle-school, talked about the past and sang a few tunes. The two friends talked about how they had planned on forming a group and had even recorded their first song, but their debut was cancelled. They sang what would have been their debut song, “Gaeguri Banchan.”MC Mong revealed that he had envied Kim, who rose to fame after eventually joining the now widely-popular group Shinhwa. While talking about an accident when Kim’s nose was injured from a falling speaker, Kim revealed that he received plastic surgery because of it, before he debuted with Shinhwa. MC Mong, who had never known this fact, expressed his shock.Kim openly spoke of the plastic surgery as well as other stories of their 10 year friendship.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Kwon Sang-woo, Song Hye-kyo Attend Hong Kong Film Festival

2007-04-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

Hallyu stars Kwon Sang-woo and Song Hye-kyo will attend Hong Kong’s biggest film festival this weekend. The two Korean stars were invited to attend the event 26th Hong Kong Film Awards, which opens on the 15th.The two stars will introduce the “Best Asian Film” category, which includes 4 movies from China, Japan and Singapore as well as the Korean film “괴물/Gwoemul” also known as “The Host,” directed by Bong Joon-ho. Song Hye-kyo is said to be excited to be able to meet her Hong Kong fans. Song was recently in China to promote “Full House,” the popular drama co-starring Rain. Her eagerly-anticipated film “Hwang Jin-yi” (an adaptation of the popular drama starring Han Ji-won) is set for release in June.The 26th Hong Kong Film Awards is often referred to as the Hong Kong Academy Awards and will also be attended by international and Chinese film stars, including Gong Li, Jet Li and Aaron Kwok Fusing.

CUISINE > Ppat-juk (Korean red bean porridge)

2007-04-07T05:44:00.000-07:00

Ppat-juk (Korean red bean porridge): It’s a great treat to warm the freezing winter nights, especially on Dongji, a traditional Korean holiday when people eat red bean porridge to welcome good fortune. The color red supposedly ward off evil spirits and ushers in good fortune, so it’s a long cherished tradition of Korean people to eat red-colored food on days of celebration.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rice

2 cups red beans

15 cups of water

1/4 tsp salt

4 Tbsp sugar

Direction:

1. Wash red beans and boil them in 2 cups of water and bring to boil.

2. Once beans come to boil, pour off the water and put in the remaining 13 cups of water. Let it simmer until the beans get completely soft.

3. Strain beans and mash them through a strainer while still hot. Do not throw out the water and beans don’t have to be mashed too finely.

4. Throw out leftover bean skin in the strainer and let the mashed beans settle in water.

5. Wash rice and soak in water for about 2 hours. Let it drain.

6. In the red bean water put soaked rice and let it simmer in low heat until it thickens to the consistency of watery porridge. Rice should be cooked completely.

7. You may season it to your liking with salt and sugar.

Tips:

1. Use a wooden spoon to stir the porridge to prevent it from getting too watery.

2. You may add glutinous rice balls to red bean porridge. All you need is 1 cup of glutinous rice powder found in an Oriental grocery store, 3Tbsp warm water, and 1/2tsp salt. Mix the glutinous rice powder and salt with warm water and knead into dough. Roll the dough into little balls, about one inch in diameter. Add the rice balls into the porridge and let it simmer until done.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Super Junior Invited to Beijing Award Show

2007-04-07T05:42:00.000-07:00

The 13-member idol boy band "Super Junior" has been invited to a music award show in Beijing opening 7:30 p.m. this Sunday.

They will sing their hit song 'U,' which is beloved by Chinese fans, at the ceremony and meet fans at an earlier red carpet event.

However, not all of the 13 members will be attending. Six of them who work as a smaller trot music band won't be joining.

CQTV will broadcast the award show live throughout China and reruns will air on the BTV-2 and CETV-3 channels.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Amerie to Give 1st Concert in Korea

2007-04-07T05:41:00.000-07:00

American pop star Amerie, who is of partial Korean descent, will give her first concert in Korea May 24-25 at the AX Hall in Seoul. The title of the concert is "2007 Amerie Love Korea Live Concert."

K2M Entertainment, the organizer of the concert, said Amerie's concert is being sponsored by Pearl S. Buck International Korea, the foundation for people of mixed heritage, and all proceeds from the concert will be donated to the foundation.

The agency also added that Amerie will visit the foundation to give hope to children of mixed heritage, like herself, and will invite children from underprivileged families to her concert as VIPs.

Amerie, who debuted in 2002 with the song "All I Have," gained enormous popularity for her 2005 album "Touch," earning the nickname "the darkhorse of American R&B."

During her visit, the singer will give interviews, meet with journalists and hold autograph-signing events.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Ha Ji-won to Hold Fan Meeting in Japan

2007-04-07T05:36:00.000-07:00

Actress Ha Ji-won, well known for her roles in the movies "Love So Divine" and "The Duelist" as well as the TV dramas "What Happened in Bali" and "Damo," will hold her first meeting with Japanese fans May 26.

The meeting will take place at Tokyo's Nakano Sun Plaza Hall, which can accommodate 2,200 people. Ha will shake hands with all of her fans who come to see her on that day.

Ha's fan base in Japan has expanded since movies and TV dramas starring the actress opposite such top hallyu stars as Kwon Sang-woo, Yeon Jung-hoon, Kang Dong-won, So Ji-seop, Cho In-sung and Lee Seo-jin were shown in Japan. The news about her first fan meeting in Japan has drawn significant attention from Ha's fans.

Ha has recently drawn the spotlight as another promising hallyu star for her versatile acting in movies and TV dramas of various genres, such as epic dramas and contemporary films.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > New Singing Star Ayo Comes to Korea

2007-04-07T05:34:00.000-07:00

Emerging new pop star Ayo will come to Korea to promote her debut album “Joyful.” She gained popularity here in Korea when her hit song “Down on My Knees” was included in the original soundtrack of a Korean TV drama recently.

She will arrive in Korea on April 8th and attend a promotional event on the 11th at the KT Art Hall in downtown Seoul. She plans to sing some seven songs during the event, including “Down on My Knees,” “Help is coming,” and “Only You.” Korean singers and a noted songwriter are scheduled to appear on the event as well.

Ayo will also make appearances on a variety of radio and TV programs during her stay in Korea.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Chang Dong-gun to Advance to Hollywood with Zhang Ziyi

2007-04-07T05:31:00.000-07:00

Actor Chang Dong-gun and world-renowned star Zhang Ziyi will debut in Hollywood through the fantasy movie "Laundry Warrior."

Directed by Lee Seung-moo, "Laundry Warrior" is a joint project of South Korea, China and the United States.

It will be produced by Boram Film, which has also produced other joint projects such as "Seven Swords" and "A Battle of Wits," with the participation of Barrie Osborn, who also produced the "Matrix" series and "The Lord of the Rings."

Chang's decision to debut in Hollywood will be finalized this month after negotiations of all terms and conditions are finished. His partner will be Zhang Ziyi.

China's Xinhua agency wrote in a story about Zhang that the actress's next work will be the movie "Laundry Warrior," where she plays opposite Chang.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Lee Jun-ki Leaves for Japan to Promote “First Snow”

2007-04-07T05:28:00.000-07:00

Actor Lee Jun-ki left for Japan early Wednesday morning to promote “First Snow,” a joint Korean-Japanese film in which he played the leading role.

Lee will hold a press conference with his co-star Aoi Miyazaki during the four-day visit. Lee’s agent explained that the Japanese media are greatly interested in “First Snow” because of the rising popularity of the Korean idol actor and promising young actress Miyazaki.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Japanese Fans Hold Art Fair on Bae

2007-04-07T05:22:00.000-07:00

Japanese fans of Korean actor Bae Yong-jun held a 3-day art fair themed on Bae from March 23rd in Kyoto, and from Friday to Sunday in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Organized by Bae's fan club "EndlessLove-With BYJ," the fair entitled "100% BAE YONG JOON Art Fair" had on display 150 pieces of fan creations and a 55 minute video that was a compilation of 16 individual submissions.

The fan club says 900 people visited the Kyoto fair and 1,200 the Tokyo fair on Saturday alone, with an estimated total of 4,000 for the Tokyo exhibition.

Those with works on display also gave out picture postcards they had prepared out of their own pockets as gifts to visitors.

CUISINE > Spicy Chicken Rib

2007-03-31T05:05:00.000-07:00

This is a dish that originated in the city of Chuncheon in Gangwon Province. Spicy yet sweet, this delicious dish may become addictive, so much so that you can’t stop eating once you start. Spicy chicken rib is a great fare for cold winter nights, so enjoy this inexpensive and simple dish with your friends.

Ingredients:

1.5 chickens, boned

5 cabbage leaves

1 medium onion

12 sesame leaves (may substitute with spinach)

5 stalks of green onion

1 hot green chili pepper

1/2 hot red chili pepper

1/2 sweet potato (or potato)

Sauce:

1Tbsp hot chili pepper paste

3Tbsp hot chili pepper powder

1Tbsp each of rice cooking wine, sugar, dark corn syrup, soy sauce

2Tbsp chopped onion1Tbsp minced garlic

1/2tsp minced ginger

salt, pepper, sesame seed oil to taste

Direction:

1. Bone the chicken and wash the chicken pieces carefully under cold running water. Put slits on the outside so that sauce can penetrate deep into the meat.

2. Chop cabbage leaves, onion, and sesame leaves into big pieces.

3. Cut green onions into 4cm pieces and diagonally slice chili peppers and sweet potato.

4. Mix all the sauce ingredients and marinate chicken meat.

5. Stir fry chicken meat in an oiled frying pan until outside is done. Pour in the remaining sauce and add vegetables, while stirring constantly. Serve in a large, flat dish.

Tips:

1. If it’s hard to bone the chicken, ask your butcher to do it for you, or buy chicken thighs, which is much easier to bone than other chicken parts. If you are watching your weight, take off the skin and trim off the fat.

2. For a more hearty fare you may add a serving of rice cake, and cooked oriental noodle.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Japanese Actor Ken Watanabe to Make First Visit to Korea

2007-03-31T04:58:00.000-07:00

World famous Japanese actor Ken Watanabe will make his first visit to Korea to participate in the press preview of his latest film “Memories of Tomorrow,” scheduled to be released in Korea on April 23.

Watanabe has become famous worldwide for his charismatic acting shown in Hollywood films such as “Last Samurai,” “Batman Begins,” and “Memoirs of a Geisha.” He has many fans in Korea.

The Japanese actor is committed to promoting his latest film because it is his first work where he not only played a leading role but also participated in the production. He was nominated for the best leading actor award at the recently-held Asian Film Awards for his role, which is completely different from his past masculine, tough roles, along with Korean actor Song Kang-ho (“The Host”) and Jeong Ji-hoon, the real name of singer Rain (“I’m Cyborg, But That’s Ok”).

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Kim Yun-jin to Give Interview to People Magazine

2007-03-31T04:54:00.000-07:00

Actress Kim Yun-jin, who has recently drawn the spotlight for announcing a comeback to the Korean big screen through the movie “Seven Days,” will give an exclusive interview to People magazine on March 30.

Kim’s agency said the magazine requested an interview after the actress’s popularity soared when a section introducing Kim’s preparations for the Golden Globe event was posted early this year on the magazine’s Web site, recording more than 300,000 hits a day.

The agency added that previously, any U.S. media reports about the actress and her appearances in various talk shows typically made big news, but now Kim has gained full recognition for her hard work and passion to the extent that even a prestigious U.S. magazine has requested an exclusive interview with her.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Dong Bang Shin Ki Releases 2nd Japanese Album in Korea

2007-03-31T04:50:00.000-07:00

Popular boy band Dong Bang Shin Ki, known as Tohoshinki in Japan, will release their 2nd Japanese album in their home country of Korea today.‘Five in the Black,’ which was released on the 14th in Japan, placed 6th on the Oricon Daily Album Charts. The album has a regular version and an extra DVD version, which includes music videos and behind-the-scenes footage. The 13-track album includes hit songs “Begin,” “Sky” and “Miss You,” the Japanese version of “I’ll Be There” as well as other new songs like “Zion,” “Dead End” and “Promise.”

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Possible Postponement of Rain’s Shanghai Concert

2007-03-31T04:48:00.000-07:00

Singer Rain’s Shanghai concert, which was set for 2 weeks from now, will most likely be postponed.A daily reported that the Shanghai concert, scheduled for April 14th, has not yet been approved by the Chinese government.An official from the concert planner said that an official announcement would be made as soon as any news was received.Though tickets for the event have not formally gone on sale, fervid fans have rushed internet sites to make reservations.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Lee Jun-ki Dons 80s School Uniform for New Movie

2007-03-31T04:45:00.000-07:00

Popular actor Lee Jun-ki (25) will don a 1980s high school uniform in the new movie, “Brilliant Holiday.”He is set to play Kang Jin-woo, a regular student who took part in the Gwangju May18th Democratization Movement in1980.Production costs for the Kim Ji-hoon-directed “Brilliant Holiday” has already amounted to 10 billion won. The movie, which was shot over 5 months last year, stars Ahn Sung-ki, Kim Sang-gyeong and Lee Yo-won. Lee Jun-ki expressed his enthusiasm over the movie and his role in it, saying he was excited to work with established actors and help tell an important story.

CUISINE > Galbi-jjim (Korean beef stew)

2007-03-29T03:41:00.000-07:00

Galbi-jjim (Korean beef stew): This is a Korean traditional dish great for entertaining guests. Sweet and savory, it’s a favorite of young children and adults alike. Never left out from the traditional holiday table, galbi-jjim goes well with rice and lettuce, too.

Ingredients:

1kg beef short rib (cut into 5cm pieces)

1 chunk of Japanese radish (cut into 5cm chunks)

10 chestnuts

10 gingko nuts

10 dried dates

Sauce:

5 cups beef stock (water left over from boiling beef rib)

6Tbsp soy sauce

4Tbsp grated pear (preferably Korean pear)

2Tbsp corn syrup (or substitute with 6Tbsp of sugar)

1Tbsp minced garlic

1/2Tbsp minced ginger

1Tbsp sesame seed oil

black pepper

Direction:

1. First soak beef short rib pieces in cold water to draw out the blood. Trim off the fat and make little cuts on the rib so that the sauce can seep well into meat.

2. Cut Japanese radish into large cubes, about half the size of beef rib pieces. Peel the inner skin off chestnuts.

3. Peel off the outer skin of gingko nuts and stir fry them in oiled frying pan to eliminate the inner skin. You can easily peel off the inner skin if you rub the gingko nuts in paper towel.

4. Grate pear and strain it in cheesecloth to get only the pear juice.

5. In a large pot cook the rib pieces drained of blood. Once it boils, take the meat out of the pot and reserve about 5 cups of stock.

6. Mix only 2/3 of the sauce with the partially boiled meat and cook in a big pot with the reserved beef stock. Bring it to boil.

7. Add radish chunks, chestnuts, gingko nuts, and dates and put in the rest of the sauce, and mix well.

8. Let it simmer until the sauce boils down to half the amount. Garnish with pine nuts before serving.

Tips:

1. Beef rib may be tough to some people. You can soften beef effectively with grated pear, onion, pineapple or kiwi. When using kiwi, you have to remember that kiwi is a strong meat-softening agent, so use only one kiwi per 6 kilograms of beef.

2. You may add chunks of carrots, onions and black mushrooms to get more vegetables in your diet.

3. If you don’t like the rich flavor of beef, sprinkle a bit of lemon juice before serving.

ENTERTAINMENTS NEWS > Kim Ki-duk’s New Work Sold to France

2007-03-29T03:37:00.000-07:00

Director Kim Ki-duk’s 14th film “Breath” has been sold to French distributor ARP before its domestic release.

Film marketer CineClick Asia said Tuesday that it sold “Breath” at the Hong Kong Film Market held from March 20 until 23. The French distributor is devoted to introducing Asian movies to the country. Kim’s latest work had also been sold to other 10 nations including Spain, Italia, Mexico, Greece and Belgium.

The marketer also sold “Seducing Mr. Robin” starring Daniel Henney and Uhm Jung-hwa to Japan’s Geneon Entertainment. It is expected to be released in the island country late this year. “Oasis” and “Friends” were sold to Britain, “The Birth of a Family” to Greece, and “The Host” to Hungary.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > “The Host” Exceeds 1 Mil. in US Earnings

2007-03-29T03:34:00.000-07:00

The film “The Host” has earned one million US dollars at the US box office in the three weeks after its release there, its producer Chungeorahm said Tuesday.

Having been released in 71 theaters on March 7, the film raked in 320,000 dollars for the first week, and the earnings reached 690,000 in the second week and one million in the third week, when the number of theaters also rose to 94.

The producer said that the film reached the million dollar mark in the shortest time among all Korean films released in the U.S. Citing the film’s US distributor Magnolia Pictures as saying that it plans to show the film for the long-term, the Korean producer expressed its confidence in the film’s success there.

Korean movies released in the US include “Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter,” “Brotherhood of War” and “Old Boy.” Among them, “Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter” set a record high in box office earnings with 2.3 million dollars during its seven-month run.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Kim Hae-sook Wins at Japan’s Movie Critics Awards

2007-03-29T03:29:00.000-07:00

Middle-aged actress Kim Hae-sook has won the International Cooperation Award at the 16th Japanese Movie Critics Awards held by Japan’s Movie Critics Association on March 27 in Tokyo. The event was sponsored by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Kim is the first Korean celebrity to receive the International Cooperation Award, whose previous winners include Hong Kong star Leslie Cheung. Kim’s agency cited the event organizers as saying that the actress received the award for her outstanding acting in TV dramas and movies that have aired in Japan and for contributing to movie exchanges between Korea and Japan.

Kim has appeared in all four “season series” of drama director Yoon Seok-ho, including “Winter Sonata” and “Summer Scent.” In addition, she has gained popularity in Japan for her role in the movie “My Brother,” which also stars Won Bin. Kim is also one of the few middle-aged Korean celebrities to appear in a Japanese TV commercial.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Lee Jee-hoon to Release Album in Japan in July

2007-03-27T00:53:00.000-07:00

Singer/actor Lee Jee-hoon held two solo concerts, entitled “Lee Jee Hoon 2007 - The Live Act: Zero In Tokyo,” on March 25 at the Tokyo FM Hall in Japan.

At the two-hour concerts, each consisting of two parts, the singer sang 15 songs including his hit songs “Promise” and “The Doll,” and even hosted his own concerts personally in fluent Japanese to demonstrate his versatile entertaining talent.

Lee said the concerts marked his full-fledged activities in Japan, drawing a favorable response from his fans.

At a news conference following his concerts, Lee, who marks the 11th anniversary of his debut, said he chose the FM Hall as the venue of his concerts because he wanted to start afresh in Japan, where he is still a new artist. The singer also said he wants to release a new album around July but has yet to choose a record company.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Ko Ah-ra Cast as Lead for Japanese Movie

2007-03-27T00:49:00.000-07:00

Actress Ko Ah-ra, who has gained popularity in Japan recently, was cast to play a lead in the joint Japanese-Mongolian movie “The Blue Wolf” by beating competition odds of 39,157 to one.

The movie’s producer, Haruki Kadokawa, offered Ko the role at a March 25 event held in Tokyo that marked the release of Ko’s first photo album. Nicknamed “Midas Touch,” Kadokawa decided to produce the movie after a ten-year hiatus.

Ko’s photo album, entitled “Ara in Rome,” was produced by Kadokawa personally for the first time, attesting to the high interest in Ko as an actress. The album is based on the famous movie “Roman Holiday,” which stars Audrey Hepburn. The photo shoot was held in January in Rome, Italy by the famous Japanese celebrity photographer Kishin Shinoyama.

Ko says she has always been interested in Rome and learned a lot about the city during the photo shoot, adding that the album includes photos of her with both long and short hair.

“The Blue Wolf” is a large-scale movie costing 23 billion won and depicting the life of Genghis Khan. Ko plays the role of a woman-warrior named Kuran, the principal lover of Genghis Khan. The movie opened in Japan on March 3 and topped the Japanese box-office in its first week. It remained in the top-ten for three weeks in a row, taking the third spot in its second week and the eighth spot in its third week.

CUISINE > Green Pepper Japchae

2007-03-27T00:35:00.000-07:00

Green Pepper Japchae (Stir fried green pepper and assorted vegetables): Japchae is a traditional Korean party food. Korean traditional holidays would not be complete without this dish, a mixture of healthy vegetables and potato starch noodle. But today I gave this japchae recipe a little twist to the traditional offering, so try this new version of Korean traditional fare.

Ingredients:

200g beef
1 large green pepper, or 4 green chili pepper (mild ones)
1/2 medium onion
30g bamboo shoots (canned)
3 cloves of garlic
1 small piece of ginger
1 stalk of green onion
Cooking oil
1Tbsp cooking rice wine
1Tbsp soy sauce
Sesame seed oil1
1/2Tbsp oyster sauce

Marinating sauce
1Tbsp soy sauce
1Tbsp sugar
1tsp sesame seed oil
1Tbsp minced green onion
1tsp minced garlic
1Tbsp cooking rice wine

Direction:

1. Slice beef into thin strips, about 3-4 millimeters-thick. Marinate beef in the marinating sauce for about 30 minutes
2. Slice onion and bamboo shoot in the same thickness as beef.
3. Take out the seeds in green onion and slice it into long thin strips too.
4. Slice garlic and ginger into thin strips as well. Green onion should be first cut lengthwise and then sliced into long thin strips.
5. Heat up wok on high heat. Add a tablespoon of cooking oil to coat the pan and put in the sliced garlic, ginger and green onions to add aroma to the oil.
6. Before garlic, ginger and green onions get too crispy or burned, put marinated beef and cook until the outside is done. Then add sliced onion and stir fry until onion becomes transparent.
7. When onion is done, season the meat and onion with a tablespoon of cooking wine and soy sauce. After that, put in the remaining ingredients, green pepper and bamboo shoot, and stir fry them until they are done. Before turning off the heat, don’t forget to add oyster sauce and sesame seed oil and stir until mixed well.

Tips:

1. All ingredients should be sliced and ready before stir-frying, because speed is the key in making japchae. When cooking, be sure to use high heat because the nutrients in vegetables may be destroyed when overcooked.
2. If you add egg white and potato starch when marinating beef, it helps retain juice and tenderize the meat.
3. Some of the vegetables that can go well with this type of japchae are carrots and mushrooms (especially black, enoki and oyster mushrooms).

CUISINE > Gul-jeon (Oysters in egg batter)

2007-03-23T23:35:00.000-07:00

It’s oyster season in Korea and there is a wide range of delicious dishes made with oysters. Let’s look at gul-jeon, one of the simplest way to relish the delectable flavor of oysters.

Ingredients:

300g large oysters

Flour to coat oysters

2 eggs

Cooking oil

Direction:

1. Wash oysters gently in salt water. Get rid of shells and let it drain completely.

2. Coat oysters lightly in flour. Dust off excess flour.

3. Dip the floured oysters in egg batter.

4. Pan-fry the batter-dipped oysters in an oiled frying pan on medium heat. Remember that you are not deep-frying oysters, so use a moderate amount of oil, just enough to coat the frying pan. Turn over the oyster pieces when one side turns golden in color.

Tips:

1. When choosing oysters for gul-geon, it’s better to use large-sized oysters rather than smaller ones. If only small ones are available, use 2 or 3 oysters together to make one jeon.

2. If you are not all that crazy about the fishy smell of oysters, coat them in sesame seed oil, garlic powder and pepper before tossing them in flour.

3. There can be many variations of jeon, like fish jeon, using cod, Pollack, catfish or sole fillets, or shrimp jeon. Jeon is a blanket term for any ingredient that’s been coated in flour, dipped in egg batter and pan-fried. For fish jeon, cut fish fillet into 1/2 centimeter thick slices and drain completely. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste and follow the steps shown above.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Eru Offered Big-screen Role in Japan

2007-03-23T23:30:00.000-07:00

Singer Eru has received an offer to appear in the Japanese movie “Three Tattoos” by director Sukimori Hitomi. It is unprecedented for a new Korean singer with no acting experience whatsoever to receive an offer from a Japanese filmmaker. Eru’s agency said the offer is quite tempting as the movie will be produced by a talented composer/director and will likely be exported overseas. It added that the singer is deliberating the offer as he has yet to establish himself as an artist in Korea.With his songs “Black Glasses” and “White Eyes” from his second album becoming big hits, Eru has emerged as a promising ballad singer. On March 21, he and his father, trot singer Tae Jin-ah, filmed a TV commercial for the liquor brand “Chamyiseul Fresh.”

SIGHTSEEING > Hambaek- mountain

2007-03-23T23:20:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous Mountain with Fantastic Snow Blossoms and Grandiose View

Hambaek-san rises along the Baekdudaegan--great ridges of Mt. Baekdu, Mt. Keumgang, Mt. Seolak, Mt. Sobaek and Mt. Jiri that form backbone of the Korean peninsula--between Taebaek Mountain and Geumdaebong peak, spreading over Gohan-eup Jeongseon-gun and Taebaek-si. Even though Hambaek-san with its height of 1,573 meters above sea level is higher than Taebaek-san (1,567 meters above sea level) it has been less-known to the public than Taebaek-san, owing to the latter's renowned fame. In reality, Hambaek-san has no reason to defer to any other famous mountains in Korea. If you climb the peak of the mountain on a clear day, you can enjoy a thrilling commanding view of all the mountains near and far along the Baekdudaegan, and you can also indulge in the mysterious atmosphere of the mountains when fog or clouds veil the mountains slopes. All the wildflowers decorating the Hambaeksan from spring--pink azaleas in early summer, and colorful leaves in autumn--are very impressive, but the charm of a wintry scene is the best. Clear white snow blossoms and glistening frost tilted trees present a fantastic world. Winter here lasts as long as the mountain is high. Snow begins to fall from the end of November and winter continues till March. Hiking along the Baegdudaegan from Ssari-jae hill to Dumundong-jae to Hambaek-san to Hwabang-jae is the best course to enjoy the charm of Hambaek-san, but it takes about 5 ~ 6 hours of rather difficult walking for typical hikers and the path does not have any convenient transportation system nearby. For simple hiking of Hambaek-san, people usually start from Manhang-jae.

Thrilling Scenery of Dynamic Ridges of Baekdudaegan

Mahang-jae, rising 1,330 meters above sea level, covers the ridges dividing 3 administrative units of Gohan-eup: Jeongseon-gun, Taebaek-si and Sangdong-eup Yeongweol-gun, and the highest paved road in Korea passes across the ridge. As the summit of Hambaek-san is just 243 meters above the road, anyone can climb the peak without any difficulties. If you walk about 350 meters downward from the Manhang-jae peak toward Gohan (Jeongamsa temple), you will see the paved road to the left of the mountain trail. Walking upward along this road about 1.5 kilometers, you will meet Samgeori (a crossroads). You can drive your car up to this point if the road is not covered with snow or ice. The left-hand road from Samgeori leads to Taebaeg Branch of the athletic village of the Korea Amateur Sports Association and e-Taebaek-si, and if you climb along the left road for about 40 minutes you will make it up Hambaek-san. A cement road meanders up to just below the summit of Hambaek-san but it is very dangerous and slippery to drive upon when the road is frozen or snowy. You may drive along the road in any season without snow. But you will not be able to enjoy the scenery fully, and your driving may spoil the natural beauty along the way, too! It takes about 1 hour of rapid walking from Manhang-jae to Hambaek-san, though it typically takes more time in snowy winter. Enchanted by the wonderful scenery of gorgeous mountains along the Baekdudaegan, you will lose more time on the way to the peak. You should walk leisurely toward the summit without making any haste if you want to experience the vital and dynamic spirit of Baekdudaegan to the full.

Jeongamsa Temple with Buddha'sarira Built in Shilla Dynasty

Jeongamsa temple, founded by the master monk Jajang during the Shilla dynasty, stands on the northwestern slope of Hambaek-san, and the signboard reading “Taebaegsan Jeongansa” is hung on its Iljumun (one pillared gate). Master monk Jajang went to China with his 10 disciples during the Dang dynasty to study in the 5th year of Queen Seondeuk (AD636) of the Shilla kingdom and met with Manjushiri (the Bodhisattva of wisdom and intellect) at Unjesa temple in Cheongryang-san in Sanxi Province. He returned to the Shilla kingdom with Buddha's sarira, teeth, Buddhist garments and sutra Paeeopgyeong after 8 years. He founded Seoknamwon, the former shrine of Jeongamsa by building a golden pagoda, silver pagoda and Sumano pagoda in the 14th year of Queen Seondeok (645). As Buddha's real sarira has been being enshrined in the Jeokmyeolbogung (temple hall where Buddha's real sarira is preserved), the main hall of Jeongamsa, there is no statue of Buddha in the hall, and some precious relics like the golden threaded Buddhistic garments bestowed by Queen Seondeuk, Master monk Jajang's Buddhistic garments and sutra books, and the paulownia incense burner brought from India are preserved there in the temple. At the entrance of the Jeokmyeolbogung is a huge old tree that is specially protected by the temple. The tree is Jujangdan (Seonjangdan), and legend has it that Master monk Jajang stuck his stick in the ground, which grew to become the tree today. The most outstanding relic in Jeongamsa is the national artcraft No. 410, the Sumano Pagoda, which stands on a high mountain slope looking down upon Jeonamsa. This pagoda is made of Mano stone and is 9 meters high with 7 levels. According to legend, Master monk Jajang brought the stone from Dang by ship on his return trip, and the pagoda is called 'Sumano Pagoda' with the Chinese character Su(水: water) in front of the name. Old and historic Jeongamsa is surrounded by beautiful scenery. In particular, the charm of the valley nearby intoxicates visitors. In the cool and clear water of the valley, the cold water fish Brachymystak lenok (natural treasure No. 73) thrives, adding to the wonderful aroma of the temple.

SIGHTSEEING > Spring Flower Festivals in Bloom

2007-03-23T23:13:00.000-07:00

Springtime in Korea is without question one of the prettiest times of the year when all the flowers are in bloom. Various flowers have begun blossoming in the southern areas of the country and flower festivals will soon be beckoning people from all over. Jinhae(진해), located in South Gyongsang Province, hosts probably the most famous cherry blossom festival in the country, providing an opportunity to take a nice walk while flowers fall like snowflakes around you. The entire port city is enveloped in cherry blossoms, attracting visitors from around the country. This year, the cherry blossom festival will be held from March 23 through April 8. Hundreds of thousands of cherry blossom trees are expected to be in full bloom around this weekend. Held annually since 1963, the Jinhae Naval Port Festival attracts some one million tourists hoping to enjoy the sight and the scent of the white and pale pink blossoms. The festival was initially planned to be held from March 30, but it will open a week earlier as weather forecasts predict that this year’s cherry blossoms will bloom about ten days earlier than previous years. In addition to the cherry blossoms, the Jinhae Naval Port festival also presents a parade honoring renowned admiral Yi Sun-shin and a fireworks display. Other interesting programs include an air show, a kite-flying competition and a traditional Korean music contest. To help to ease traffic, Korea Railroad offers a shuttle train service connecting Changwon with Jinhae during the festival period. Hadong County, South Gyongsang Province, is famous for its 25-kilometer stretch of cherry blossom-lined road along Hwagae. A legend says that a couple who walk this road will live happily ever after, so it attracts countless lovers. A three-day cherry blossom festival takes place here at the end of March every year. The festival features many local specialties as well as the pretty flowers. A deeper shade of pink decorates the country’s mountainsides, starting late March. Azaleas, an inspiration for many Korean poems, are in full bloom in early April. Mt. Daegum in Geoje, South Gyongsang Province, is a great place to enjoy the azaleas. Around this time of year, the azalea field on the mountain looks much like a pink carpet. A traditional ritual devoted to the mountain god, a poetry contest and traditional music and dance performances will also be held.

CUISINE > Bibimpap (rice with vegetables and chili pepper paste)

2007-03-23T02:34:00.000-07:00

Bibimpap, or rice with vegetables and chili pepper paste, is a dish that combines high-quality vegetables cultivated under the best geographical conditions with well-fermented chili pepper paste and the warm heart of those who prepare this dish.

The main ingredients of bibimpap are cooked rice, bean sprouts, hwangpo jelly, beef, chili pepper paste, sesame oil, and an egg. Other ingredients include sesame salt, garlic, black pepper and about 30 other kinds of seasonings.

Bean sprouts used in bibimpap usually taste best when they are 5-6 days old. Bean sprouts are known to be effective in preventing cold. Another ingredient that is indispensable in bibimpap is hwangpo jelly, which is made from mung beans and gardenia to make the jelly look yellow.

There is a saying in Korea that the taste of bean and pepper pastes determines the taste of any other food. The secret of a delicious bibimpap lies in well-prepared chili pepper paste as well. Some people add malt, glutinous rice and pepper powder when fermenting chili pepper paste in accordance with traditional recipes.

When cooking rice for bibimpap, cow head broth is usually used. The remaining beef can be eaten as minced raw beef, while some of the bean sprouts can be added to the almost cooked rice to make a bean sprout rice dish, which also tastes good.

- How to cook:

Ingredients: 150g of beef, dense soy bean sauce, chopped garlic, chopped onions, sesame salt, sesame oil, black pepper, 100g of balloon flower roots, 100g of fern, one squash, 1/2 of a carrot, salt, kelp, deep-fry oil, egg

Seasoning: 3 tablespoons of chili pepper paste, 2 tablespoons of chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon of ginger extract, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of sesame salt, sliced dry red pepper, vegetable oil

1. Roasting beef and vegetables
Heat a fry pan, add cooking oil and roast balloon flower roots, fern, squash and carrots separately, one by one. When roasting, season each ingredient with chopped opinions, chopped garlic, sesame salt, sesame oil and salt. At the end, roast the beef seasoned with salt.

2. Paste seasoning
Add cooking oil to a fry pan and parch chili pepper paste for some time; add chopped garlic, ginger extract, sesame oil, sesame salt and sugar.

3. Serving
Fill a deep bowl with cooked rice, and put the prepared vegetables on top. At the center, carefully break an egg so that the yolk remains intact, and add the prepared chili pepper paste.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Ko A-ra Stars in Japanese-Mongolian Joint Film

2007-03-23T02:31:00.000-07:00

Young actress Ko A-ra is set to captivate Hong Kong with her latest movie “Blue Wolf,” a Japanese-Mongolian joint production. Ko drew great attention from the Hong Kong media at a preview of the film held at AMC Pacific Place on Wednesday. Distributed by EDKO Film, “Blue Wolf” will be released there in May. Some 300 reporters from 110 media companies from 17 nations attended a press conference held ahead of the preview. Meanwhile, the film topped the Japanese box office for the first week of its release, ranked third for the second week, and dropped to eighth place for the third week.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Gong Yoo to Hold Fan Meeting in Tokyo and Osaka

2007-03-23T02:28:00.000-07:00

Actor Gong Yoo, who has emerged as a hallyu star for his roles in the TV dramas “One Fine Day” and “Hello, My Teacher,” which aired in Japan, will hold a large-scale fan meeting tour in Japan following his previous fan meeting in August last year.Entitled “Remember Yoo 2007,” the tour will begin April 21 in Tokyo at Setagaya and move the next day to Osaka at the NHK Hall.Gong has received rave reviews for his role in the Japanese movie “Like a Dragon,” which opened March 3. In the movie, Gong plays an undercover sniper named Park Chul. Based on the same-titled computer game, the movie depicts an intricate and thrilling series of incidents occurring one night in Shinjuku.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > New Group 'Battle' to Release Single Album in Thailand

2007-03-23T02:25:00.000-07:00

The new six-man group "Battle" will release its first single album entitled “Crash” in Thailand on Friday under license.Good EMG, its agency, said Wednesday that the release has been arranged at the request of GMM Grammy, the country’s largest record company.The group’s songs will be aired throughout the Asian country on the radio station “Seed FM” and cable TV “Channel V Thailand” from Friday.Earlier on Feb. 24, staff from GMM Grammy, Channel V Thailand and MTV Thailand came to Korea to interview the Korean group and cover its activities.According to Good EMG, staff from GMM Grammy told them that Battle had gained so much popularity in Thailand that a fan club had already been formed. It also said that the group will visit Thailand to hold a mini concert on April 30 and give interviews with major music channels.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > “Jumong” to Air in Japan

2007-03-23T02:23:00.000-07:00

The MBC TV drama “Jumong,” which has recently finished airing in Korea amidst high popularity, will debut in Japan April 25 via the Japanese satellite broadcaster BS Fuji.The Sankei Sports reported March 19 that Fuji TV will air a special program in early April to draw viewers’ attention. The program will feature greetings from the drama’s cast as well as sketches showing filming.The daily also introduced the drama as a “ghost show.” The pilot episode of the 81-episode drama about a Goguryeo hero recorded viewer ratings of 17.4 percent in Korea in May last year, and since January this year had maintained ratings of 50 percent, with the final episode recording 51.9 percent.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > “The King and the Clown” Enters Deauville Asian Film Fesitval

2007-03-23T02:16:00.000-07:00

The smash hit Korean film “The King and the Clown” will be shown at the Deauville Asian Film Festival. International movie magazine Screen said on the 22nd that the Lee Joon-ik directed “The King and the Clown” and the Lee Yoon-ki directed “A Very Special Guest” will be screened at the 9th Deauville Asian Film Fesitval in France.The festival runs from March 28th-April 1st.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Most Envied Star Couple

2007-03-23T02:12:00.000-07:00

According to netizens, actor Hyun-bin and actress Hwang Ji-hyun are the most envied star couple.Music portal site Bugs surveyed 3,352 netizens from the 9th-16th and 37% responded that the news of Hyun-bin and Hwang Ji-hyun’s relationship was the biggest heart-breaking celebrity news.The celebrity couple publicly announced their relationship through their fan sites on February 25th.Hyun-bin shot to stardom as the lead male in the hit TV series, “My Name is Kim Samsoon” (also known as “My Lovely Samsoon”) and Hwang Ji-hyun’s supporting role in the drama “Come Back, Soon-ae” gained her recognition. The news of the attractive pair’s relationship made fans feel most envious.In 2nd place was the star coupling of KBS host Park Ji-yoon and fellow-KBS Choi Dong-suk, which earned 20% of the votes. Park Ji-yoon has been gaining popularity through her appearance on several shows, including “Star Golden Bell.”And in third place of most envious couple with 15% of the votes was singer Park Ji-yoon and Yongi, followed by Jadu and Eum Seung-baek with 14% and Baek Boram and Kim Jae-woo with 483 votes.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Lee Ki-chan Receives Honor On Local TV Music Show

2007-03-23T02:09:00.000-07:00

Singer Lee Ki-chan’s comeback song has topped a local television channel’s music show chart for more than 5 weeks and has received the “Mutizen (Music Citizen) Song” award. Lee hadn’t released an album in more than 5 years and his success is even sweeter because he was up against other popular artists, such as Park Hyo-shin, Super Junior, T, Lee Hyo-ri, Ivy, Tei and Jang Nara.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Rain Leaves For Hong Kong International Film Festival

2007-03-23T02:07:00.000-07:00

Singer and actor Rain (Jung Ji-hoon) left the country on the 18th for the Hong Kong International Film Festival.The film festival, running from March 20-April 11, will show Rain’s debut film, “I’m A Cyborg, But That’s Ok.” Rain is nominated for the prestigious Best Actor award.Rain has been receiving international popularity for his music, marked by 2005’s Asian Tour “Rainy Day” and this year’s world tour, “Rain’s Coming.” As for his cinematic endeavors, his debut film has received honors and rave reviews at the Berlin Film Festival (including the top award for Best Film—The Alfred Bauer Award) and was chosen as the opening film for the Hong Kong Film Festival. There is a buzz surrounding whether or not Rain will receive the best actor award. Rain’s leading lady, Lim Soo-jeong, is nominated for Best Actress.Other nominations at the Hong Kong International Film Festival include: the Bong Jun-ho-directed movie, “The Host,” for Best Film and its lead Song Kang-ho nominated for Best Actor; Hong Sang-soo for Best Director and Best Screen play for his film “Beach Beauty”; and Kim Hye-soo for Best Actress in “Tajja.”

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Paran and Super Junior-K.R.Y. Create Frenzy in Thailand

2007-03-23T02:04:00.000-07:00

Boy bands Paran and Super Junior – K.R.Y. took more than 10,000 Thai fans by storm at the 6th Pattaya International Music Festival on the 16th and 17th.Wildly popular in Thailand, Paran thrilled fans with their March 16th performance of their hit songs, such as “Like a Habit,” “First Love” and “Beat It.” The following day on the 17th, Super Junior – K.R.Y. (Kyu-hyun, Ryeo-wook, Ye-sung) took the stage. Beginning with the swing/jazz song “The Night Chicago Died” the group sang other favorites like “It’s Just That” and “Only One Person.” The group has been gaining a following in Thailand since its first concert last year and their participation on the OST of the drama “Hyena.”

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Joo Ji-hoon Holds Fan Meeting in Japan

2007-03-20T17:47:00.000-07:00

Model-turned-actor Joo Ji-hoon, who rose to stardom with his debut drama “Princess Hours” last year, has held a fan meeting in Japan. He has seen growing popularity in the island country after the drama was aired there.Joo met with his fans in Tokyo on Tuesday and will travel to Osaka for another fan meeting on Wednesday.Participating in the shooting of new KBS drama “The Devil,” the new Korean actor is seeing a promising future ahead as he was chosen as the “New Asia Star” representing Korea at the 1st ASTA TV Drama Awards.

CUISINE > Bulgogi (thin sliced barbecued beef)

2007-03-20T17:23:00.000-07:00

Bulgogi originated from the dish called maekjeok that was popular during the Goguryeo era, but the only difference between bulgogi and maekjeok is that the latter was marinated beforehand. Maekjeok was prepared by marinating meat with leeks, garlic and fermented bean paste, threading it on skewers and grilling on fire. Because maekjeok is marinated in advance, no sauce was required to accompany the dish.

Bulgogi is a variety of sliced roasted beef called neobiani in Korean. Usually, lean meat of short ribs or sirloin is used to prepare bulgogi.
Thinly sliced beef is crisscrossed with slight cuts, and marinated in pear extract, liquor and sugar for a while.This kind of seasoning makes beef tender through fermentation. To finish seasoning, add soy bean sauce, chopped onions, chopped garlic, sesame salt, ginger extract, black pepper and sesame oil, and leave for 30 minutes more. Grill on medium-high.

- How to cook:

1. Slice lean meat of short ribs or sirloin against the grain, and marinate in sugar, cooking liquor and pear extract for about 30 minutes.
2. Prepare seasoning by mixing soy bean sauce with sugar, water, chopped garlic, chopped green onions, sesame salt, black pepper and sesame oil.
3. Grill the prepared beef with the seasoning in a frying pan.

CUISINE > Spicy chicken and potato stew

2007-03-19T14:24:00.000-07:00

Spicy chicken and potato stew: This easy-to-make dish is perfect for cold winter, as it is hearty and flavorful. Fill you tummy with a serving of this rich, yet reasonably low-cal chicken stew to endure the cold winter night.

Ingredients (for 4 servings):

1 chicken (medium), cut into 8 or 10 pieces

2 dried hot chili pepper

Cooking oil

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1/2 medium carrot, peeled and cut into chunks

1/2 stalk of green onion, sliced diagonally

1 medium onion, peeled and cut into chunks1 hot pepper for garnish, sliced diagonally

Seasoning ingredients:

2Tbsp hot chili pepper paste

2Tbsp soy sauce

1Tbsp sesame seed oil

1Tbsp sugar

1Tbsp hot chili pepper powder

2Tbsp minced green onion

1Tbsp minced garlic

2Tbsp minced gingerA dash of sesame seeds

2 cups water

Direction:

1. Cut up the chicken into 8 or 10 pieces. Wash under cold flowing water and let it drain completely.

2. Drizzle a bit of cooking oil in a frying pan and brown the chicken pieces until golden on the outside. Pat the browned chicken pieces with paper towel to get rid of extra oil.

3. Cut the potato, carrot and onion into bite size chunks.

4. In a pot mix the chicken and 2/3 of seasoning mixture. Pour in the water and let it come to a boil.

5. Put the potato, carrot, and onion pieces, as well as cut up green onion and diagonally sliced peppers. Add the remaining seasoning mix. Cover and let it simmer until the ingredients are cooked thoroughly, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Tips:

1. Let the chicken cook on high heat at first, then reduce the heat after the chicken is cooked somewhat. This way the seasoning seeps into the chicken pieces.

2. For those of you who are watching weight, instead of browning the chicken in oil, try blanching the chicken pieces in boiling water. You may mix in a bit of Korean bean paste to eliminate the smell of chicken.

3. Instead of minced ginger, you may substitute it with a tablespoon of instant coffee, cinnamon powder or even curry powder to get rid of the unsavory chicken smell.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > 'The Host,' 'The Restless' Invited to Brussels Fantastic Film Festival

2007-03-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

The movies “The Host” by director Bong Jun-ho and “The Restless” by director Cho Dong-oh have been invited to compete in the international category of the 2007 Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, according to Pusan International Film Festival Senior Programmer Kim Ji-seok on March 18.The Brussels Fantastic Film Festival will be held in Belgium April 5-17. Other Korean movies that have been invited to participate in the non-competition category include Lee Si-myung’s “Vampire Cop Ricky,” Cho Beom-jin’s “Aachi & Ssipak,” Ahn Byung-ki’s “Apartment” and Lim Ah-ron’s “Mug Travel.” The festival is regarded as one of the world’s top-three fantastic film festivals along with Spain’s Sitges Film Festival and Portugal’s Oporto International Film Festival. Previous award winners of the festival from Korea include Kim Ki-deok’s movie “The Isle” and Chang Jun-hwan’s “Save the Green Planet.”

SIGHTSEEING > Famous Spots to Enjoy Cherry Blossom

2007-03-19T14:06:00.000-07:00

In Korea, cherry blossoms are considered the symbol of spring, and the cherry blossom trees will be in full bloom across the nation. Cherry blossoms are said to reach their peak a week after they bloom and the sight is simply beautiful.The most famous cherry blossom festival is held in Jinhae, located in South Gyeongsang Province. Since 1963, Jinhae Naval Port Festival has attracted some one million tourists every spring. This year, the cherry blossom trees are expected to be in full bloom around this Saturday. So the festival is scheduled to be held from March 23 through April 8. The most visited places during the festival are the 5.6 kilometer Anmin Road, the Naval headquarters, Che-wangsan Park and Yo-jwachon Bridge. A view from Chonja Peak will reward its hikers with a spectacular view of Jinhae’s cherry blossoms. There will be other festivities, such as the parade honoring General Yi Soon-shin, an air-show, a fireworks display and traditional musical performances.Jeju Island, the biggest island located in the south of the peninsula, will also hold a cherry blossom festival from March 30 to April 1 at the Jeju Sports Complex. The tropical weather of the island provides the perfect environment for flowers to bloom beautifully. For Seoulites who can’t travel all the way to Jinhae to enjoy the cherry blossom, Yoido is the place to go. Every year, the Spring Flower Festival is held in Yoido attracting about 2.5 million visitors. The 5.7 kilometer Yoonjung-ro behind the National Assembly building has 1,400 cherry blossom trees and other spring flowers, such as forsythias and azaleas. Another popular place to enjoy the cherry blossoms in Seoul is Namsan Park. In addition to the most popular route between the Namsan Library and the Pal-gak-jong Pavillion, the whole mountain will be covered with all kinds of spring flowers.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > SS501 To Hold Large Fan Meet-and-Greet

2007-03-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

Popular boy band SS501 will hold their first large-scale fan meet-and-greet in Japan as they advance into the Japanese market. The event will be held at the AX Hall in Shibuya for members of their Japanese fan club, Triple S Japan. SS501 is currently on a short break after finishing the taping of a special program on the 13th but will fly back to Japan for the fan meeting.The band will meet with fans, perform 5 songs and each member will display their individual musical talents through special performances. An official of the band’s label said that though there are 2000 seats at the Shibuya AX Hall, the number of those who registered to attend the special fan event far exceeds that.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Take’s Lee Min-hyuk To Enter Military

2007-03-18T11:58:00.000-07:00

Singer and actor Lee Min-hyuk (25) from the group Take will become a soldier on April 3. He will be stationed in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province for 5 weeks and receive basic training. After filming MBC’s Best Theater “Blood Sea,” he took some time off and prepared to enter the military. Lee debuted in the entertainment industry with the group Take in 2003, but gained great popularity through an advertisement. He then concentrated on acting, appearing in various dramas and movies, such as “That Guy Was Attractive” and “Dasepo Girl.”

Jeon Ji-hyun in Stripping Contest for Mobile Phone

2007-03-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

Superstar Jeon Ji-hyun has set tongues wagging by competing with a male model in taking off her clothes in the commercial for the new Samsung phone. Users of the color jacket phone in the Anycall series can, as the name suggests, change the phone’s jacket to go with the outfit they are wearing, the firm said. The producers of the commercial plumbed for a stripping contest to highlight the feature. In it, Jeon takes turns stripping with the male model in front of a cheering audience, treating each item as if it was the last only to reveal another layer underneath.

Jeon had apparently found it a challenge to peel off several layers of clothing like an onion within the short 15 second spot. Though only seven types of clothing appear of the commercial, Jeon actually wore 20. Producers took pains to select the clothes, searching through Seoul’s markets every night to find clothing that would suit both Jeon’s slinky form and the phone she is selling. The clothes also had to be easy to take off in a short time. Eventually, a mixture of polyester and nylon and a special material called supplex used in the movies were chosen.

sourch : chosun.com

CUISINE > Seollongtang (Beep Bone and tripe Soup)

2007-03-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

Seollongtang is prepared by boiling the bones of cow legs and knees with ribs and head for about one day. The broth of seollongtang is white and thick, but not greasy. This dish originates from the ancient times, when one day the king was stuck in a village during a severe storm. To feed the hungry king, the peasants of the village had to kill their bull and boil it in plain water. That's how seollongtang came into being.

The legend says that “seollong” was the name of beef broth during the Goguryeo era, probably because of its white color as “seol” means “snow” in Chinese. Seollongtang was very convenient to cook in ancient times, when there were no refrigerators to store meat for a long time, as it is prepared by cooking almost all parts of the cow's body, except for skin and filth, in a huge iron pot.

- How to cook:

Four servings

Main ingredients: 1/4 of cow feet, 1/4 of cow leg bones, 1/4 of knee bones, 100g of beef shank, 100g of beef ribs, 4 liters of water, 4 roots of green onions, garlic, one chunk of radish, ginger, 1/2 of onion

Beef seasoning: salt, chopped green onions, chopped garlic, black pepper

1. Chop the bones of cow legs, feet and knees, and soak in cold water for about an hour.
2. Clean the chunks of beef shank and ribs.
3. Briefly boil No. 1 ingredients in boiling water. Remove the water.
4. Put the parboiled bones in a pot, add water and thickly chopped green onions, radish, ginger, garlic and onions.
5. When the beef becomes tender and the broth thick enough, add the chunks of beef shank and ribs, and boil on low fire for a long time. Then, take out the meat, cool the broth and remove grease.
6. Separate meat from bones, and chop in small pieces. Cut beef shank and ribs into small pieces as well, and season with chopped green onions, salt, chopped garlic, and black pepper.
7. Fill a heated bowl with seasoned meat and add warm broth. Don't add salt to the broth when heating it again.

CUISINE > Dwoenjang-jjigye (Soybean paste strew)

2007-03-18T11:24:00.000-07:00

Soybean paste, or dwoenjang, is made of fermented soybeans and salted water. Soybean paste, along with soybean sauce, has been one of traditional Korean foods since the ancient times. It is used as a staple ingredient for salting and seasoning food.

Soybean paste is made of beans, which are rich in protein (38 percent) and unsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic and linolenic acids. The paste is very nutritious as it contains 128cal and 12g of protein per 100g. It is also used as a medicine to soothe headache, chillness and fever, and stimulate sweating. The main ingredients of soybean paste stew include vegetables, tofu, clams and meat, among many others.

Sometimes, chili pepper paste and pepper powder are added to soybean paste stew as well. The stew ingredients may vary every season: in summer, you may add green peppers; in fall-mushrooms; and in winter-dried radish leaves. For the Korean people, whose main dish is grain, such as rice and barley, the intake of high-protein food, like beans, is essential to make up for other nutrients.

How to cook:

Four servings

Main ingredients: 1/2 of squash, 1 onion, 1 potato, 1 red pepper, 2 green peppers, 1/2 of tofu, 1/2 of green onion root, 4 tablespoons of soybean paste

Sub-ingredients: 4 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of red pepper powder
1. Clean and slice squash, onion, potato and tofu.
2. Slice diagonally green onions, red pepper and green peppers, and rinse in cold water to remove seeds.
3. Fill a stone pot with water, and add soybean paste and sliced potato.
4. When No. 3 mixture boils, add sliced squash, onion, red pepper, green peppers and green onions, and boil. Add tofu at the end to boil only briefly.
5. When the vegetables are cooked well, add red pepper powder and salt to your taste.

MOVIE > I'm a Cyborg , But That's OK

2007-03-17T03:54:00.000-07:00

Synopsis

Young-goon, mentally deranged and frequently electro-charging herself with a transistor radio, has been admitted into a mental institution. Firmly believing herself to be a cyborg, she refuses to consume like a human being. Il-soon is another patient, who catches the eye of Young-goon and soon becomes a close friend. Il-soon is now confronted with the biggest task – to cure Young-goon’s mental problem and have her eat real food.

Cast :

Im Soo-jeong

Rain

Oh Dal-soo

Park Joon-myeon

Kim Byeong-wook

Directed by :

Park Chan-wook

Screenplay by :

Jeong Seo-kyeong

Park Chan-wook

Link : cyborg2006

CUISINE > Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup)

2007-03-17T03:20:00.000-07:00

Ginseng chicken soup, or samgyetang, is one of traditional Korean dishes, which optimally combines meat with vegetables. The main ingredients of this soup are chicken, ginseng, glutinous rice, chestnuts, jujubes, and garlic. People who are exposed to stress or cannot endure heat are advised to take a sufficient amount of high-quality protein and vitamin C.Samgyetang is an optimal dish for relieving stress as chicken is rich in high-quality protein and fat, while ginseng effectively relieves fatigue and depression, and even helps fight anemia and diabetes.

Samgyetang is one of the most effective summer dishes as it blends the medicinal effects and nutritive elements of ginseng, glutinous rice, jujubes and chestnuts. And chicken is especially good for pregnant women and children because it is low-fat and easy to digest, and is richer in amino acids than beef.

Samgyetang is prepared by stuffing a young chicken with ginseng, glutinous rice, garlic, pine nuts, jujube and other ingredients, and boiling it for a long time. Ginseng used in samgyetang is a cure-all medicine whose effects have been proved by centuries. The scientific name of this sort of ginseng is Panax; it is effective in improving the heart functions.

Garlic used in samgyetang plays the role of an aphrodisiac; jujubes and chestnuts tone up the stomach and prevent anemia; pumpkin seeds improve hormone excretion and prevent parasites; adlay prevents diabetes and removes waste matters from the body, thus minimizing side-effects of various diseases; ginger protects the lungs; and black sesame seeds prevent arteriosclerosis. Well-cooked samgyetang has a soft taste, while its chewy meat and the combination of fragrances of medicinal stuffs are effective in stimulating appetite.

- How to cook:

Main ingredients: chicken, ginseng, jujubes, chestnuts, glutinous rice

Sub-ingredients (to be used in preparing the broth): pine nuts, walnuts, peanuts, Korean liquor, chicken feet, salt

1. Clean the chicken and soak in cold water to remove blood.
2. Prepare the broth.
3. Blend peanuts, pine seeds and walnuts in a mixer (1:0.5:0.5).
4. Stuff the chicken with raw glutinous rice, one jujube, one chestnut, and a ginseng root, and close the bottom of the chicken with a toothpick.
6. Cook the stuffed chicken in cold water.
7. When the chicken is half cooked, add milk vetch.
8. Boil for 40 min-1 hour more.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Jun Ji-hyun to Debut in Hollywood

2007-03-17T03:09:00.000-07:00

Actress Jun Ji-hyun is gearing up to debut overseas. Jun, who has gained popularity not only in Korea but also in Hong Kong, China and Japan for her sometimes sassy, sometimes naive roles in movies, will make her Hollywood debut in the movie “Blood: The Last Vampire.”“Blood: The Last Vampire” is based on the same-titled popular animation novel by famous Japanese writer Oshii Mamoru. Jun plays the role of the vampire hunter Saya, who is half-human, half-vampire but who disguises herself as a human being in order to destroy vampires. The actress is expected to display impressive action stunts in the movie.Playing opposite Jun will be actress Allison Miller, who has gained popularity for her role in the TV show “Desperate Housewives.” In the movie, Miller’s character teaches Saya what it’s like to be a human.Interest in movies starring Jun has been on the rise in Hollywood. Jun has drawn notice in Hollywood through the movie “The Lake House,” starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. The movie is a remake of the Korean movie “Il Mare,” which stars Jun. Jun’s hit movie “My Sassy Girl” is also currently being remade in the United States, with actress Elisha Cuthbert playing the lead.The filming of “Blood: The Last Vampire” will begin March 15. The movie has drawn significant attention for its impressive scale as it involves famous film production firms and filmmakers. After shooting several scenes in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the filming location will switch to China before the movie opens in 2008.The movie is expected to make Jun another hallyu star in Hollywood, like Kim Yun-jin. Jun will go by the name "Gianna Jun" in the United States.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS > Song Seung-hun to Hold Fan Meeting in Japan

2007-03-17T02:42:00.000-07:00

Actor Song Seung-hun will visit Japan on Friday to hold a large fan meeting on Saturday at Saitama Super Arena, where some 15,000 fans are expected to attend. Interest in the event was so great that all tickets were already sold out a month ago.The Korean actor will also hold an autograph session for his photo book “The Sun” released on February 28 at a department store in Tokyo’s entertainment district, Ginza. His photo exhibition, which displays some 150 photos of the actor and his apparel, is also being held at the department store. It opened on Feb. 14 and will end on March 27.Song has already proved his popularity in Japan when he was greeted by some 6,000 fans at the National International Airport on his first visit to the island country in December after his discharge from military service.Meanwhile, Song will move to China on Sunday for an official visit as a model for Lotte Department Store, which is opening its first branch in China. He will also attend other official events including a press conference.