South Korea is currently in the midst of a tourism boost.
An estimated 400,000 people from around the world gathered in Seoul to celebrate the 10th anniversary of K-pop boy band BTS. And the Seoul International Book Fair, where Sharjah is guest of honour, is also currently under way.
However, for those who can't make the trip over to the East Asian country, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate or get immersed in culture while in the UAE. Here are six places to visit.
Korean Cultural Centre, Abu Dhabi
The centre on Yas Island is probably the best place to immerse yourself in South Korean culture in the UAE.
It hosts exhibitions, workshops, concerts and other activities such as cooking classes on a regular basis, giving visitors the chance to learn more about the East Asian country and the many facets of its culture.
The venue also has classrooms for language classes, a stage for shows and workshops, and a library with about 1,500 books.
uae.korean-culture.org
Hyu Korean Restaurant, Dubai
The no-frills restaurant in Dubai's Jumeirah Lakes Towers offers an authentic Korean dining experience, serving the famed Korean do-it-yourself barbecue and dishes such as jjamppong (noodles in a spicy seafood soup) and tteokbokki (rice cakes cooked in a spicy sauce).
The restaurant is a hidden gem in the sea of flamboyant Korean restaurants in Dubai, offering a stripped-down dining experience.
www.instagram.com/hyurestaurant
Mukbang Shows restaurant, Dubai and Abu Dhabi
The Filipino-owned Korean barbecue restaurant is inspired by mukbang, or the eating show that originated in South Korea in which a host consumes various quantities of food while interacting with the audience.
It has two locations in Abu Dhabi, one on Muroor Road near Al Wahda Mall and another on Electra Street behind City Seasons Hotel. The venue also has an outpost in Dubai, next to the Deira bus station.
A range of a la carte dishes are available on the menu, but the standout offering is the live barbecue with a variety of raw unlimited servings of Wagyu, tenderloin, strip loin and rib-eye steaks. Aside from the food, the interiors of the restaurant also showcase other aspects of Korean culture, with displays of the Asian country's traditional attire.
www.mukbangshow.ae
Madang, Abu Dhabi
It's a little far out, at Al Ghazal Golf Club right by the Abu Dhabi airport, but it's worth the journey.
Madang not only serves up authentic dishes and Korean barbecue, but does so in a charming, down-to-earth restaurant that doubles as a karaoke venue with views of the golf course.
There's also a little Asian grocery store out front for stocking up on speciality ingredients before leaving.
www.alghazalgolfclub.ae
1004 Gourmet, Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Restaurants aside, South Korean culture enthusiasts can visit Asian supermarket 1004 Gourmet to stock their kitchen with the country's delicacies, such as mandu (dumplings), fish cakes, cooking pastes and other ingredients.
The brand has four shops across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as an online store. The branch in Reem Island is the biggest and sells dozens of brands, from food to skincare and make-up. There is also fresh produce and seafood, as well as other items imported from Japan, Thailand and China.
www.1004gourmet.com
Family K Mart, Dubai
From different Korean condiments to snacks and more, Family K Mart sells plenty of authentic Korean foods, from rice and grains to frozen goods such as rice balls and mandu. The store also has a small restaurant inside, Roll and Bubble, which serves boba teas, Korean rolls and other dishes. Located in Al Barsha, Family K Mart delivers across the UAE including to Al Ain and Al Ruwais.
www.familyk.ae
Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
Orlando Crowcroft
Zed Books
Slow loris biog
From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans
The major Hashd factions linked to Iran:
Badr Organisation: Seen as the most militarily capable faction in the Hashd. Iraqi Shiite exiles opposed to Saddam Hussein set up the group in Tehran in the early 1980s as the Badr Corps under the supervision of the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The militia exalts Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei but intermittently cooperated with the US military.
Saraya Al Salam (Peace Brigade): Comprised of former members of the officially defunct Mahdi Army, a militia that was commanded by Iraqi cleric Moqtada Al Sadr and fought US and Iraqi government and other forces between 2004 and 2008. As part of a political overhaul aimed as casting Mr Al Sadr as a more nationalist and less sectarian figure, the cleric formed Saraya Al Salam in 2014. The group’s relations with Iran has been volatile.
Kataeb Hezbollah: The group, which is fighting on behalf of the Bashar Al Assad government in Syria, traces its origins to attacks on US forces in Iraq in 2004 and adopts a tough stance against Washington, calling the United States “the enemy of humanity”.
Asaeb Ahl Al Haq: An offshoot of the Mahdi Army active in Syria. Asaeb Ahl Al Haq’s leader Qais al Khazali was a student of Mr Al Moqtada’s late father Mohammed Sadeq Al Sadr, a prominent Shiite cleric who was killed during Saddam Hussein’s rule.
Harakat Hezbollah Al Nujaba: Formed in 2013 to fight alongside Mr Al Assad’s loyalists in Syria before joining the Hashd. The group is seen as among the most ideological and sectarian-driven Hashd militias in Syria and is the major recruiter of foreign fighters to Syria.
Saraya Al Khorasani: The ICRG formed Saraya Al Khorasani in the mid-1990s and the group is seen as the most ideologically attached to Iran among Tehran’s satellites in Iraq.
(Source: The Wilson Centre, the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation)
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
ARSENAL IN 1977
Feb 05 Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland
Feb 12 Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal
Feb 15 Middlesbrough 3-0 Arsenal
Feb 19 Arsenal 2-3 West Ham
Feb 26 Middlesbrough 4-1 Arsenal (FA Cup)
Mar 01 Everton 2-1 Arsenal
Mar 05 Arsenal 1-4 ipswich
March 08 Arsenal 1-2 West Brom
Mar 12 QPR 2-1 Arsenal
Mar 23 Stoke 1-1 Arsenal
Apr 02 Arsenal 3-0 Leicester
The%20specs
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World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
LIVERPOOL%20TOP%20SCORERS
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Third Test
Day 3, stumps
India 443-7 (d) & 54-5 (27 ov)
Australia 151
India lead by 346 runs with 5 wickets remaining
Brief scores:
Day 2
England: 277 & 19-0
West Indies: 154
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Scoreline:
Everton 4
Richarlison 13'), Sigurdsson 28', Digne 56', Walcott 64'
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton)
RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
Genesis G80 2020 5.0-litre Royal Specs
Engine: 5-litre V8
Gearbox: eight-speed automatic
Power: 420hp
Torque: 505Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L/100km
Price: Dh260,500
