[Herald Interview] Meet little big artists who shake up 'School of Rock' live stage

The musical "School of Rock" starts with an announcement by Andrew Lloyd Webber, who wrote the music for the musical, asking a key question: "Do the kids really play their rock instruments live?" The answer is an emphatic "Yes, they do!" Webber declares. The announcement is made because, without the notice, many people find it hard to believe that they are witnessing child actors with an average age of 11.5, rocking out with exceptional musical talent and energeti

CultureJan. 29, 2024

French Embassy starts off year with cultural outreach

The French Embassy in Seoul kicked off its signature book recital event Saturday, heralding a number of cultural activities scheduled for this year for the local audience. The second edition of the annual Rendez-vous a Seoul mainly involves having visitors recite anything written in French, from books to periodicals. It is an occasion for advancing the traditions that value reading and sharing, according to an embassy official. “The French government first started this program eight years

CultureJan. 29, 2024

'SNL Korea' lawsuit sheds light on streaming shows' working conditions

The legal disputes surrounding the popular Korean entertainment show "SNL Korea" is shedding light on the poor working conditions experienced by staff working at production companies that supply content to streaming services, according to experts, Monday. South Korean production company Astory, which produces content for various streaming services, said on Thursday the company has filed a lawsuit claiming 7 billion won ($5.2 million) in damages for restraint of trade against CP Enter

TelevisionJan. 29, 2024

[Herald Interview] Hauser & Wirth shrugs off doubts about Hong Kong as art capital of Asia

HONG KONG -- International gallery Hauser & Wirth has cemented its presence in Hong Kong with its move to a new location in the Central District last week. The three-story space is easily sighted and accessed. “We wanted to be on the street level and we wanted to stay in the center," the Swiss gallery’s Managing Partner Asia Elaine Kwok told The Korea Herald on Jan. 23 at the new space in Hong Kong. "This is a really fantastic space – not only it is on the groun

Arts & DesignJan. 29, 2024

Jason Yu’s ‘Sleep’ wins top prize at Gerardmer Fantastic Film Festival

South Korean director Jason Yu’s mystery thriller “Sleep” won the top Grand Prix award at the 31st Gerardmer Fantastic Film Festival in Gerardmer, France. Yu’s win marks the first for a Korean film in 20 years, after Kim Jee-woon’s “A Tale of Two Sisters” won the prize in 2004. “Sleep,” which opened in domestic theaters in September last year, is Yu's feature-length directorial debut. The late actor Lee Sun-kyun and Jung Yu-mi star as ne

FilmJan. 29, 2024

Captain Rock leads 70 indie artists in biggest Kyungrockjeol ever

One of South Korea’s largest annual indie rock music festivals, Kyugrockjeol, on Tuesday kicks off 2024 Rock and Roll Paradise, in its largest iteration ever. Kyungrockjeol, considered one of the top three festivities in Seoul's indie enclave of Hongdae, along with Christmas Eve and Halloween, started in 2005 as a birthday party for Han Kyung-rok, the bassist of punk band Crying Nut. The event became one of the biggest festivals for South Korean indie musicians and took place at the l

PerformanceJan. 28, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Hyun-joo, Park Hee-soon explore paradoxical nature of family in 'The Bequeathed'

South Korean veteran actors Kim Hyun-joo and Park Hee-soon said, through their latest work "The Bequeathed," they wanted to ask their audience about the meaning of family. Netflix's six-part mystery thriller "The Bequeathed" tells the story of Yoon Seo-ha, who becomes mired in a series of ominous events including the murder of her husband, after inheriting a family grave site from her deceased uncle. The series explores the concept of family in depth, while incorporating

TelevisionJan. 28, 2024

[Herald Review] Senior actors prove age is just a number in sold-out 'Waiting for Godot'

The sepia-toned stage stands vacant except for a leafless tree and a solitary rock. The actors appear equally disheveled in their muted, grubby suits, sporting scruffy grey hair. And nothing dramatic unfolds. The two characters, Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), wait and wait for Godot, who never arrives. While one might ask where's the fun in watching someone simply waiting, waiting and waiting, the Korean production of Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot,” which kicke

PerformanceJan. 28, 2024

[New in Korean] Fantasy novel emerges from psychological autopsy center

"The Girl in a Phone Booth" By Lee Su-yeon Clayhouse Imagine having the ability to hear the last thoughts of those who have left this world. The psychological autopsy center is the backdrop for a touching human fantasy novel that hit the shelves last week. Those left behind by a suicide experience profound grief, guilt and resentment with lingering questions like "why" and "how could this happen." The psychological autopsy center investigates a person's suici

BooksJan. 28, 2024

Treat yourself to classic French dessert culture

For some Koreans, spending time at a cafe might be a way to take an emotional refuge or relieve stress from a hectic life. But for many others, a cup of coffee or dessert at a cafe is merely a means to secure a place to work or study. Hoping to showcase the true French dessert culture, including quality time with friends with tea and traditional French nibbles, renowned chef Kim Na-rae presents the “French Gouter” program at the Park Hyatt Seoul in Gangnam, southern Seoul. Gouter, re

FoodJan. 27, 2024

KTO signs MOU for smartphone payment services

Chinese tourists will be able to enjoy more Alipay Plus-related travel and payment options starting in early February, according to the Korea Tourism Organization. Lee Hak-ju, executive vice president of the KTO's international tourism division, signed a memorandum of understanding on Jan. 24 with his Alipay Plus counterpart Chung Hyung-kwon -- general manager of South Korea, Australia and New Zealand -- at KTO Seoul Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. Under the deal, two companies will promote smart

TravelJan. 27, 2024

[New in Korean] 'Path of Humanity' is like final grains of harvest of life

"Path of Humanity" By Han Seung-won Munhakdongne Publishing Since 1997, Han Seung-won, writer and poet, has been living in his hometown of Jangheung in South Jeolla Province. A winner of numerous literary awards, Han writes daily in his studio. He is best known for the novel "Aje Aje Bara Aje" (1985), which was adapted into a film titled "Come Come Come Upward" featuring the late Kang Soo-youn and Yu In-chon, the current culture minister. At the age of 85, the vet

BooksJan. 27, 2024

Embrace Pyeongchang’s winter beauty at Samyang Roundhill

PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon Province -- Pyeongchang, a popular summer getaway for families and friends who wish to escape the unrelenting heat, beckons even more holidaymakers in winter. Winter is also the season when Samyang Roundhill, among many farms and ski slopes here, becomes a go-to destination with its iconic wind turbines and seemingly unending snow-covered open grassland. While a number of programs -- including taking care of calves, border collies herding sheep and feeding sheep and ostriche

TravelJan. 27, 2024

Bond with Ethiopia lives on in Chuncheon

CHUNCHEON, Gangwon Province -- Chuncheon is one of South Korea’s most sought-after tourist destinations, where travelers can enjoy extensive mountain ridges, breathtaking views of the Soyang River, stylish cafes and the bold neon signs of restaurants. What may surprise some visitors to the area is the signage of an unfamiliar street name which reads “Ethiopia-gil,” meaning "Ethiopia Road" in Korean, in Geunhwa-dong, central Chuncheon. Streets in South Korea are typica

CultureJan. 27, 2024

[New in Korean] Bestseller 'Marigold' returns with magical sequel

“Marigold Mind Photo Studio” By Yun Jung-eun Book Romance The "Marigold" series is back with a sequel. In her latest work, author Yun Jung-eun writes, "Life is filled with sadness, yet living is also about finding joy amid the sorrow," as she opens the door to a new story set in the magical village of "Marigold." The enchanting days in Marigold Village continue, with a notable addition: a new photo studio on the first floor of the laundry building. At

BooksJan. 27, 2024

Govt. to cover costs of preserving cultural property at construction sites

Starting next year, the Cultural Heritage Administration will cover the costs of preserving buried cultural property found during construction projects, according to a revised bill that passed the National Assembly on Thursday. Until now, the CHA has managed such buried cultural properties under certain conditions, such as when a construction project has had to be completely called off due to the discovery of important pieces of cultural heritage. In that case, the government and local authoriti

CultureJan. 26, 2024

Red plum blossoms at Hwaeomsa named natural monument

The red plum blossoms at Hwaeomsa, a temple on the slopes of Jirisan in South Jeolla Province, have been designated as a natural monument, Hwaeomsa said Thursday. Hwaeomsa is one of the 25 head temples run by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. The temple is recognized as a cultural heritage site, as it is already home to two other natural monuments -- a winter-flowering cherry tree (natural monument No. 38) and wild plum blossoms (natural monument No. 485) -- as well as five national treasures

CultureJan. 26, 2024

ARKO Selection’s February performances offer contemporary twist on classics

ARKO Selection will unveil its third set of productions in early February, offering two traditional performances, one musical, one dance performance and one music concert, which reinterpret classics and transcended traditions. Such works are among the 28 new repertoires funded by Arts Council Korea, an organization committed to fostering diverse arts and cultural activities in the country. The male "changgeuk" performance, "Salome," which is a reinterpretation of Oscar Wilde&

PerformanceJan. 26, 2024

Korea Film Archive recovers movies from 1960s, 70s

The Korean Film Archive said Friday that it recovered 16 Korean movies from the 1960s and 70s that were previously unavailable for viewing due to lost sound and deleted scenes. These movies are meaningful as they are from the Korean film industry’s so-called “first renaissance,” KOFA explained. “Recovering Korean films produced in the 1960s and 70s is a remarkable feat considering that it was when renowned filmmakers like Kim Ki-young and Shin Sang-ok actively produced mo

FilmJan. 26, 2024

Poet Kim Hye-soon's 'Phantom Pain Wings' shortlisted for 2 NBCC Awards

The English translation of acclaimed poet Kim Hye-soon's poetry collection, “Phantom Pain Wings,” has been selected as a finalist in two categories -- poetry and translated literature -- at the National Book Critics Circle Awards in the US. “Phantom Pain Wings,” translated by Don Mee Choi, was shortlisted along with four other finalists in the poetry category. Contenders include “All Souls” by Saskia Hamilton, “The Gathering of Bastards” by Ro

BooksJan. 26, 2024