Korea and Japan can get closer through food, say cartoonists

Two well-known authors of food-themed comic books representing Korea and Japan shared their opinion during a meeting in Seoul on Wednesday that the two Asian neighbors can get closer through each other's delicious food. Huh Young-man, known for the Korean comic book series "Sikgaek," and Masayuki Kusumi, author of the Japanese series "The Solitary Gourmet," met at a traditional Korean hanok house in central Seoul to casually talk about the food cultures of the two coun

CultureSept. 13, 2023

'Putin doesn't own Russian music'

Oksana Lyniv, a Ukrainian conductor who is set to debut in Korea later this week, said, "If Rachmaninoff were alive, he would have opposed the war and Putin." "Putin doesn't own Russian music and it is the cultural heritage of the entire world," Lyniv, 45, told reporters during a press conference held at Seoul Arts Center on Tuesday, when asked about a movement to exclude Russian music amid the ongoing war between her motherland of Ukraine and Russia. She shared the ho

PerformanceSept. 13, 2023

Yu In-chon tapped to serve as culture minister for second time

Yu In-chon, whose nomination as the new culture, sports and tourism minister was announced Wednesday, is no stranger to the position, having served the same post during the Lee Myung-bak administration. This is the former actor's second official position in the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. His appointment as special presidential adviser for culture and sports in July had sparked speculation that he might soon be named the next culture minister, replacing Park Bo-gyoon. Yu served as culture

CultureSept. 13, 2023

Grand Mint Festival to kick off on Oct. 20 with 43 acts

The Grand Mint Festival 2023 announced 13 more musicians and bands for its lineup on Wednesday, including Jung Joon-il, The Classic, Young K, Yudabin Band and Hynn, completing the line up of 43 acts. The annual indie music festival will take place from Oct. 20-22 with a variety of performers, ranging from K-pop singers and ballad singers to acoustic bands and modern rock bands. The event organizer Mint Paper announced a total of 30 performers and teams last month, including Nell, Thorn Apple, N.

PerformanceSept. 13, 2023

[Herald Interview] 'Gagosian has lots of work to do in Korea'

When the world’s largest art gallery Gagosian newly appointed Lee Ji-young to lead the gallery’s operations in South Korea, just ahead of Frieze Seoul that ended on Saturday, the art community's attention quickly turned to what plan may be behind the gallery's move. Lee, a gallerist with some 15 years of experience, was most recently the director for Sprueth Margers in Seoul. “Korea obviously is a place where we have been active for many years. I came here 16 years ag

Arts & DesignSept. 13, 2023

[Photo News] Princess's wedding gown

More than 100 bridal robes and artifacts related to royal weddings of the Joseon era, including a bridal robe worn by Princess Bogon (1818-1832) shown above, will be on display at the National Palace Museum of Korea in Seoul, Friday to Dec. 13 as part of an exhibition entitled "Blooming Hwarot: Bridal Robes of the Joseon Royal Court." Also on display will be a bridal robe from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the conservation of which was made possible by a 100 million won donatio

CultureSept. 13, 2023

[Herald Interview] Directors say ‘Free Chol Soo Lee’ asks us all to self-reflect

In 1974, Chol Soo Lee, a 21-year-old immigrant from Korea to the US, was sentenced to life in prison, wrongfully convicted for a gang murder in San Francisco’s Chinatown. “Free Chol Soo Lee,” journalist Julie Ha and Eugene Yi’s first documentary film, explores the complicated, “messy” life of Chol Soo who spends 10 years fighting for his life inside California’s prisons. Through unprecedented social justice advocacy by the Asian American community, Cho

FilmSept. 13, 2023

[Herald Interview] 'A Time Called You' star not fazed by success of original

While remakes can bring a fresh perspective to classic TV shows, new interpretations of projects are often met with ruthless criticism by fans loyal to the original work. The pressure that comes with working on such a project can cause a lot of stress for actors and directors, who want to take care to respect the original work while also creating something new and exciting. Actor Jeon Yeo-been, 34, however, was unfazed by the popularity of the original series and seized the opportunity to star i

TelevisionSept. 13, 2023

KBS board dismisses CEO Kim Eui-chul

The board of directors at South Korea's public broadcaster KBS passed a motion Tuesday to dismiss CEO Kim Eui-chul with the end of his term still more than a year away. Six out of 11 board members, who are considered aligning with the ruling bloc, voted for Kim's dismissal during a meeting at the company headquarters in Seoul, according to sources familiar with the matter. The five others, who stand with the opposition bloc, abstained from the vote in protest. President Yoon Suk Yeol a

TelevisionSept. 12, 2023

Heritage agency to coordinate with UNESCO in conserving Joseon royal tombs

With UNESCO expressing concerns about the negative impacts that urban development plans may have on a UNESCO World Heritage property, the Cultural Heritage Administration said that it will implement all UNESCO recommendations. “The CHA will implement all the recommendations from UNESCO regarding the Joseon royal tombs,” said a CHA official. On Monday, UNESCO released its draft resolution for the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee currently underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,

CultureSept. 12, 2023

New artistic director sets ambitious vision for KNCDC as Asia's contemoporary dance hub

Korea National Contemporary Dance Company's new director and artistic director Kim Sung-yong's ambition is to transform the dance company into a central contemporary dance hub in Asia. "I've been looking for an opportunity to create synergy by bringing together dancers from Asia. I think it’s fitting for the KNCDC, Asia's only national organization, to take on this role," Kim said speaking at a press conference held at the Seoul Arts Center, on Monday. Kim off

PerformanceSept. 12, 2023

Han River sets the stage for crimes, heroic rescues in 'Han River Police'

Veteran actors Kwon Sang-woo and Kim Hee-won, and rising stars Bae Da-bin and Shin Hyeon-seung band together against Gi-seok (played by Lee Sang-yi), a malicious villain, in “Han River Police,” a new action comedy series premiering on Disney+ on Wednesday. The six-part series tells the stories of police officers who seek to ensure peace at the Han River, the main river which runs through the city. Director Kim Sang-cheol, who makes his streaming service debut with “Han River Po

TelevisionSept. 12, 2023

'Any emotion you may feel is the right one'

o Concerto No. 3 in the final round, released an album dedicated to the Russian composer on Tuesday. Sunwoo’s second album, titled “Rachmaninoff. A Reflection,” is meant to commemorate Rachmaninoff, who was born 150 years ago, and also to reflect on the 34-year-old pianist himself. “'Reflection' has various meanings. It can reflect me, and also signifies that I will examine myself through the album,” Sunwoo told reporters during a press conference held a

PerformanceSept. 12, 2023

Independence fighters' parenting saga comes alive in musical

During the Japanese occupation, a man and a woman find love and give birth to a child while in exile in China, anticipating the day when their homeland might regain its sovereignty. Like any other parents, they raise their child, evolving and learning from their experiences. This story is the real life story of Yang Woo-jo (1897-1964) and Choi Seon-hwa (1911-2003). Yang worked for the Korean Provisional Government, a government-in-exile based in China. Raising their first daughter, whom they n

PerformanceSept. 12, 2023

Retro with futuristic vibe: 'Y2K' culture strikes back

Pollalla Store, located on a quiet street in Seoul’s youthful and artsy neighborhood of Hongdae, is a hidden hunting ground for “Y2K” culture fans. The underground venue is filled with one-of-a-kind vintage items from the late 1990s and early 2000s, including first generation K-pop star merchandise. Hyun Tae-jun, the store’s 57-year-old owner, spoke of a distinct shift toward a younger demographic among his customers. A couple of years ago, his customer base used to consi

CultureSept. 12, 2023

Kim Jee-woon, Song Kang-ho’s ‘Cobweb’ to open in 187 countries

“Cobweb,” directed by Kim Jee-woon and starring actor Song Kang-ho, will open in 187 countries, according to the film’s distributor Barunson EA. Together, the two have made numerous box office hits like “The Foul King” (2000), “The Good, the Bad, the Weird” (2008) and “The Age of Shadows” (2016). An ensemble comedy portraying a delusional filmmaker and picky, unsupportive actors in the 1970s, "Cobweb" is director Kim’s first f

FilmSept. 12, 2023

Jeonju Film Fest presents cinema packages with guided tour of Hanok Village

The Jeonju International Film Festival is offering a cinema package program it's calling “Jeonju Tour With a Movie,” featuring a guided tour of the much loved Jeonju Hanok Village in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. The package is part of the “Jeonju Cinetour With Falling in Jeonju,” an event that rescreens a selection of films from the Jeonju IFF that took place in the spring. "Jeonju Tour With a Movie" will screen three films from the festival for 15,000 wo

FilmSept. 12, 2023

Chinese author Yu Hua celebrates 40th anniversary of literary debut in Seoul

Author Yu Hua, a prominent figure in Chinese literature, celebrated the 40th anniversary of his literary debut during a talk event held in Seoul on Friday where he reflected on his career and hinted on the upcoming works. "I wasn't aware that it was the 40th anniversary of my literary debut until Prunsoop told me," Yu told reporters during a press conference held in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, Friday. Prunsoop, a local publishing company, has been introducing Yu's works to Kore

BooksSept. 11, 2023

Poet Jin Eun-young, Booker winner Bernardine Evaristo discuss 'collapse,' rising from the ruins at writer's festival

An insightful conversation unfolded in the middle of the Han River on Nodeulseom on Saturday afternoon between two distinguished female literary figures from Korea and the UK. South Korean poet Jin Eun-young and the Booker Prize-winning Bernardine Evaristo took part in a “One on One” conversation as part of the 2023 Seoul International Writers’ Festival, which kicked off Friday. The two discussed their literature and its connection to society under the theme of “In the Pl

BooksSept. 11, 2023

First episode of ‘The Sword of Aramun’ quashes fans’ concerns over new lead actors

Cable channel tvN’s fantasy period series “Arthdal Chronicles” (2019) has returned for a second season -- “The Sword of Aramun” -- with new lead actors, garnering plenty of interest from viewers with its first two episodes. Prior to the premiere of “The Sword of Aramun” on Sept. 9, drama fans -- especially those who enjoyed “Arthdal Chronicles” -- were concerned over whether the new leads, Lee Joon-gi and Shin Sae-kyeong, would be a natural f

TelevisionSept. 11, 2023