[Herald Interview] Leaving pixels behind, Hong Seung-hye transports you to a world 'over the rainbow'

Hong Seung-hye is an artist who continuously expands her artistic horizons. Twenty-six years after discovering the artistic potential of computer pixels, she has transcended to a new dimension in her craft, inviting others to explore the captivating world of her latest creations. Hong named the exhibition “Over the Layers II” at the Kukje Gallery, reminiscing about the song “Over the Rainbow” from the film “The Wizard of Oz.” The latest show is the second iter

Arts & DesignFeb. 28, 2023

Contemporary Gugak Orchestra to revisit chamber music by leading composers

The Contemporary Gugak Orchestra under the National Gugak Center returns with a chamber music performance that features the musical works of six leading composers in Korean creative traditional music. "The Korean Composers Series" will be held on March 9, at Umyeondang of the National Gugak Center, located in Seocho-gu, Seoul. The series selects the works of Korean composers who have helped shape contemporary gugak music traditions and provides a stage for reflection on the meaning and

PerformanceFeb. 27, 2023

[Herald Interview] KTO president picks 'storytelling' as essence of tourism

“May I begin by singing you a song that I listen to as a hobby?” Kim Jang-sil, president of the Korea Tourism Organization, said to the reporter as soon as he sat down for an interview with The Korea Herald at his office in Seoul on Friday. The 66-year-old chair then spontaneously turned on his favorite 1970s trot music song on his phone and began singing along. As soon as the song ended, he explained with passion how the tune and lyrics came to be. "It is a story depicting a

CultureFeb. 27, 2023

Will Korean audition programs have viewers hooked once again?

Audition programs, which once dominated airtime several years ago before a number of vote-rigging controversies and ranking errors, are now poised to emerge as a major trend on television once again. The new impartial judging system aside, the revamped music competition shows are set to entertain viewers with new and yet-undiscovered talents, seeking to overtake other popular shows like sports entertainment and dating reality series -- reality shows that have recently soared through the ranks on

TelevisionFeb. 27, 2023

Jang Hang-jun, Kim Eun-hee’s sports comedy ‘Rebound’ to open in April

Filmmaker Jang Hang-jun and his wife and star writer Kim Eun-hee’s sports comedy “Rebound” will hit local theaters in April, distribution company Barunson E&A said Monday. Based on the real-life story of a basketball team at a high school in Busan in 2012, director Jang has moved the eight-day high school basketball competition event to the screen. The production team for 2017 hit film “The Outlaws” has prepared for the film since 2013, and writer Kwon Sung-hui

FilmFeb. 27, 2023

[Hello Hangeul] The linguistic divide of Korea: the legacy of 'Malmoi' and decades of separation

Choi Seol, a North Korean defector, entered a stationery shop to purchase a stapler. She asked for "chaekjjipkke" -- which literally means bookbinder – as it was the only word she knew to refer to the stationary item. The store clerk was puzzled, and Choi left the store empty-handed after a few minutes of explaining what she wanted. Later, she learned that South Koreans refer to staplers as "hotchkiss," a Japanese loanword. She also recalls a conversation with a colleag

CultureFeb. 26, 2023

Dansaekhwa master Park Seo-bo, diagnosed with lung cancer, has more painting to do

Korean contemporary art master Park Seo-bo has revealed that he was recently diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer, showing perseverance as a painter at the same time in saying he is full of passion and wants to focus on painting for the rest of his life. “I try to walk and exercise a lot. This is not to live longer, rather, to paint more. I have lived enough, but I still have things that I wish to paint. I want to spend this time more meaningfully,” Park wrote on social media on Th

Arts & DesignFeb. 26, 2023

[Herald Interview] Yoo Yeon-seok attracted to values in canine film ‘My Heart Puppy’

For Yoo Yeon-seok, it was a clear choice for him to appear in canine-themed film “My Heart Puppy,” as a person who has had dogs from a young age and acted as ambassador of Seoul Animal Film Festival. A chance to act with the four-legged friends and tell stories of the companion animals through the screen were his priorities. “I first grabbed the script with a light-hearted mind because the title was cute. Then after I finished reading it, there was no choice for me (but to appe

FilmFeb. 26, 2023

‘Hidden Earth,’ explores 3 billion-year history of Korean Peninsula

Marking its 50th anniversary, public broadcaster KBS has produced a wildlife documentary titled “Hidden Earth,” presenting geoheritage sites in Korea. “Even though Korea is a very small country compared to the US or China, the land is filled with mountains and rocks that are worth studying to find out about the history of Earth. I am certain that ‘Hidden Earth’ will offer an opportunity for the public to learn that this small country (Korea) in the East is such a pr

TelevisionFeb. 25, 2023

[Temple to Table] Butternut squash jeon

Society attributes a variety of adjectives to temple food -- healthy, natural, clean, etc. Are such words accurate? The Ven. Dorim disagrees, saying, “Temple food is not that grand.” Monastics use the same ingredients that ordinary Koreans used to eat in leaner times and prepare them in ways to enhance the taste. Temple food is neither extravagant nor special. The most important factor in temple food is the person who prepares it, according to the Ven. Dorim. Traditionally, temples m

FoodFeb. 25, 2023

[Herald Interview] 'Jeong-nyeon' webtoon creators shed light on traditional all-women musical troupe

In the 1950s, when there was little entertainment available, it was female "gukgeuk" that dominated the entertainment scene in Korea. Like a musical, a "gukgeuk" performance features "pansori," or narrative singing, dance and drama. What was special about gukgeuk in those days was that many troupes featured an all-female cast. The actors took on male roles and dressed up as men, children or the elderly and played heroes or villains in melodramatic tales of war and r

BooksFeb. 25, 2023

New edition of 'City of Ash and Red' looks at world plagued by pandemic

The unnamed protagonist, referred to only as “the man,” is dispatched by his pharmaceutical company on an extended assignment to Country C -- an imaginary country descending into chaos after a contagious disease has taken over. As soon as he disembarks, the man is whisked away by two health inspectors in their “puffy suits and face masks” that look like “rubber lifeboats bobbing towards him.” The man is detained overnight -- isolated and forgotten. When he fin

BooksFeb. 25, 2023

[Korean Flavors] Yun Seoul’s Kim Do-yun believes time builds quality of Korean fine dining

It is rare for a fine dining chef to suddenly close his restaurant for months just to study the ingredients he wants to know about -- especially soon after the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star. Kim Do-yun, head chef at the Michelin-starred Yun Seoul in Mapo-gu, Seoul, reopened his restaurant in March last year, eight months after closing its doors. “I went to France, Germany, Italy and cities like New York just to study ingredients, like food that can give noodle aroma and certain

FoodFeb. 25, 2023

Korea's first Culture Minister Lee O-young remembered in memorial exhibition

A special exhibition in memory of Korea’s first Culture Minister Lee O-young is being held at the National Library of Korea from Saturday through April 23. To commemorate one of the foremost intellectuals of his time, some 150 people, including current Culture Minister Park Bo-gyoon and Lee’s wife Kang In-sook, attended the opening ceremony of the exhibition on Friday. “Thank you for remembering (Lee) even after one year has passed," said Kang. Kang serves as the director

CultureFeb. 24, 2023

NMK plans to focus more on Goguryeo exhibition

The National Museum of Korea announced plans to improve its exhibition on the period of the Goguryeo Kingdom, including a complete renovation of the current Goguryeo Room under the Permanent Exhibition Hall of Prehistory and Ancient History. The project is set to be completed by November 2024. The museum unveiled the plan for this year’s research and exhibitions in a press release Wednesday, which also includes a project on Wolji Pond in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the ancient cap

CultureFeb. 24, 2023

Jung Jae-il releases first Decca album 'Listen'

Jung Jae-il, 41, one of South Korea's best-regarded composers and music directors, released "Listen," his first album under Decca Records, on Friday. Jung earned his international reputation with his musical work for the critically acclaimed film “Parasite” as well as Netflix series “Squid Game.” He was recognized by the Hollywood Music In Media Awards for his work on “Squid Game.” The seven-track record conveys his message to pay attention to t

PerformanceFeb. 24, 2023

Burn victim, bestselling author returns to her alma mater as professor

A bestselling writer and scholar named Lee Ji-sun -- whose story of surviving a severe injury inflicted by a drunk driver inspired many across the country -- said Friday that she has become a professor at her alma mater, Ewha Womans University. The 44-year-old author of the autobiographical essay collection “I Love You Jisun” will start her tenure as a professor of social welfare starting March 1, according to the university. Lee was involved in a seven-vehicle collision that occurre

PeopleFeb. 24, 2023

Nine-time Grammy-winning trumpeter Wynton Marsalis in Seoul for jazz concert in March

Nine-time Grammy-winning trumpeter Wynton Marsalis is scheduled to perform on March 19 at LG Arts Center Seoul as part of the center's signature program CoMPAS23, a specially curated series of eight performances by top Korean and international artists. The American jazz musician is recognized for his wide range of techniques and genres, from classical to modern jazz as well as composition. Sharing the stage with Marsalis are pianist Dan Nimmer, bassist Carlos Henriquez, drummer Obed Calvari

PerformanceFeb. 24, 2023

American adaptation of KBS' 'My Fellow Citizens!’ gets off to a good start

US television network ABC premiered a new drama series called “The Company You Keep” on Feb. 19, starring “Gilmore Girls” star Milo Ventimiglia alongside Korean American actor Catherine Haena Kim. The series is an adaptation of South Korean public broadcaster KBS’ 2019 crime comedy series “My Fellow Citizens!" Starring “Mr. Sunshine” (2018) star Kim Min-jung, Lee Yoo-young of Apple TV+’s “Dr. Brain” and Super Junior member Ch

TelevisionFeb. 24, 2023

‘A Clean Sweep’ entertains baseball fans ahead of 2023 KBO season

Cable channel JTBC’s baseball reality show “A Clean Sweep” invites sports lovers and baseball fans to an exhibition match on March 19. “A Clean Sweep” follows CK Monsters, a team of former professional baseball players, as they complete 30 matches with a winning percentage of 70 against non-professional teams, including amateur, top high school and university baseball teams. Given that the team’s members are retired Korean baseball legends decorated with multi

TelevisionFeb. 24, 2023