Define Seoul 2024 to explore simplicity in design

The second edition of Define Seoul, a design and art fair launched by Art Busan, will expand its scale with special exhibitions and more participating galleries in October in the hip Seoul neighborhood of Seongsu-dong. The design art fair was inaugurated last year as an art fair for collectors that integrates fine art and design. The second edition under the theme of “The Meaning of Simplicity: Attitude Towards life in a Rational Era" is curated by designer Yang Teo, who also curated

Arts & DesignOct. 2, 2024

Herald chairman becomes head of lay Jogye Buddhists group

Herald Corp. Chairman Jung Won-ju was inaugurated as the president of the Lay Buddhist Association at a ceremony held Wednesday at Jogyesa in Seoul. Some 200 people attended the ceremony held at the main hall, Daeungjeon, of Jogyesa, Jogye’s headquarters. Jung’s inauguration comes as the sect is stepping up efforts to promote its style of meditation, called “seon,” to win over both the domestic public and international followers. Jung echoed the sentiment. “Seon has

CultureOct. 2, 2024

[Herald Design Forum] VFX expert says creativity is essential, even with AI advancements

Hwang Jung-rock, senior facial modeler at Weta FX, the leading company in visual effects globally, said despite the significant advancements in visual effects technology, it is a person's creativity that ultimately elevates the quality of computer graphics. VFX technology blends live-action footage with computer-generated elements to create realistic visuals in films. Hwang's role as a senior facial modeler involves crafting a digital "puppet" of a character's face. It c

CultureOct. 1, 2024

[Herald Review] One of Netflix's most expensive Korean originals returns, but at what cost?

"Gyeongseong Creature," one of Netflix's most costly Korean original productions with a reported budget of 70 billion won ($53 million), initially generated excitement for its star-studded cast and its creative depiction of the Japanese colonial era: in which Koreans were subjected to brutal experiments that transformed them into monstrous beings. However, the series faced widespread criticism upon its release in December. Critics objected to the series' sluggish, sloppy narr

TelevisionOct. 1, 2024

[Herald Design Forum] Award-winning motion graphic designer on how 'inspiration' and 'limitlessness' have shaped him

Motion graphic designer Kim Gryun recently achieved all the goals he had set when first starting out in his career, culminating two Emmy Award wins and more. That which drove him to this success deeply resonates with the theme of this year’s Herald Design Forum: “Inspiration, limitless.” “When I first chose this career path, I had what seemed like impossible dreams, but believing in those dreams was the embodiment of 'limitlessness.' Additionally, I always belie

CultureOct. 1, 2024

Traditional music orchestra festival to bring regional flair, cross-genre collaborations

The second edition of the Korean Traditional Music Orchestra Festival is set to kick off on Oct. 15 with more audience-friendly repertoire and collaborations with performers from other genres. The festival, launched last year in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, will run through Oct. 26 at the Sejong Center’s M Theater in Seoul. During a press conference Monday, Ahn Ho-sang, CEO of the Sejong Center, Park Bum-hoon, composer and

PerformanceOct. 1, 2024

10,000 won pass to palace festival to go on sale

Tickets will go on sale for five days next week for Seoul’s annual palace festival, which will include interactive programs and performances across the city’s five palaces as well as the shrine Jongmyo. The tickets to the K-Royal Culture Festival are 10,000 won and will be sold from Oct. 9-13, through Ticketlink, according to the Korea Heritage Service. Tickets for the five-day event that starts Oct. 9 will allow unlimited access to Jongmyo shrine and palaces from the Joseon era (139

CultureOct. 1, 2024

This year’s Hangeul Week packed with events

A competition, a music festival, lectures and a forum will take place for a week from Friday, celebrating the annual Hangeul Week to raise awareness of the Korean writing system. Hours ahead of officially starting the weeklong event, a Hangeul contest will be held at Gyeongbokgung -- one of the five Josen-era (1392-1910) palaces in Seoul -- drawing 120 Koreans who survived regional finals and 130 foreign nationals selected for the competition. Open lectures by book writers will follow on Friday

Arts & DesignOct. 1, 2024

Civilian heroes save person attempting suicide

A couple who saved someone who appeared to be attempting suicide in a car was commended by police, officials of Seoul Gwanak Police Station said Monday. Bae So-dam, 33, and Kim Du-hyeon, 41, saw smoke coming out of a vehicle as they were taking a walk a park in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu in Seoul on Sept. 22. They found a person sitting in the driver's seat, pulled them out and reported the case to the authorities. Officials presented a certificate of appreciation to Bae and Kim, along with A

PeopleOct. 1, 2024

81-year-old model awarded ‘best dressed’ in Miss Universe Korea

An 81-year-old contestant was chosen as the best dressed in this year’s Miss Universe Korea competition on Monday, after reaching the finals as the oldest contestant in the competition. Choi Soon-hwa, who turned 81 this month, fell short of the ultimate crown in the event in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. But her admirable efforts won her the consolation prize of “best dressed” in the contest. Han Ariel, 22, a fashion school student, took the top prize and will represent the count

PeopleOct. 1, 2024

[Herald Design Forum] Johnny Lee, visionary engineer-cum-designer, sees future in virtual worlds

To what extent does design shape experiences in virtual worlds? For Johnny Lee, in an era where extended realities, or XR, dissolve barriers of physical space and time, design -- whether technological or virtual space design -- is “crucial.” With a background in engineering and years of entrepreneurial experience, Lee balances the roles of engineer and designer at iStaging -- a Taipei-based company specializing in virtual reality solutions he founded in 2015. Lee, who is also the c

Arts & DesignOct. 1, 2024

Ukraine's Odesa Philharmonic comes to Korea with message of hope, peace

The Odesa Philharmonic Orchestra, a renowned Ukrainian orchestra founded in 1937, will make its Korean debut at the Goyang Aram Nuri Arts Center Aram Concert Hall on Wednesday. Under the baton of conductor Hobart Earl, who has led the orchestra for 32 years and has been honored by the Ukrainian government as a People's Artist, the 75-member orchestra will perform music of hope beyond the pain of the ongoing war. Many of the orchestra members are women because of a ban on men leaving the cou

CultureSept. 30, 2024

[New on the scene] Noh Sang-hyun says his ‘Love in the Big City’ character inspired heartful acting

After leaving a strong impression as Protestant minister Baek Isak in the Apple TV+ series “Pachinko,” Noh Sang-hyun makes his big screen debut with “Love in the Big City,” where he plays a young gay man living in Seoul. When asked if people around him ever commented on or worried about him playing an LGBTQ+ character for his first-ever movie role, Noh simply said he was determined to play Heung-soo. “I understand why people worried (about me playing Heung-soo), but

FilmSept. 30, 2024

Korean premiere of Zeffirelli version of 'Turandot' to be staged at KSPO Dome

A grandiose version of Giacomo Puccini’s opera "Turandot" is coming to Korea this October. Originally introduced by the late Italian director Franco Zeffirelli, this version was first staged at the historic Arena di Verona in 2010 and has since become a hallmark of grandeur in the opera world. “Korean audiences will be left speechless and moved by Zeffirelli’s original 'Turandot,’ which has set a benchmark in the history of opera,” said stage direct

CultureSept. 30, 2024

Ven. Seongpa's art is 'seon' meditation

Known as a Buddhist spiritual leader, Ven. Seongpa has combined Buddhist practice with artistic creation, with his art as both the process and the result. Seongpa has unveiled some 120 works created over the past decades at the exhibition entitled “Seongpa Seonye – COSMOS,” which opened at the Seoul Arts Center last week. While his art encompasses a wide range range of genres, from calligraphy and ceramics to painting and sculpture, the exhibition focuses on lacquer works. Lacq

Arts & DesignSept. 30, 2024

Brit pop legend Oasis to perform in Seoul next year

The legendary Britpop band Oasis, which disbanded due to conflicts between brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, will perform in Korea for the first time in 16 years after a dramatic reunion. According to the foreign media outlet NME, Oasis will embark on a world tour in 2025 after completing its UK tour. The band will hold reunion concerts in Toronto, Chicago, New Jersey, Boston, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Seoul, Tokyo, Melbourne, Sydney, Sao Paulo, Santiago and Buenos Aires, Argentina, according to

PerformanceSept. 30, 2024

Park Zi-a, the actor who played 'The Glory' heroine's mother, dies

Park Zi-a, who played Moon Dong-eun's mother in the Netflix series "The Glory," died Monday. She was 52 years old. “Park Zi-a passed away at 2:50 a.m. from cerebral infarction. We will not forget the passion of the deceased who loved performing," Park's agency Billions said in a statement. Park began her acting career in the drama company Chaimu, starring as an extra in “Film-making” (1997) and “Maria and the Inn” (1997). Park took part in m

TelevisionSept. 30, 2024

[Herald Design Forum] Lacaton, Vassal extend life of buildings without demolition

One may raise their eyebrows hearing the philosophy of the French architects Anne Lacaton and Jean Philippe Vassal whose practices are opposed to demolishing buildings to build new ones. The Pritzker-winning architects’ approach is particularly unusual in Korean society where the wholesale reconstruction of apartment complexes to be taller, newer and more luxurious is a common and positively regarded way to raise home and property values. “We do not think it is necessary to demolish

Arts & DesignSept. 30, 2024

Meditation brings calm to Gwanghwamun

Tens of thousands descended on Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul for a Buddhist meditation retreat Saturday, as the nation’s largest Buddhist sect seeks to address real-life challenges. The second day of the five-day Seon Meditation Summit, attended by 35,000 people, is the latest highlight of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism’s push to promote its own style of meditation. “It’s time for a spiritual revolution. No matter how advanced technologies or the economy becomes, the mi

CultureSept. 29, 2024

National Theater of Korea to screen recent plays from Europe

The National Theater of Korea brings recent acclaimed international drama productions to the screen in Seoul as part of its NTOK Live Plus program. From Oct. 16 to 20, three productions -- including two premieres and a rescreening of "Ibsen House" -- will be screened at the National Theater’s Daloreum Theater in Seoul. Director Rupert Goold’s "Dear England," which will be screened Oct. 15 and 19, is a critically acclaimed play that won the Best New Play and Best S

PerformanceSept. 29, 2024