Habsburg collection of 600 years shown at NMK

An exhibition highlighting art of the Habsburg Empire is currently underway at the National Museum of Korea, presenting 96 works collected by the House of Habsburg from the 15th century to the early 20th century, including Baroque and Renaissance masterpieces. For more than 600 years from Rudolf I’s election as Holy Roman emperor in 1273, until the collapse of the regime of Charles I in 1918, the Habsburg Dynasty was at the heart of European history, ruling over vast portions of Europe. Th

CultureOct. 26, 2022

Cheong Wa Dae to host classical concerts by top musicians

The former presidential office compound of Cheong Wa Dae will be turned into a classical music chamber in November, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday. Korea's four top classical artists will take turns performing in front of 100 people at the former state reception house Yeongbingwan. Kicking off the series, pianist Kim Sun-wook will perform Schubert’s Four Impromptus and Liszt’s Piano Sonata in B minor on Nov. 1. On Nov. 4, pianist Sunwoo Yewon and the

CultureOct. 25, 2022

[Feature] Broadcasters part ways with old ways of presenting foreign-born TV personalities

Alberto Mondi, Tyler Rasch and Jonathan Yiombi are names familiar to many Koreans, some even more popular than Korean TV stars. With their deep understanding of South Korea along with their multicultural experiences, they are some of the most sought-after figures when TV shows cast foreigners. Broadcast programs featuring foreigners were not a major trend at first, and their roles were limited to being surprised or impressed by different aspects of South Korea. All that changed, however, with

TelevisionOct. 25, 2022

K-Arts, celebrating 30 years, sets out bigger goals

Korea National University of Arts, known as K-Arts, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this week, aims to turn itself into a global institution attracting foreign students, its president, Kim Dae-jin, said Wednesday. “Thirty years ago, K-Arts was established to provide top quality education so that Korean students would not have to go abroad to study -- a goal that not many believed back then,” Kim said. “For the next 30 years, we want to become an institution sought after

Social AffairsOct. 25, 2022

Luxury tourists from US, Europe to visit Korea

To meet the increasing demand for luxury travel to Korea, the Korea Tourism Organization has developed two tour programs in partnership with the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City (Met) and a US-based luxury travel agency. Sixteen tourists from the US will be arriving Wednesday on a nine-day tour package called "Travel with The Met," priced at 14 million won ($9,599) per person, excluding airfare. The "Travel with The Met" program was created especially for Met membe

TravelOct. 25, 2022

Life as voyage: Choe U-ram asks 'Where are we headed?'

Where are we headed today?  Is our life going toward the right direction? These are questions that we rarely ask ourselves on a daily basis, busy as we are just living day to day. In the time of a pandemic and political turmoil at home and abroad, these questions are worth asking ourselves. Korean artist Choe U-ram unveiled his mechanical sculptures at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, posing those fundamental questions to viewers. The solo exhibition titled &ld

Arts & DesignOct. 25, 2022

Special free screening of EIDF 2022 winners and opening film

The opening film and two winners from this year's EBS International Documentary Festival will be shown at a special free screening at Megabox Ilsan Bellacitta in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Oct. 29. Recognized for its splendid presentation of 20,000 Buddhist nuns at an annual retreat on a Tibetan plateau filmed over eight years, Chinese director Jin Haquin's “Dark Red Forest” opened the EIDF held in August. The 85-minute documentary offers a glimpse of the religious women

FilmOct. 24, 2022

Busan International Fireworks Festival returns after 3-year hiatus

Following a three-year hiatus, the night skies of Busan are to dazzle again, with the Busan International Fireworks Festival on Nov. 5. In its 17th edition, the annual fireworks festival will be held at Gwangalli Beach, Dongbaekseom and Igidae Coastal Park. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival was not held in 2020 and 2021. This year's festival will be held under the theme of "Harmony of Busan." The southern port city's government said it aims to illustrate its features

TravelOct. 24, 2022

[Herald Interview] Pianist Andras Schiff to bring 'element of surprise' to Korea

When celebrated pianist Andras Schiff returns to South Korea in November after three years of pandemic-caused delays, the longest gap since he started performing in the country in 2008, the Hungarian-born Austro-British classical pianist said he will bring an "element of surprise." In the past recitals in Korea, he performed a wide range of works by Bach, Schumann, Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Brahms. Departing from his usual repertoire, he will perform "something out of Bach, Haydn

CultureOct. 24, 2022

Indie film ‘Jeong-sun’ wins grand jury, best actress prizes at Rome Film Festival

Korean independent film “Jeong-sun” is bringing home two awards from the 17th Rome International Film Festival held on Saturday. Director Jeong Ji-hye won the Grand Jury Prize for her first full-length film, which is centered on a digital sex crime, while actress Kim Kum-soon won the best actress award. The ceremony was held at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, where the international film festival took place from Oct. 13 to Oct. 23. Kim and Jeong delivered their acceptance speeches

FilmOct. 24, 2022

Controversies continue over Blue House

Nearly six months since the opening of Cheong Wa Dae to the public on May 1, how the former presidential office site should be used remains highly controversial, with the most recent debate centering around a performance by star singer Rain filmed at the Blue House grounds. The Netflix music reality show "Take 1" aired Oct. 14. Responding to criticism over a commercial use of the space, the Cultural Heritage Administration, in charge of Cheong Wa Dae operations since May 23, said the N

CultureOct. 24, 2022

Twitter to be official partner for 58th Daejong Film Awards

Global social media platform Twitter inked a content partnership deal for the 58th Daejong Film Awards, set to be held on Dec. 9, the tech giant said Wednesday. Under the new agreement, the two sides aim to bolster South Korea’s film industry and the help aficionados of Korea-based movie content and cinema around the globe access Korean films more easily. By clinching the deal, Twitter will be the only social media platform to exclusively stream the awards ceremony and other events durin

FilmOct. 24, 2022

Herald Art Day, Krabhouse seek stronger cultural ties between Korea and Nigeria

Herald Art Day and Krabhouse Ventures, Nigeria's largest gallery, on Oct. 12 signed an MOU to cooperate in cultural and arts exchange between Korea and Nigeria and to work together in developing art projects. The two companies previously held a combined exhibition from Oct. 6 to Oct. 9. Under the slogan "Planting Seeds of Culture on Friendship," a total of 110 works, including paintings and sculptures by 22 Nigerian artists were displayed at the event. Collaboration between the tw

Arts & DesignOct. 24, 2022

Lim Ok-sang turns soil into art

When entering a basement exhibition hall of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, a city dweller may first recognize the unfamiliar earthy scent that prevails in the exhibition hall before being mesmerized by the massive presence of a 12-meter-tall monumental piece which is made of actual soil from the paddies. Lim Ok-sang – known for being part of the Minjung artist group formed in the late 1970s against the military regime to support democracy -- has unveiled new w

Arts & DesignOct. 23, 2022

Cirque Du Soleil unveils reimagined 'Alegria' in Seoul

"Alegria," a long-running contemporary circus production by Cirque Du Soleil, unveiled its brand-new version on Thursday in Seoul under the Big Top set up at Seoul Sports Complex in Jamsil, eastern Seoul. "Alegria: In a New Light" is the seventh production of Canada-based Cirque Du Soleil to be introduced in South Korea, following "Quidam" in 2007 and 2015, the previous version of "Alegria" in 2008, "Varekai" in 2011, "Michael Jackson: The

CultureOct. 23, 2022

[Weekender] Mountain temples perfect place to enjoy autumn

As the temperature starts to drop, the heavy jackets come out from the depths of their closets and trees everywhere start to dress up in their seasonal flaming reds, dazzling yellows and brilliant oranges. With autumn in Korea seemingly getting shorter every year, travelers are gearing up and preparing to traverse the country to get the most out of the season at popular destinations for leaf peeping. With the fall foliage expected to be most spectacular from late October through early November,

TravelOct. 22, 2022

[Visual History of Korea] Sogdian traders in Silla, the eastern end of the Silk Road

Today's Korea is a product of Silla's 1,000 year history and its successful unification of Korean kingdoms in the seventh century. The Korean tradition of remembering ancient rulers with elaborate and grand tombs are visible documentations of the history of one of the oldest civilizations in history. The royal tombs of two Silla Kings, King Wonseong, the 38th King who died in 798, and his son King Heungdeok (777–836), the 42nd King of Silla, stand out among the 56 Silla kings

CultureOct. 22, 2022

Coffee aficionados pick out best of Korea's specialty brews

Coffee is a big deal in Korea. The recent Gangneung Coffee Festival held earlier this month attracted about 350,000 visitors over the three-day festival period. The value of the country’s coffee imports also exceeded 1 trillion won ($700 million) last year, according to the Korea Customs Service and industry sources. Amid the still-burgeoning growth of the Korean coffee industry, three coffee aficionados teamed up to publish a guidebook in English, introducing 82 must-visit cafes across th

FoodOct. 22, 2022

Singapore's relaxing getaway, Sentosa Island

SINGAPORE -- A vast urbanscape with skyscrapers and a vibrant melting pot of diverse peoples and cultures, Singapore's tourism industry is fast recovering from the impact of the pandemic. The multicultural spirit that the country embraces allows tourists to spot the familiar in the unfamiliar, and a taste of home. With Chinatown, Little India and Arab Street all located within a short distance, the colorful enclaves of ethnic groups make the country one of the leading tourism hubs in Asia.

TravelOct. 22, 2022

Relaxing greenery in cities

Looking at greenery helps relieve stress, several studies have found. If you are tired of spending your days looking at grey, concrete buildings, here are some places to visit for instant relaxation with plants. The Seoul Botanic Park Located in Magok, in western Seoul's Gangseo-gu, the Seoul Botanic Park boasts some 4,500 species of trees, flowers and bushes. Since its opening in 2019, the park has been a magnet for travelers and locals alike. One essential stop all year round is the park&

TravelOct. 22, 2022