[Herald Interview] Lee Sung-min hopes ‘Remember’ narrows generational divide

Veteran actor Lee Sung-min, 53, hopes that his new dramatic film “Remember” can help narrow the generational gap in Korean society. “I think the most attractive element of our film is that an elderly man in his 80s and a young man go on a journey together. I hope that people in this world can also become like the characters in our movie. I hope they can hang out with each other, respecting the older generation and also embracing the younger generation,” Lee said in an

FilmOct. 18, 2022

‘Project Wolf Hunting’ wins 2 awards, including Special Jury Award, at Sitges

Hard-boiled survival action film “Project Wolf Hunting” has received two awards, including the Special Jury Award, at the official competition selection at the 55th Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival in Catalonia, Spain, on Sunday (local time), announced the film's local distributor TCO on Tuesday. “I am leaving with great inspiration and courage to move on to my next film,” said writer-director Kim Hong-sun in his acceptance speech. The film also won Best Speci

FilmOct. 18, 2022

Tving’s new ‘Bargain’ takes original film further

Tving, local entertainment powerhouse CJ ENM’s subscription-based streaming platform, seeks to put a new spin on a story loved by movie stars, fans and filmmakers alike, with a natural disaster. Adapted from the short film of the same title by filmmaker Lee Chung-hyun, Tving’s upcoming series “Bargain” revolves around people who gather at a remote motel with ulterior motives -- seeking to bargain for sex. Unlike the original project, the series follows the characters afte

TelevisionOct. 18, 2022

Seoul Dance Festival will bring together dance enthusiasts

The 43rd Seoul Dance Festival is set to kick off on a one-month journey on Oct. 27, showcasing various dance genres. Titled “A Wind of Change with Seoul Dance Festival,” this year’s event consists of pre-festival events, the main festival, a dance competition and a closing ceremony. While the event will begin in earnest on Nov. 11, pre-festival events highlighting performances by dance and performing arts students will take place from Oct. 27 to 31. On Nov. 11, four seasoned da

CultureOct. 17, 2022

Hanbok Culture Week kicks off, promoting traditional attire as daily wear

A hanbok festival kicked off Monday in Seoul and major cities around the country. The nationwide festival is held in the third week of October each year to promote the beauty of traditional Korean attire and to spread the culture of wearing hanbok in daily life. This year, hanbok festivals will also take place in other major cities worldwide: Buenos Aires, Singapore, Seattle and Vancouver. HiKR Ground at the Korea Tourism Organization Seoul Center, a site in central Seoul that opened in July, is

CultureOct. 17, 2022

'The Zone: Survival Mission' wraps up with bittersweet ending

While Disney+’s star-studded unscripted show “The Zone: Survival Mission” caught local viewers’ attention, its lackluster performance elsewhere around the world cast doubt on the possibility of repeated success of Korean reality shows on global streaming platforms. With its final episode released last Wednesday, the reality show became the second most popular show on Disney+’s Korean top 10 chart, data released by streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol showed. &ldquo

CultureOct. 17, 2022

Yeo Jin-goo, Cho Yi-hyun return with remake of hit romance film ‘Ditto’

Young actors Yeo Jin-goo and Cho Yi-hyun are returning with a remake of the hit romance sci-fi film "Ditto" (2000). In the new film set in 1999, university student Yong (Yeo) has just returned to school after completing his mandatory military service. There, he meets his first love, freshman Han-sol (Kim Hye-yoon). Meanwhile, Mu-nee (Cho), who lives in the present day, has a secret crush on her best guy friend (Na In-woo). One day, Yong somehow communicates with Mu-Nee through a walk

FilmOct. 17, 2022

'Knives Out' sequel stars laud Angela Lansbury at Europe premiere

LONDON -- Daniel Craig and co-stars of "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" lauded Angela Lansbury on Sunday as the whodunit sequel in which the late actress makes a cameo closed the London Film Festival. Craig said 96-year-old Lansbury -- who died Tuesday, after becoming a household name through playing a writer-detective in "Murder, She Wrote" -- had been "in my life all my life." "I mean, my favorite film was 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks'," said t

FilmOct. 17, 2022

[Herald Interview] Kim Yong-jun carves new path for decade-plus career with first solo album ‘Suddenly’

Over the course of nearly two decades, Kim Yong-jun of vocal group SG Wannabe has gone from a fresh rookie to an industry veteran who has scored multiple megahits. But he describes himself as a "no-hit wonder" because there’s nothing that he can present as a soloist. Now, Kim seems to be ready to branch out with his first-ever solo album, “Suddenly,” which released Friday evening. “I’m nervous but excited at the same time about dropping my first album, and

PerformanceOct. 17, 2022

Pop legend Cho Yong-pil to hold first live concerts in Seoul in 4 years

Cho Yong-pil, who is widely known in Korea as “Gawang” -- the king of singing or pop music -- will hold his first live concerts in Seoul in about four years next month, the concert’s organizer announced Monday. “2022 Cho Yong-pil Concert” will be held on Nov. 26-27 and Dec. 3-4 at KSPO Dome in Olympic Park in southern Seoul, according to Insight Entertainment. This will mark the legendary singer’s first in-person concerts in Seoul since his last national con

PerformanceOct. 17, 2022

[Herald Interview] Rirkrit Tiravanija poses fundamental human questions

Rirkrit Tiravanija is widely known for his intimate and participatory art, through which he engages with the audience. He would cook and serve up Thai food at an exhibition as part of the show, expanding the way in which people appreciate art. A Thai born in Argentina and based in New York since the late 1980s, Tiravanija's Seoul debut exhibition at Gladstone Gallery, titled “Rirkrit Tiravanija: Submit To The Black Compost,” ended Oct. 7. "For me, it has a deep meaning like

Arts & DesignOct. 17, 2022

Haribo World opens in Insadong for 100th birthday

Globally beloved gummy brand Haribo Goldbears is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a media art exhibition in Insa-dong, central Seoul. Jointly hosted by the Haribo headquarters in Germany and Peopulley, a Korean digital media content agency, the Haribo World exhibition takes place at Annyeong Insadong's Insa Central Museum over a five-month period through Mar. 12. The iconic Haribo Goldbears product has been sold since 1922, two years after the Haribo company was established. With six

CultureOct. 16, 2022

Hilton Train takes off on last trip in Seoul

The Millenium Hilton Seoul, landmark hotel perched atop the city with a commanding view of Namsan, announced the final journey of its signature Hilton Train, located in the hotel's main lobby, Friday. The hotel will be closing down on Dec. 31, after the decision was made last year to sell the property to IGIS Asset Management. A special VIP event to mark the start of the final journey of the train was held Friday evening. To celebrate the train's final run on a special note, Millennium

CultureOct. 16, 2022

Gender-fluid fashion, Korean aesthetics, eco-friendly Seoul Fashion Week

Seoul Fashion Week last week brought together South Korea’s established and rookie designers for the first fully in-person shows in three years, filling Dongdaemun Design Plaza with energy and verve throughout five days of shows presenting the 2023 spring-summer collections. DDP, the long-time venue for the city’s fashion week, was bustling Tuesday to Saturday with Seoulites who came to see the shows or to show off their fashion flair. Some were trendy and some were outlandish, but

Arts & DesignOct. 16, 2022

[Herald Interview] Analog photographer Area Park captures natural, personal disasters

Area Park is a stubborn photographer who still uses a huge slide film camera - Linhof Master Technika Classic - in the era of digital photography. He pursues film photography even if it means he has to be very selective and cautious when deciding to press the shutter button. Each shot costs 200,000 won - 250,000 won, taking into consideration film purchase, developing and scanning. Sometimes, he has to visit the same place again to retake photos, spending thousands of dollars. “I learned

CultureOct. 15, 2022

[Reading Korea through books] Contemplating death: observations from hospital beds offer what death means to Koreans

Death might be the only thing that comes to everyone indiscriminately, but discussing it has long been considered taboo in South Korea. “I wouldn't dare talk about death with my parents, let alone imagine their death,” would probably be the train of thought in most Korean people's minds. Perhaps the sudden deaths brought on by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and a growing number of discussions on what is considered a "dignified death" allow us to contemplate the i

BooksOct. 15, 2022

Halloween is coming and so are spooky adventures

YONGIN, Gyeonggi Province -- When roaming through the alleys of Itaewon and Hongdae are not enough to quench your thirst for gory adventures this Halloween, Everland Resort’s "Blood City" might just do the trick. The country's largest outdoor theme park Everland, which began its annual Halloween festival in 2010, came up with its own horror adventure zone named the "Blood City" in 2017. With most pandemic restrictions lifted this fall, the park's Halloween fes

CultureOct. 15, 2022

[Visual History of Korea] Innovative visualization of sounds in Hunminjeongeum

Among the many wonders of Korean history is the invention of Hangeul in 1443, which is responsible for Korea's very high literacy rate and the large vocabulary. "I pity my illiterate people who must endure difficulty and injustice because they lack literacy," wrote King Sejong the Great in his introduction to the Hunminjeongeum in 1443. Koreans celebrate the birth of their script on the Hangeul Day holiday on Oct. 9 each year. Before the promulgation of Hangeul, Korean spoken words and

CultureOct. 15, 2022

[Temple to Table] Pounded shiitake mushroom stew

Taking pleasure in cooking, Ven. Kyungwoon calls herself a “food practitioner.” This is because making food the proper Buddhist way with good ingredients and sharing it with many is to practice the Buddha’s teaching that “Food is good medicine.” Its purpose is also to spread the spirit embodied in temple food, based on the belief that “What we eat creates our body and mind.” Eight years ago, Ven. Kyungwoon fell ill when she was about to finish her junior

FoodOct. 15, 2022

LG Arts Center reopens with LSO concert featuring pianist Cho Seong-jin

Moving to western Seoul after 22 years in the affluent Gangnam district, LG Arts Center made a grand reopening on Thursday at its new Magok venue with a special concert by the London Symphony Orchestra, led by Simon Rattle, with Korean pianist Cho Seong-jin. Cho, the first Korean to win first prize at the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 2015, took the stage with the maestro and orchestra for the audience who filled the 1,335-seat multipurpose LG Signature Hall to perform Ra

CultureOct. 14, 2022