Cartoon, animation groups protest Culture Ministry's sponsorship withdrawal

Korea's cartoon and animation community warned the Culture Ministry Friday that it was violating academic and artistic freedom protected by the Constitution of the Republic of Korea. A statement issued by the Cartoon and Animation Society in Korea (Urimana) and several other groups called for an end to censorship of comics and webtoon artists. The statement also said that freedom of expression must be protected and that the unjust pressure against the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency must stop.

CartoonOct. 7, 2022

Big-name film director Lee Joon-ik’s debut drama ‘Yonder’ premieres at BIFF

BUSAN--Big-name film director Lee Joon-ik’s debut drama “Yonder” premiered Thursday night at Sohyang Theater in Busan during the 27th Busan International Film Festival. After the first three episodes of the six-part series were screened, Lee subtly expressed his disappointment about the theater’s facilities during a guest visitor event. “We are not at a movie theater. This is actually a musical performance stage. So while I was watching the film the sound did not

FilmOct. 7, 2022

Jung Hae-in stars in terror master Takashi Miike's 'Connect'

Rising Korean star Jung Hae-in stars in Japanese horror master Takashi Miike’s Disney+ fantasy thriller series “Connect” as a man with special healing power. Based on the Naver webtoon of the same name by Shin Dae-sung, the series begins with Jung’s character Dong-soo (Jung) being kidnapped by organ hunters. Although he manages to escape, he is unable to retrieve his eye that was pulled out by the organ hunters. He later discovers that his eye has been transplanted to a

FilmOct. 7, 2022

Rock band Sanullim to drop remastered LPs for 45th anniversary

  The first thought that came up in rock singer Kim Chang-wan's mind after hearing the remastered version of his band Sanullim's past LPs was his late brother Chang-ik who had been the band's drummer. "This remastering project brought back memories of our brothers back in 1977, and especially of the youngest. His drumming had been recorded as if he was tapping with wooden spoons. It had been such a shame," Kim Chang-wan said during a press conference on Thursday. "I felt so r

PerformanceOct. 7, 2022

Korean drama ‘Little Women' banned in Vietnam

Cable channel tvN’s mystery thriller “Little Women,” a Korean drama series which is ranked sixth on the global Netflix chart, has been pulled from the service in Vietnam. According to Vietnam online publication VnExpress, Vietnam’s Department of Broadcasting, Television and Electronic Information removed the series from Netflix in Vietnam for presenting misleading information about Vietnam and the Vietnam War. “We recognize the ongoing situation with ‘Little W

TelevisionOct. 7, 2022

Dinosaur expo takes place in Goseong

The Gyeongnam Goseong Dinosaur World Expo has returned for the sixth time this year, in Goseong, South Gyeongsang Province. Known as a treasure trove of dinosaur fossils and footprints, the first dinosaur footprints in Goseong County discovered in 1982 in the area of Sangjogam. In 1999, the footprints of Brontosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Allosaurus and other species found at Sangjogam were designated Natural Monument No. 411. The Goseong Dinosaur Expo began in 2006, highlighting the fossils and footp

CultureOct. 7, 2022

Young, talented musicians to play in Muse On Day

2022 Muse On Day, an indoor music festival, will take place on upcoming weekends starting this Saturday at Watcha Hall in Mapo-gu, western Seoul. The festival is making a return after a two-year break as South Korea continues to lift its COVID-19 social distancing restrictions. Organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency and terrestrial broadcaster MBC, the annual music festival offers an opportunity for rookie artists to take the stage and perform live in front of music fans. Ten musicians

PerformanceOct. 7, 2022

Methodist pastor fights against punishment after blessing LGBT people

Behind doors closed to the press, the Korean Methodist Church’s court heard an appeals case brought by one pastor to reverse the church's decision to suspend him from his duty for two years at its headquarters in Seoul on Thursday. His sin? Blessing gay people at the Incheon Queer Culture Festival in 2019. “From September 2019 until now, (my action) has been reviewed for three years and we are now finally waiting for the ruling. What I wanted to do from the very beginning was to

Social AffairsOct. 7, 2022

[Herald Review] The Kid LAROI cranks out mega-hits at first Korea show

Dramatic drum rolls, electric guitar riffs and flashing lights built an electric atmosphere at KBS Arena Thursday night ahead of Australian singer-songwriter and rapper The Kid LAROI bursting onto the stage. As the crowd roared, the singer jumped onstage with a beaming smile on his face. The 90-minute set jumped back and forth through the musician’s three-year musical journey, switching from an upbeat ballad to several unreleased tracks, showing off what it felt like to return to pre-pande

PerformanceOct. 7, 2022

A journey through Seoul in honor of Hangeul and its famed creator

King Sejong of the Joseon era, or simply Sejong the Great, is arguably the Korean who has left the biggest mark on the nation’s history. Every single day, people across the country use the monarch’s creation --- Hangeul, the Korean writing system. How highly Koreans think of him can be seen in numerous instances. Among the many things named after him are a Seoul street, a city, a university, a performing arts center, a naval Aegis destroyer, a satellite and the country’s Antarc

CultureOct. 7, 2022

Films about King Sejong and Hangeul

From a ruler to an academic, a musician and a linguist, King Sejong wore many hats. And the 15th-century monarch who invented Korea’s writing system Hangeul has also been an inspiration for Korean filmmakers and TV drama producers. The most recent of the big-screen attempts to convincingly depict Sejong was 2019's “The King’s Letters,” directed by Jo Chul-hyun and starring none other than “Parasite” star Song Kang-ho as King Sejong. The film follows the t

FilmOct. 7, 2022

[Well-curated] Let colors and lights take you away

If you are a Monbebe, the name of K-pop band Monsta X’s fandom, you might be familiar with the colorful rainbow background in Monsta X member Kihyun's live performance video of his solo song "Voyager" for the “Vocals Only Live” program on YouTube. Get That Shot, a cafe that is perfect for filming live music content, is a well-known Instagram spot. From the entrance of the cafe, located on the first floor of the Lotte Department Store’s Yeongdeungpo branch in sou

CultureOct. 7, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Sancheong Herbal Medicinal Festival The 20th Sancheong Medicinal Herb Festival, which started on Sept. 30, will run through Oct. 10 at the areas near Sancheong IC Entrance and Donguibogam Village in Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province. The festival, which began in 2001, includes exhibitions and events where one can learn about and experience Korea's medicinal herbs, for which the county of Sancheong is well-known. Sancheong is considered the home of Jirisan, a mountain where over 1,000 med

TravelOct. 7, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Life is Beautiful (Korea) Opened Sept. 28 Drama Directed by Choi Kook-hee Housewife Se-yeon (Yum Jung-ah) has devoted her entire life to her family, but her family does not appreciate this. One day, she finds out that she has lung cancer and only a few months left to live. As her last birthday present, she asks her husband (Ryu Seung-ryong) to help find her first high school crush. Though reluctant at first, her husband decides to go on this strange journey with Se-yeon. Honest Candidate 2 (Ko

CultureOct. 7, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul launches collaboration cake with Chantecaille In celebration of the hotel's upcoming seventh anniversary, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul has launched a gluten-free cake, Tasty Palette, in partnership with Chantecaille, a premium cosmetic brand. Pastry chef Jimmy Boulay created the special cake using local ingredients. Acacia honey from Korea and coconut is used in place of gluten-free flour, sugar, or artificial sweeteners, and domestic figs are used as the main ingredien

FoodOct. 7, 2022

Jurors for BIFF’s New Currents Award hope to discover revolutionary work

BUSAN -- Five jurors for the Busan International Film Festival’s New Currents Award – jury president Serge Toubiana, directors Alain Guiraudie and Kamila Andini, actor Ryo Kase and producer Lee Eugene -- said they are looking forward to discovering a rookie director's revolutionary work. “The most important standard when selecting a film is whether it can shake up our existing point of view,” Toubiana said during a press conference held at the KNN Theater in Busan on Th

FilmOct. 7, 2022

Exhibition of Nigerian art hopes to sow ‘seeds of culture’

An exhibition that highlights contemporary Nigerian arts opened Thursday at the Summit Gallery in southern Seoul. The exhibition, entitled “Seeds of Friendship,” introduces 110 pieces of art including six sculptures by 22 contemporary Nigerian artists, under the slogan “planting the seeds of culture on friendship.” Works of celebrated artists such as Tony Enebeli, who has a distinctive style of using plastocast and metal foil, and emerging young artists such as Kehinde Mu

Arts & DesignOct. 6, 2022

Mungyeong promises a memorable time travel to the past

MUNGYEONG, North Gyeongsang Province -- The vast, sweeping road lined with ginkgo trees lend a magical quality to the walk through Mungyeongsaejae Pass, the historical road connecting the capital Hanyang (today’s Seoul) with the southeast corner of the peninsula. Once Joseon Dynasty's most popular trail, it was the road taken by Confucian scholars from the southeastern part of the country on their way to the capital to take state exams. These days, visitors come to enjoy the beautiful

TravelOct. 6, 2022

Kim Jang-sil appointed Korea Tourism Organization head

Former Vice Culture Minister Kim Jang-sil has been appointed the new head of the Korea Tourism Organization, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Thursday. The post had been vacant since May, when Ahn Young-bae stepped down. Passing the civil service examination in 1979, Kim has served in various posts in the government. In 2008, during the Lee Myung-bak administration, Kim was appointed vice minister at the Culture Ministry. From 2009 to 2012, he served as the head of the Seoul

CultureOct. 6, 2022

Hong Kong movie star Tony Leung up for starring in K-drama

BUSAN--Hong Kong movie star Tony Leung Chiu-wai, attending the 27th Busan International Film Festival, said he is willing to perform in Korean drama series. “If there are roles for which I can overcome the language barrier, I would like to star in Korean drama,” the Hong Kong actor said in Cantonese during a press conference held at the KNN theater in Busan on Thursday.“I recently watched the film 'CODA.’ If there is a role that does not require me to speak like the cha

FilmOct. 6, 2022