Jeonju IFF opening ceremony returns to normal with full crowd cheering, red carpet

For the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeonju International Film Festival’s iconic white dome finally returned on Thursday. Though crowds had to wear masks, the 23rd Jeonju International Film Festival appeared to return to its pre-pandemic grand opening ceremony. Actors and directors walked on the red carpet into the dome as onlookers, siting side by side without distancing, clapped and cheered loudly, which were banned before the social distancing measures were li

FilmApril 29, 2022

'Doctor Strange 2' tops 400,000 presold tickets

Upcoming Hollywood blockbuster "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" is expected to smash the South Korean box office as its presale tickets outpaced those of biggest pandemic-hit film "Spider-Man: No Way Home." Marvel Studios' film to be released Wednesday recorded 410,000 presold tickets as of 9 a.m., five days before its local release, according to data by the Korean Film Council. The movie accounted for 78.8 percent of all tickets reserved at that time, overwhelmi

FilmApril 29, 2022

Glass artist Kim Ki-ra creates houses that lead to heaven

Artist Kim Ki-ra is part of a generation of glass artists in South Korea to have pursued glass art over the past 40 years. The exhibition “The Stairs into My Memory” at Gallery Sklo in central Seoul showcases 30 new glass works inspired by homes. “Glass is a two-faced material. It can last long like a phoenix, but it is easily broken to pieces once it is hit by an impact. Glass is transparent, but it can be obscure,” Kim told The Korea Herald on Wednesday. With

Arts & DesignApril 29, 2022

[Well-curated] Catch Berlin film fest winner, street performances this weekend

Have you ever wondered what makes award-winning movies so special? Then try watching director Hong Sang-soo’s 27th feature, “The Novelist’s Film,” in theaters this weekend. The 92-minute long black-and-white film, which was shot in March last year, won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at Berlin International Film Festival in February. Hong’s movie follows female novelist Jun-hee (Lee Hye-young) who goes to a bookstore run by an old friend with whom she has fallen

CultureApril 29, 2022

Lotus lantern festival lights up after two-year break

In celebration of Buddha’s 2,566th birthday which falls on May 8 this year, major Buddhist temples and the Cheonggye Stream area in central Seoul have been lit up with thousands of lotus lanterns. Although the official Yeondeunghoe, the lantern lighting festival, will be held for three days starting Friday, the festive mood will continue on with most lanterns staying lit through May 10. In December 2020, Yeondeunghoe was officially inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific

CultureApril 29, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Grand Hyatt Seoul launches new steak dishes The Steak House at Grand Hyatt Seoul brought a fresh change to its menu starting early April, offering a variety of steak options using its signature cooking methods. To go along with different steak options, the restaurant has created their own four different mustard sauces for the best pairings. Guests will be able to enjoy a customized dining experience with live cooking performances for the three options: aged Korean beef tartare, Avruga caviar

FoodApril 29, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Air Murder (Korea) Opened April 22 Drama Directed by Cho Yong-sun Doctor Tae-hoon’s (Kim Sang-kyung) son becomes afflicted with lung disease. Then the doctor‘s wife, who had been perfectly healthy, suddenly dies, also with lung disease. Tae-hoon tries to find out the cause of her death with prosecutor Young-joo (Lee Sun-bin). They discover that it could be related to a new lung disease that appears in the spring and disappears in the summer.　 Anchor (Korea) Opened April 20 T

FilmApril 29, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Beartree Park’s Royal Azalea Festival The Beartree Park’s Royal Azalea Festival, which started from April 14, will run through May 8 at Beartree Park in Sejong. After the cherry blossoms and plum blossoms fell off, the azaleas are dressed in red, white and purple, creating some colorful sceneries across the park. The park welcomes the flower-loving visitors of all ages from 9 a.m. Tickets for children are 8,000 won. For teenagers and adults, it is 10,000 won and 12,000 won, respe

TravelApril 29, 2022

Jeonju IFF opens with Kogonada’s thought-provoking film ‘After Yang’

JEONJU--Jeonju International Film Festival on Thursday kicked off with opening film “After Yang” directed by Kogonada. “We selected it because it is a beautiful film. Not only is it set in the future but also it has deep thoughts on human nature,” Jeonju IFF co-programmer Chun Jin-su said during a press conference held on Thursday at JIFF Theque with actor Justin H. Min, who plays Yang in the movie.  Chun added that he was also impressed by Kogonada’s

FilmApril 28, 2022

Street performances throughout Seoul

Spring offers the perfect weather for enjoying street performances. Taking advantage of the warm sunshine and to support street performers, the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture has organized a festival dedicated to various street arts ranging from puppet shows to a percussions concert. 　From April 23 to May 22, events take place every weekend from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at different places. For this weekend’s edition, Seoul Forest will be the center stage for nine performances. 　“

CultureApril 28, 2022

‘You Quiz on the Block’ defends having President-elect Yoon as guest on show

The production team of “You Quiz on the Block” on Wednesday defended its decision to cast President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol in the tvN talk show, after it came under criticism for politicizing the beloved comedy program. “Faced with an unexpected result, we agonized, reflected on our actions, and were in pain. Like everyone else, we worked week by week with sincerity. So we can speak with pride,” the team said in a statement aired after the end of the latest episode on Wed

TelevisionApril 28, 2022

Global Biz Forum 2022 kicks off with focus on digital transformation, post-COVID business trends

The second edition of The Korea Herald’s Global Business Forum kicked off Wednesday in Seoul, under the theme of “Post-COVID-19 Global Business Opportunities and Trends.” The 13-week forum, held every Wednesday, is aimed at sharing and enhancing knowledge of the international community, and for exploring overseas investment opportunities and expanding business networks. GBF is a platform that gathers Korean business and financial leaders, diplomats as well as those from the c

PeopleApril 28, 2022

Palaces free for all on Children’s Day in policy U-turn

In response to public outrage over the exclusion of foreign children from free admission to local historical sites on Children’s Day, the Cultural Heritage Administration on Thursday announced plans to revise the policy and will now allow all visitors, regardless of age or nationality, to enter at no cost. The original post, which was taken down Wednesday morning, said two accompanying guardians of children under the age of 12 would be admitted free of charge to seven designated palaces a

CultureApril 28, 2022

Jeonju film festival to open with 217 films

JEONJU -- The annual Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF), the country's largest showcase of indie and art house films, will start its 10-day run in the southwestern city of Jeonju on Thursday. A total of 217 films from 52 countries will be shown during the 23rd edition, which runs until May 7, with the in-person opening ceremony to be held at Jeonju Dome in Jeonju, some 240 kilometers south of Seoul. Out of the total invited works, 112 films will be also available on JIFF's online platform

FilmApril 28, 2022

You are cordially invited to the home of Lee Kun-hee the collector

When late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee and his family donated the late tycoon’s collection last April to the country’s national museums, the art circle was surprised at the unprecedented donation of art in Korea. Included among the approximately 23,000 donated works are national treasures and rarely seen Korean artworks. To mark the first anniversary of the donation, the two national museums -- The National Museum of Korea and The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Kore

Arts & DesignApril 27, 2022

K-pop singer Soyou returns with first EP ‘Day&Night’ after 13 months

K-pop singer Soyou returned to the stage with her first mini-album “Day&Night” Wednesday, following her last single “Good Night My Love,” which was released in March last year. “Since ‘Day&Night’ is my first mini-album, I have a deep affection for it. I tried to fill up with various genres of songs,” Soyou said during a press showcase event held in Seoul on Wednesday, ahead of the EP’s online release at 6 p.m. “Day&Night&

PerformanceApril 27, 2022

'Children's Day only for Korean children'

Children’s Day in Korea is a day that all kids look forward to, but it may not carry the same meaning for foreign children in Korea, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration’s understanding of Children’s Day. The CHA’s recent online announcement posted on the Deoksugung website that appeared to say that foreign children are excluded from free admission to palaces on Children’s Day sparked public outrage after it was brought to light in a social media post

CultureApril 27, 2022

President Moon Jae-in interview with JTBC elicits diverse reactions

The last part of cable channel JTBC’s two-part special “Five Years of Moon Jae-in” aired Tuesday, reflecting on the Moon presidency’s five years. Hosted by veteran JTBC journalist Sohn Suk-hee, the one-on-one interview reviewed Moon’s achievements and regrets, ranging from his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic to international relations. On Monday’s first episode, Moon talked about real estate prices and his administration’s efforts to tame South Kore

TelevisionApril 27, 2022

Vivid colors, layered cuts, braided hairstyle headline spring-summer hair trends

Hair trends are in for a shakeup this spring and summer, as Koreans seek a new look as limits on private gatherings are eased. More daring colors and hairstyles will likely headline spring-summer 2022, with local experts predicting vivid coloring, layered haircuts and braided styling to lead the trend. One of the easiest changes both men and women can make to their hair is a new color. Ash-brown was once loved by many as a way to show a refined look, but the trend has shifted to vivid colors

Arts & DesignApril 27, 2022

Busan International Short Film Festival explores potential of short films

The 39th Busan International Short Film Festival kicked off Wednesday at the Busan Cinema Center for a six-day run through Monday. Under the theme of “Expanding Cinema,” the festival aims to focus on showing the variability and infinite potential of short films, according to the film fest organizer.　 The selected films will be screened at two theaters: Busan Cinema Center and BNK Busan Bank Art Cinema. For the 39th BISFF, 154 short films from 48 countries were selected for scre

FilmApril 27, 2022