Netflix promotes Korean executives to strengthen its Asian strategy

US media giant Netflix has promoted two Korean content experts to its senior creative leadership team as part of a strategy to strengthen its foothold in South Korea and the rest of the populous Asian region. According to Netflix, in a latest leadership reshuffle, Kim Min-young, formerly vice president of content for Korea, was appointed to take charge of content-related operations across Asia, excluding India. Kim has played a major role in helping the streamer pull off bullish growth in the

FilmJune 16, 2021

'Cruella' becomes 5th movie to top 1m admissions in S. Korea this year

Disney's live action film "Cruella" has become the fifth movie to attract over 1 million viewers in South Korea this year, box office data showed Wednesday. The crime comedy flick, released on May 26, drew more than 24,000 people Tuesday, bringing its combined total to over 1.01 million, according to the data from the Korean Film Council. The movie topped the daily box office for five consecutive days from Friday. Among the movies released here in 2021, "Cruella" is the

FilmJune 16, 2021

Cinema operators to give ticket revenues to distributors of ‘Escape from Mogadishu,’ ‘Sinkhole’

The Korean Theater Association, which includes the top three local multiplex operators -- CGV, Lotte Cinema, Megabox -- among its members, has thrown a lifeline to two film distributors to encourage the release of their high-budget movies, “Escape from Mogadishu” and “Sinkhole,” it announced on Tuesday. Instead of splitting the ticket sales 50:50 between theaters and film distributors as is the practice, the theaters will forgo ticket sales proceeds until the amount rea

FilmJune 15, 2021

[Herald Interview] Kim Jun-su returns as red-haired Count Dracula

The musical “Dracula: The Musical” has been an all-time hit since it premiered in 2014 with Kim Jun-su, a former lead vocalist of the popular boy band TVXQ and now a veteran musical actor of 10 years, in the leading role. His hair dyed a bright red color again -- Kim’s signature look for his Count Dracula character -- the actor stood on the stage for the musical’s fourth season which kicked off on May 20 at the Blue Square in Seoul. The red-colored hair was intended to

Arts & DesignJune 15, 2021

2021 Music in PyeongChang fest hopes to bring spirit of being alive center stage

The 18th Music in PyeongChang is set to kick off July 28 with performances around Gangwon Province, including the festival’s main venue, Pyeongchang Alpensia Resort’s concert hall. Under the theme “san (alive),” a total of 13 concerts will be held this year, along with two special concerts, seven touring concerts, and master classes conducted by artists participating in the festival. “The word ‘san,’ can be interpreted as ‘alive,’ or &lsq

PerformanceJune 15, 2021

S. Korean composer first in Asia to win Claudio Abbado Composition Prize

South Korean composer Shin Dong-hoon has won the Claudio Abbado Composition Prize, a prestigious award from the Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic, organizers announced on Monday. Shin, 37, is the first Asian winner and the sixth recipient of the prize, named after Italy’s legendary conductor Claudio Abbado, who also served as the artistic director of the Berlin Philharmonic. The award is given to young composers with outstanding talents, but does not designate a specific date or

PerformanceJune 15, 2021

Bid to smuggle out 92 Korean cultural artifacts foiled

DAEJEON--The Cultural Heritage Administration and Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency on Tuesday jointly announced that 11 suspects who attempted to smuggle out 92 valuable Korean cultural artifacts have been caught. The two agencies also unveiled the items the suspects allegedly tried to take out of the country during a press briefing held at Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency on Tuesday. “We started working together with the CHA from 2018,” Kim Jae-chun, an official from Daejeon

CultureJune 15, 2021

[Herald Interview] Korean Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale explores architecture as multidisciplinary practice

Curator Shin Hae-won of the Korean Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale has agonized over how to bring people together to discuss climate crisis, diaspora and innovation. Although those themes may seem comparatively less relevant for an architecture exhibition, Shin believes architecture is not just a physical thing but something that reflects our lives and the issues that we currently face. The Korean Pavilion has been turned into “Future School” at the biennale wh

Arts & DesignJune 14, 2021

[Herald Interview] Director of animated horror film ‘Climbing’ hopes to share plight of pregnant women

Not all expectant mothers experience a “pregnancy glow,” says director Kim Hye-mi, who hopes to highlight the tumultuous journey some pregnant women go through in her animated horror film “Climbing.” “I wanted to show that pregnancy not only has bright sides to it but a dark side to it as well. And I wanted to show is that we don’t have to always view it only positively,” Kim said during a recent interview with The Korea Herald. “I wanted to focu

FilmJune 14, 2021

Marvel’s superhero film ‘Black Widow’ to be released worldwide July 7

Walt Disney Korea on Monday announced that Marvel superhero film “Black Widow” will be released globally on July 7, in theaters and its streaming service Disney+. Movie fans have long been waiting for news of the film’s release, its trailer was unveiled in March 2020. The release date of the film has been delayed multiple times due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Popular Avengers character Natasha Romanoff, known as Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) appears in the new film

FilmJune 14, 2021

Seoul seeks donations of used musical instruments

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is receiving donations of used musical instruments through its Instrument Donation and Sharing Campaign that started Monday and is expected to run through the end of July. With the goal of creating a society where “all citizens can learn and enjoy musical instruments,” the project coordinates the donation and repairs of the donated instruments by skilled artisans at Nakwon Musical Instrument Arcade, located in Jongno, central Seoul. Once the repai

CultureJune 14, 2021

Seoul Institution of Arts to dive deep into Korean culture through Summer at SeoulArts

Summer at SeoulArts, hosted by the Seoul Institute of Arts, the most prominent art institute in Korea, will be held this summer for international college students interested in learning more about Korean culture. All classes are to be held online in English and will feature two courses that incorporate K-pop and Korean film. The first course, “The Kpop Phenomenon,” instructed by professor Woody Pak, will cover the history, development, processes, cultural impact and globalization

CultureJune 13, 2021

[Eye Plus] Sejong-daero splashed in green

Sejongdaero, one of the best known streets in Seoul and a main thoroughfare of downtown Seoul, is ready to welcome pedestrians.  Named after King Sejong (1397-1450) of the Joseon era, who led the invention of Hanguel, the writing system for the Korean language, the broad avenue runs from the southern end of Gwanghwamun Plaza, passes the city gate Sungnyemun and continues to Seoul Station.  In May, the construction of Sejongdaero Forest Road was completed, ending months of constructio

TravelJune 12, 2021

Craft takju takes root in Brooklyn, New York

Brewed from locally sourced rice and water in Brooklyn, New York, Hana Makgeolli’s “takju” -- an unfiltered Korean rice libation -- sold out five times after launching some nine months ago, according to brewer and founder Alice Jun. Jun, 28, admits to being surprised by the positive response -- the kind of sales she expected to see two to three years into business, not in less than a year. To meet demand and give everyone a fair chance at tasting their takju, Jun and managi

FoodJune 12, 2021

Far from the madding crowd: 25 tucked-away summer vacation spots

  Although the COVID-19 vaccination is speeding up in Korea, for individuals balancing the need to continue observing social distancing precautions and the desire for a real summer vacation after more than 18 months of living through a pandemic is a difficult task. Providing some solutions to the complex question of how to enjoy the long-awaited summer break in a safe manner is a list of 25 domestic destinations compiled by the Korea Tourism Organization. Classified into four categories

TravelJune 12, 2021

[Weekender] Domestic bliss: Distancing brings happy hour home

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, drinking at home has become the new norm. It is nearly impossible to grab a drink after work with friends in the Seoul city area, with drinking and dining establishments only allowed to operate until 10 p.m. and nonessential gatherings of five or more people banned. Rather than just quenching the immediate thirst with beer from a supermarket or reaching for the same old green bottle of soju, more people -- not just alcohol aficionados -- are joining in on t

FoodJune 12, 2021

Facing North Korea, Imjingak Park is a reminder of peace on the Korean Peninsula

PAJU, Gyeonggi Province -- A large peaceful ground, Imjingak Pyeonghwa Nuri Park stands facing the Imjin River, just south of the Demilitarized Zone. Although it sounds like an area of heightened tensions, the park is crowded with visitors, especially on weekends, who come for a picnic and to view the works of art on display. The exhibition “DMZ Art Project: Peace, Again” shows works by 12 artists and collectives that deal with the theme of peace. The works that are scattered throu

Arts & DesignJune 12, 2021

Korean horror series ‘Whispering Corridors’ returns with its iconic scene after 12 years

At the far end of a long, spooky hallway, a girl with long hair in a school uniform is standing still. As the creepy atmosphere conquers the space, the girl swiftly moves toward the audience. The well-known scene comes from the first “Whispering Corridors” movie, which came out in 1998. The signature scene was re-created in the upcoming “Whispering Corridors 6: The Humming,” which marks a return to the series after 12 years. “As I was making the film, I mostly us

FilmJune 12, 2021

‘Assassins,’ about death of N. Korea’s Kim Jong-nam, denied art film status

Local film distributors are protesting the Korean Film Council’s decision to deny art film status to “Assassins,” a documentary about Kim Jong-nam’s assassination. Kim Jong-nam, the eldest son of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and half brother of the country’s current leader, Kim Jong-un, fell out of favor with the regime and began living in exile in 2003. Reports said Kim Jong-nam lived in Macao before his death. The film centers on the events that took

FilmJune 12, 2021

Korean bishop named to head Vatican Congregation for Clergy

Pope Francis appointed the South Korean bishop Lazzaro You Heung-sik as the new prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for the Clergy, the Vatican said Friday. You, 69, who currently heads the diocese of Daejeon in central South Korea, became the first South Korean to be appointed to a secretary position. The congregation is responsible for overseeing matters regarding priests and deacons not belonging to religious orders. It is known for overseeing more than 400,000 Catholic priests around

CultureJune 11, 2021