S. Korean director Bong Joon-ho listed in French encyclopedia

South Korea's Cannes-winning filmmaker Bong Joon-ho has had his name listed in a renowned French encyclopedia for his cinematic achievements and recognition in the European nation, a report showed Thursday. In the latest edition of "Petit Larousse Illustre," a French-language encyclopedic dictionary launched in 1905, the South Korean director won a page, along with 40 new figures from various sectors like literature, cinema and sports, according to the report by the Korea Creative Con

FilmMay 27, 2021

[Newsmaker] Local governments reject Seoul as site of proposed museum for Lee Kun-hee collection

As cities around the country battle over a proposed museum to house the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s art collection, the government said it would reveal details about the plan by mid-June. “The minister is likely to hold a press briefing in Seoul in mid-June to share the progress made so far regarding a new museum or storage place,” an official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism told The Korea Herald. “We have formed a task force committee and

Arts & DesignMay 26, 2021

Unsure about box office recovery, Korean film industry delays releases for summer season

Although the local box office shows some signs of recovery before the summer peak season, the pandemic-hit Korean film industry still remains wary of releasing big-budget films in the near future. The South Korean box office recently made a long-waited turnaround thanks to a bullish run by "F9," the latest chapter in the "Fast and Furious" series. Released on May 19, the Hollywood blockbuster posted 400,000 viewers on opening day to set the biggest first-day score since the

FilmMay 26, 2021

Musical ‘Beetlejuice’ arrives in Seoul for first run outside of Broadway

Musical “Beetlejuice” is set for a Seoul run, its first official showing outside of Broadway. The Korean-language licensed version of Broadway musical “Beetlejuice” is scheduled to open June 18 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. Based on the iconic 1988 Tim Burton film of the same title, the musical had its Broadway premiere in 2019, following a pilot run a year earlier. The Korean staging marks the first licensed version of the musical.

PerformanceMay 26, 2021

Leenalchi, Ambiguous Dance Company return to LG Arts Center

Korean traditional music-inspired band Leenalchi and dance group Ambiguous Dance Company have teamed up once again to perform at LG Arts Center, June 11-12. Leenalchi will perform their latest digital single “Yeobonari” and 10 songs from “Sugungga,” their first full-length album released Feb. 16. Ambiguous Dance Company, which performed with Leenalchi at LG Arts Center‘s Rush Hour Concert last year, will once again join the band onstage. Leenalchi is an alternativ

PerformanceMay 26, 2021

[Video] Library goes digital, this time with interactive twist

In late March, the National Library of Korea announced the opening of an immersive experience library named Shilgam Seojae. It looks just like any normal library, but features new digital technologies that offer visitors a whole new reading experience. A Culture Ministry initiative, the immersive experience library transforms texts by combining it with interactive content using multidimensional technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality. Two months into operation, Shilgam Seojae, whic

CultureMay 26, 2021

[Herald Interview] Lee Je-hoon on what is left behind after death

For an actor, it would be an honor to leave behind a collection of works someday, Lee Je-hoon, 36, said. Of all the steps in Lee’s 14-year acting career, Lee said he was the most nervous about the recent release of Netflix original series “Move to Heaven.” He stars in the series as Sang-gu, an ex-convict who works as a “trauma cleaner,” cleaning up crime and accident scenes and organizing the belongings of the deceased. “I was the most nervous about this

TelevisionMay 25, 2021

[Feature] Korea rises as Asian art hub on back of purchasing power, favorable biz climate

Korea has recently emerged as an attractive art market on the back of purchasing power of younger collectors, grabbing increasing attention from the world. Globally renowned galleries are opening galleries in Seoul or expanding their presence in the city. Frieze, a major international art fair, recently announced it will hold the first Frieze Seoul next fall, putting the city on the global market map. Seoul will be the first Asian city to host the fair. Pace Gallery, the US-headquartered co

Arts & DesignMay 25, 2021

[Herald Interview] Seo In-guk says ‘Pipeline’ differs from other caper movies

Director Yoo Ha’s latest movie “Pipeline” does not follow the rules of traditional heist movies, according to actor Seo In-guk who stars in the film. “The biggest difference is that the main characters are not professionals,” Seo said during an interview with a group of reporters on Monday. “Except for my character Pindol, all of them are ordinary people. Even Pindol who has experience being part of oil theft, only did the drilling. They are a ragtag group o

FilmMay 25, 2021

Govt. to announce new museum plan for late Samsung chief's artworks in June

The government plans to make a decision by next month on the construction of a new museum to house donations from the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee's vast art collection, officials at the culture ministry said Monday. Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hwang Hee plans to announce details of a new art museum for around 23,000 artworks and artifacts donated by Lee's family, in June, the officials said. The planned announcement will come as at least a dozen cities around the country have

Arts & DesignMay 24, 2021

MMCA celebrates Chung Sang-hwa’s 60-year art career

A retrospective of Chung Sang-hwa, a renowned Korean contemporary artist who has explored the concept of infinity through his paintings, was unveiled at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. The exhibition “Chung Sang Hwa” at MMCA Seoul is a comprehensive exploration of the artist, including recent signature works that feature grid compositions, demonstrating Chung’s own method of “peeling off and filling in.”  “‘To reveal is to value

Arts & DesignMay 24, 2021

Pianist Park Yeon-min wins the George Enescu competition

Pianist Park Yeon-min, 31, has won the first prize at the 2020/2021 George Enescu International Competition’s piano discipline on Sunday. By winning the competition, Park will receive 15,000 euros ($18,000) in prize money, and an invitation to the 2022 George Enescu Festival. She was followed by Adela Liculescu from Romania and Marcin Wieczorek from Poland, who came in second and the third, respectively. After studying at Seoul National University, Park earned her master’s degree

PerformanceMay 24, 2021

SIFF to screen Korean independent films in Spain

The Seoul Independent Film Festival will introduce Korean independent movies during the 4th Indie & Doc Korean Cinema Fest, which will be held from June 1-13 in Madrid, Spain. To mark the 10th anniversary of the Korean Cultural Center in Madrid, Spain, this year’s annual Korean indie film fest will double in size and screen 18 movies, according to the event organizer. The fourth edition of the festival will have three sections -- a short films section with the theme of people and t

FilmMay 24, 2021

Choir festival hopes to boost companionship among multicultural youth

The 5th Huddling Youth Choir Festival is calling for applications from individuals or teams. The multicultural festival first took place in 2017, with hopes of bringing together youth from different cultural backgrounds through music. “The act of huddling symbolizes community awareness, togetherness, and consideration,” Shim Eun-sook, Chief Art Director for the festival during told The Korea Herald. “This matched our aim of the Huddling Choir Fest, to lead youth to change t

CultureMay 24, 2021

'F9' tops 1m admissions in first week of release

"F9," the latest chapter in the "Fast and Furious" series, has topped 1 million attendees in its first week of release in South Korea, local box office data showed Monday. The action blockbuster attracted 628,000 people over the Friday-Sunday period, bringing its combined total to 1.13 million, according to the data from the Korean Film Council. It became the fourth title to surpass the 1 million threshold in 2021, following Disney-Pixar fantasy "Soul," Japanese a

FilmMay 24, 2021

Seo In-guk returns as leader of oil thieves in comedy-crime film “Pipeline”

Actor Seo In-guk is returning to the big screen as a leader of a ragtag team of oil thieves in the upcoming comedy-crime film “Pipeline,” directed by Yoo Ha. “I was surprised that a movie about this topic is being created,” Seo said during the press conference Thursday that followed a press screening. “I was not familiar with the concept of thieves that steal oil from the pipeline. I have never seen any Korean movie with a similar subject.” In the new movie

FilmMay 23, 2021

[Photo News] Koreans go out and enjoy the outdoors

As summer approaches, more people are turning to outdoor activities to fully enjoy the warm weather. A beach in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, is full of tourists enjoying a recent day off.  Public parks are also packed with those looking for some outside time. Some spend their day with family and friends, while others take a relaxing yoga class. Water activities are also gaining popularity as the weather warms up. From canoes to sky bridges, people are taking time to enjoy some clear blue wat

CultureMay 22, 2021

[Herald Interview] Finding silver lining in Bach, pandemic

Bach’s sonatas and partitas for solo violin (BWV 1001-1006) is an iconic collection for violinists. Violinist Clara Jumi Kang, 34, will take on the work -- “the violin Bible” as she calls it -- presenting the complete cycle in one performance. “It is a project I have been dreaming of since I was in my early 20s,” Kang said in a recent email interview with The Korea Herald. The Korean-German virtuoso has performed with leading orchestras around the world. She i

PerformanceMay 22, 2021

[Newsmaker] Amorepacific, Bokwang heirs divorcing after 8-month marriage

Seo Min-jeong, the eldest daughter of Amorepacific Chairman Seo Kyung-bae, and Hong Jeong-hwan, the eldest son of Bokwang Investment Chairman Hong Seok-joon, have agreed to divorce after eight months of marriage, industry sources said Friday. The news followed Amorepacific’s regulatory filing on Friday, in which the company made a change to Hong’s holdings in the firm. Previously, Suh Kyung-bae, chairman of Amorepacific Group, gifted 100,000 shares in South Korea’s major b

PeopleMay 21, 2021

S. Korea celebrates Together Day

Cities across South Korea hosted multicultural events as part of the Justice Ministry’s Together Day festival Thursday. The Justice Ministry hosted an event to commemorate Together Day with the objective of creating a society where Korean people and foreign residents of Korea can live together respecting each other’s cultures and traditions. Justice Minister Park Beom-kye delivered congratulatory remarks during the ceremony. Together Day was officially designated as a day of na

CultureMay 21, 2021