Global interest in Korean films rises after 'Parasite' wins Oscars, KFA says

Overseas inquiries about South Korean movies have been on the rise thanks to the Oscar-winning Korean film "Parasite," the national film archive said during a forum in Seoul. The Korean Film Archive (KFA) has produced DVDs of major Korean films, ranging from the early years of the 1950s to the present, every year since 2012 and distributed them to overseas research institutions for Korean studies, cultural centers, Korean language institutes and university libraries as part of efforts

FilmDec. 11, 2020

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Indie Jeonju Festival Indie Jeonju Festival will be held online Dec. 25-27. The festival is titled “Still Alive” this year, according to organizers, aiming to show that Jeonju-based musicians are still living passionately, despite the monthslong blackout in the culture sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 15 music acts will take to the stage, performing a wide range of music, from pop, folk, rock, jazz, hip-hop and classical music to innovative traditional Korean musi

TravelDec. 11, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul launches ‘Sweet Moments’ experience JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul presents the “Sweet Moments” experience until May 2021. “Sweet Moments” includes one night in a Deluxe, Executive Deluxe or Executive Suite room, breakfast for two at Tavolo 24, and complimentary use of the swimming pool and fitness center.  The “Salon de Strawberry with Barbie” is also offered, which is an in-room afternoon tea set

FoodDec. 11, 2020

[Herald Interview] Korea spots ‘silver lining’ amid pandemic with transparent, responsible public sector

In a year that has witnessed the COVID-19 pandemic disrupt lives and devastate economies around the world, South Korea is seeking innovations to meet the challenges it presents. The following is the last article in a four-part series on how Korea is creating a new normal during the pandemic, produced in partnership with The Korea Foundation -- Ed. Since the beginning of the year, the whole world has been desperately navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic, the worst public health crisis i

PeopleDec. 10, 2020

Hwang Jung-min, Yoona tackle life of reporter in ‘Hush’

Veteran actor Hwang Jung-min will return to the small screen for the first time in eight years as a hardened reporter in JTBC’s human drama “Hush.” Hwang demonstrated why he is one of the most beloved actors in Korea at Thursday‘s online press conference, with his genuine, unfiltered personality and passion for the drama on full display. “I got the script for the first six episodes and read it in no time. It was so enjoyable,” said Hwang. “The story w

TelevisionDec. 10, 2020

Broadway actors of Korean heritage to connect via YouTube

While the iconic Broadway remains shut down until at least May, Broadway stage actors with Korean backgrounds will connect with international audiences at home via YouTube. The Korean Culture Center New York, affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, announced it will host the year-end musical gala concert “Farewell 2020,” featuring Korean or Korean-American stage actors working on Broadway through its official YouTube channel on Dec. 17.   The concert wi

PerformanceDec. 10, 2020

Arirang TV to air documentary series on Korean films

An English-language documentary series on South Korean films, “K-Cineflex,” will air on Arirang TV from Thursday to Saturday, introducing popular Korean films and discussing the development of the Korean film industry. The 1994 film “Whiteman (Baeksaekin)” from Bong Joon-ho, the Oscar-winning director of “Parasite,” will be shown as part of the first episode Thursday at 10:30 p.m. The 16-minute film with English subtitles will be shown along with the directo

FilmDec. 10, 2020

Making favorite restaurant dishes at home

Upon opening up a meal kit of spicy chicken ribs, I realized at once the cooking wouldn’t be too difficult. The chicken ribs, special sauce, vegetables, sweet potatoes and rice cakes were in separate packaging, and all were prepped for cooking. The cooking instruction on the back of the package involved putting the ingredients one by one into a pot. My family's reaction to the dish was unanimous: “This tastes just like what is sold in restaurants.” Many aspects of daily life

FoodDec. 9, 2020

2020 Linnaeus Medal goes to Korean surgeon

A surgeon at a hospital in Seoul has become the first South Korean to receive the Linnaeus Medal. The Hallym University Medical Center said Wednesday Dr. Yoon Dai-won, the chief director of the hospital’s Ilsong Foundation, has been awarded the Linnaeus Medal in gold for 2020. The medal is organized by Uppsala University in Sweden. The university said Yoon was recognized for his contributions in creating opportunities for research exchanges between Korea and Sweden, one of which is joi

PeopleDec. 9, 2020

Collector Sohn Chang-kun awarded highest order of cultural merit

Sohn Chang-kun, who has donated more than 300 important cultural heritage items that he collected throughout his life, was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit Geumgwan on Tuesday, becoming the first recipient of the country’s highest honor for cultural heritage preservation. “The honor is given to a contributor who has devoted at least 15 years to preserving Korea’s cultural heritage,” an official from the Cultural Heritage Administration told The Korea Herald. “

Arts & DesignDec. 9, 2020

Flurry of COVID-19 restrictions cause fatigue across culture scene

While the authorities are enforcing stricter social distancing rules across the Greater Seoul area to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, the culture sector is confused by the inconsistencies in the restrictions imposed by different governmental authorities. On Saturday, cultural facilities across Seoul that are funded by the Seoul Metropolitan Government were shut down after the city government imposed tighter restrictions. On Sunday, the central government announced that Level 2.5 socia

PerformanceDec. 8, 2020

Rookie girl group NiziU tops Japan's weekly music chart with debut album

JYP Entertainment's new girl group NiziU has topped Japan's Oricon weekly music chart with its debut single album, the company said Tuesday. The nine-member group's album, "Step and a Step," ranked No. 1 on Japan's Oricon weekly singles chart for the first week of this month, just five days after it topped the daily CD singles chart of the Japanese music publisher, according to the agency. NiziU is only the second girl group to reach the top of the weekly Oricon chart with its debut

PerformanceDec. 8, 2020

Dia TV creators head to VR world of Zepeto

Dia TV and Naver Z have teamed up to support virtual reality creators. CJ ENM’s content creator support business, Dia TV, announced the signing of an memorandum of understanding with Naver Z on Tuesday. By having creators on Naver Z’s avatar service app Zepeto, Dia TV hopes to expand the audience for its creators who are popular with the “MZ Generation” -- those born between the 1980s and the early 2000s -- on a global scale, as well as exploiting advertising and mark

CultureDec. 8, 2020

Spike in COVID-19 cases puts S. Korean music industry on edge

Random cluster infections are breaking out across the country and the South Korean music industry is no exception from the new coronavirus. In most cases, infections have escalated into bigger cases involving consecutive screening tests, as music programs and events often feature multiple artists and a big production staff. Earlier this month, Kogyeol and Bit-to of boy group UP10TION tested positive for the infectious virus after Bit-to came into contact with a COVID-19 patient. While no addi

PerformanceDec. 8, 2020

Mnet’s ‘Running Girls’ brings idols together

Five K-pop idols in their 20s running through scenic courses around the country is the theme of Mnet’s “Running Girls,” whose first episode airs Wednesday. Sunmi, Chungha, Hani of EXID, YooA of Oh My Girl and Chuu of Loona run together as a crew in a show that is as much about bonding as it is about introducing viewers to running courses. Chungha, who was confirmed with COVID-19 on Monday, was absent from the online press conference for the show held Tuesday. With filming hav

TelevisionDec. 8, 2020

Art breathes new life into abandoned spaces under bridges

Spaces underneath overpasses are neglected spaces, many of them left shabby and used as illegal parking spots. In Seoul alone, the total space underneath the nearly 200 highway overpasses is equivalent in area to about 55 percent of Yeouido, or 210 football fields. But only 10 percent of these spaces are used efficiently, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. “Compared to the density of the Seoul population, many public spaces like those underneath overpasses are left wasted

Arts & DesignDec. 7, 2020

LTI Korea announces winners of 2020 Korea Translation Award

The Literature Translation Institute of Korea announced the winners of the 2020 Korean Literature Translation Award, with Mariko Saito winning the grand prize. For this year’s prize, 115 translated works in 24 languages were considered. Mariko Saito, who translated the short story collection “To Hyun Nam Oppa” by Cho Nam-joo and six others into Japanese, won the top prize and 20 million won ($18,500) in prize money, last Thursday. Translators Jeong Eun-jin and Jacques Batil

BooksDec. 7, 2020

[Video] Personality tests gain popularity as icebreaker

A host of psychology and personality tests supposedly shedding light on one‘s personality are picking up popularity in South Korea. The internet questionnaires show specific explanations of one’s self that align with the psyche. These tools help people draw conclusions about who they are as a person. The complicated human condition triggers people to characterize themselves by taking the test. By evaluating the results, people can better find out about the different aspects of the

CultureDec. 7, 2020

Release of blockbuster 'Seobok' postponed amid coronavirus scare

The release of South Korean science-fiction action film "Seobok" has been postponed indefinitely amid a huge, ongoing wave of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the film's distributor said Monday. "We decided to put off the release schedule of 'Seobok,' set to hit screens in December, due to the wide spread of COVID-19," CJ Entertainment said in a statement. "Seobok" is one of the most anticipated blockbusters this year in South Korea for its subject of the first hum

FilmDec. 7, 2020

Artists' voices re-created with AI

With the development of artificial intelligence and deep learning, things that were once impossible are now becoming possible, including re-creating the voices of deceased musical artists to sing contemporary songs. Music channel Mnet will show AI music project “Once More Time” on Wednesday and Dec. 16, “resurrecting” deceased artists through holograms and AI voice covers. The first episode will feature Turtleman, leader of trio Turtles, who died of a heart attack in 2

PerformanceDec. 7, 2020