Christmas canceled in churches as COVID surges

As the stricter social distancing scheme that goes into effect Tuesday does not allow houses of worship in the greater Seoul area to hold in-person Christmas services, some Protestant churches are calling the order “unrealistic.” After the government raised social distancing measures to Level 2.5, the second highest in the five-tier system, in the Seoul metropolitan area in an effort to slow down the fast spreading wave of COVID-19, churches in the greater Seoul area will not be a

CultureDec. 7, 2020

Movie theaters screen TV drama series amid protracted pandemic

South Korea's movie theaters have been opening their doors to television series as part of efforts to survive the protracted novel coronavirus pandemic. CGV, a multiplex chain run by entertainment giant CJ Group, will start screening the fantasy romance "Breakup Suspension" on Wednesday before the series hits the small screen later this month. "Breakup Suspension," starring Yuri of K-pop girl band Girls' Generation and Hyun Woo, is a story about a woman who has to leave her

FilmDec. 7, 2020

How K-webtoons jumped from online to TV, theaters

More and more webtoons, or web comics, are being made into dramas and movies, as the rich storytelling format gains broader popularity. Webtoons are comics posted online that are read by scrolling down the screen, a presentation format that is unique to Korea. While some webtoons had existed online on personal blogs and websites, it was when popular local web portals like Naver and Daum started releasing daily webtoons that the market really expanded. In its early days in the early 2000s, web

CartoonDec. 7, 2020

Korea's abstract art pioneer Suh Se-ok dies at 91

Suh Se-ok, a leading artist who pioneered contemporary abstract ink painting, died on Nov. 29 at the age of 91. The announcement was belatedly made on Thursday after the family funeral was conducted in accordance with social distancing regulations out of consideration for the bereaved, according to the National Academy of Arts in Korea. Suh was born in 1929 in Daegu, North Gyeongsang Province, as a son of an independence activist who fought against Japanese colonialism during the Japanese c

Arts & DesignDec. 6, 2020

Jeongho tea bowls carry spirit of Joseon era

An ongoing exhibition in Seoul sheds light on plain yet delicate tea bowls that carry the spirit of pottery art from the Joseon era (1392-1910). Hakgojae Gallery has been holding the serial exhibition “Hak Go Chang Shin,” inspired by the four-character idiom “Beop Go Chang Sin,” meaning to create new things by learning from the old. As part of the series, the exhibition entitled “Spring and Autumn IV. Hwang Joong Tong Ri: Ceramic by Kim Jong Hun” highlight

Arts & DesignDec. 6, 2020

Stage lights go off after Seoul orders shutdown

As the Seoul capital has gone into a partial lockdown and Korea has decided to raise distancing regulations for the metropolitan area, the lights have gone out at performing art stages and cinemas across the city. With the South Korean government announcing the Level 2.5 distancing, the second highest notch in the country’s five-tier COVID-19 scheme, performing arts venues will have to leave the two thirds of audience seats empty from Tuesday. The tight limitations on the audience capac

PerformanceDec. 6, 2020

[Eye Plus] Kukkiwon, mecca of taekwondo

Separated from the notorious car and foot traffic of the Gangnam neighborhood, Kukkiwon sits on a small hill in a calm area filled with trees. Kukkiwon, a traditional-looking building with white columns, has been the heart of the Korean martial art of taekwondo for the past half century.  The institution was established in November 1972 as the world headquarters of taekwondo. The same year, to celebrate its founding, it held the first-ever international competition. Since then, the orga

TravelDec. 5, 2020

[Diana’s Table] Persimmon citrus salad

Persimmon is a fruit that signals the coming of winter in Korea. The name persimmon means “divine fruit” and it is commonly grown in East Asia, mostly China, Japan and Korea. The fruit matures late in the fall but can stay on the tree until winter. In fact, you may frequently see a bare persimmon tree with only its fruits on the branches. It can be eaten raw, dried, cooked or even frozen. When eaten fresh and ripe, it is sweet and mellow. It has a unique and slippery texture and i

FoodDec. 5, 2020

[Weekender] Zero waste movement grows amid pandemic

With the pandemic raging on for nearly a year, people are using more online delivery services for foods and daily necessities while staying at home. Although the new normal has brought a lot of convenience, more people have begun to feel uncomfortable about throwing away packaging and disposable plastic containers, and some have been pushing back against the deluge of disposables. “I bring my reusable containers for take-out food these days. It was sort of embarrassing at first to ask

CultureDec. 5, 2020

Youn Yuh-jung wins Best Supporting Actress at Sunset Circle Awards

Veteran actor Youn Yuh-jung won the award for best supporting actress at the Sunset Circle Awards on Tuesday for her role in “Minari,” by director Lee Isaac Chung. The 73-year-old actress won over other nominees, Amanda Seyfried of “Mank,” Amy Adams of “Hillbilly Elegy,” Zazie Beetz of “Nine Days” and Oliva Colman of “The Father.” As many of them are thought to be in the running for 2021 Oscar nominations, Youn’s win raises hope

FilmDec. 5, 2020

[Photo News] Haehakbandodo returns to S. Korea for display at the National Palace Museum of Korea

The royal folding screen, Haehakbandodo, is to be displayed in a public exhibition in Korea for the first time in about 90 years after having been kept in the US. The National Palace Museum of Korea holds the exhibition slated for Friday and will run until Jan. 2021. The Haehakbandodo illustrates symbols of the sea, cranes and peaches, which represent prosperity and desire for longevity. Necessary restorations for its rare gold plated designs have been completed for display. Visitors will be g

CultureDec. 5, 2020

[Photo News] Snow whitens Hallasan

The grandeur of Baengnokdam Crater Lake of Hallasan dazzles with snow as winter sets in. The winterscape of the mountain stands out vividly, as snow on the branches shines in the clear sky.  The snowfield of the scenery may be appreciated throughout the snowy season of winter. (Photos: Ko Won-sang - Yonhap) By Lee Jae-Eun (leeje16@heraldcorp.com)

CultureDec. 5, 2020

Seoul to host conference on Eurasia railway cooperation next year

South Korea will host a meeting of an international organization for railway cooperation across Europe and Asia next year, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Saturday.  The 49th annual ministers' meeting of the Organization for Cooperation of Railways (OSJD) will be held in the country from June 15-18, 2021, according to the ministry. Founded in 1956, the OSJD coordinates railway policies and oversees related standards among Eurasian countries. South Korea joine

TravelDec. 5, 2020

Pianist Kim Sun-wook’s recital canceled due to pandemic

Kim Sun-wook’s piano recital scheduled for Monday at the Lotte Concert Hall in Jamsil, eastern Seoul, has been canceled. Classical music concert organizer Vincero said the decision to indefinitely postpone Kim’s recital was made soon after the Seoul city government announced Friday afternoon that stricter social distancing rules would be in effect from Saturday to Dec. 18. This is not the first time that a performance of Kim’s has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

PerformanceDec. 4, 2020

Rev. Park Ock-soo hopes for joy and hope for youth with the IYF amid COVID-19

Rev. Park Ock-soo, the founder of International Youth Fellowship (IYF), is seeking to build an education program for young people. Park shares his prospective ideas and outlook on possible alternatives to the program and for the youth amid the COVID-19 crisis. Park has developed “mind education,” which seeks to create a mindset that enables students to overcome difficulties, fulfill responsibilities and help prevent things such as abuse, cruelty and suicide. And he has promoted this

PeopleDec. 4, 2020

SIFF organizer connects local indie movie creators with distributors

The organizer of the Seoul Independent Film Festival announced Friday that its two-day event “Next Link,” held Tuesday and Wednesday to connect indie movie creators with distributors, was a success. The event at the Eyelove Art Center in Gangnam, Seoul, was organized jointly with Indie Ground, an independent movie retail and distribution hub created by the Korean Film Council in August. Short and feature-length indie films had separate sessions during the event where the directors

FilmDec. 4, 2020

Online dance competition to promote Korean tourism set for Saturday

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will hold the final round of its IYKoongChallenge online dance competition Saturday in conjunction with the Korean Tourism Organization. The event will be livestreamed through the KTO’s YouTube (www.youtube.com/ImagineYourKorea) and Tiktok (tiktok.com/@imagineyourkorea) channels. The event aims to promote five South Korean cities selected as tourism hubs by the Culture Ministry in January: Busan; Gangneung, Gangwon Province; Jeonju, North Jeol

TravelDec. 4, 2020

Two Koreans on ArtReview’s Power 100 list

Two South Koreans made ArtReview’s Power 100 list this year: Kim Sun-jung, international curator and president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, and Lee Hyun-sook, chairwoman of the Kukje Gallery in Seoul. Kim ranked No. 72, up five places from No. 77 in 2019. Lee ranked No. 83, having fallen from No. 60 last year. The British art magazine offers an annual ranking of the most influential movers and shakers in contemporary art at the end of each year. ArtReview mentioned Kim’s di

PeopleDec. 4, 2020

Paik Jong-won to star in Netflix original series ‘Paik’s Spirit’

Online TV platform Netflix announced the making of a new project Friday titled “Paik’s Spirit,” featuring food researcher, businessman and entertainer Paik Jong-won. On the show, Paik will have a drink with guests in diverse fields who represent South Korea and will talk about their stories, as well as the stories behind the liquors they prefer. “Paik’s Spirit” will be Netflix’s first reality series introducing Korean drinks, food and culture. Paik wi

TelevisionDec. 4, 2020

Celebrities self-quarantine after Lee Chan-won tests positive for COVID-19

After popular trot singer Lee Chan-won tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, celebrities who had come into contact with him were quickly tested and quarantined. How Lee got infected is unknown. On Thursday morning, Lee’s agency New Era Project announced that the singer had tested positive and gone into self-quarantine. “Currently, everyone associated with Lee Chan-won is being tested, and some have already finished testing and are in self-quarantine,” said New Era Projec

TelevisionDec. 4, 2020