For-pay dance show to be livestreamed on 3 continents

London-based contemporary dance company Rambert and celebrated Belgian choreographer-filmmaker Wim Vandekeybus have joined hands to present a socially distanced dance performance fit for the COVID-19 pandemic era. Their new dance production “Draw From Within” will be livestreamed for audiences around the world, from London to Seoul. In the show, around 20 Rambert dancers will dance against the backdrop of Rambert’s London South Bank studios. The concept behind the produc

PerformanceSept. 8, 2020

Revised bill aimed at supporting local OTT industry submitted to National Assembly

Rep. Lee Kwang-jae of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Tuesday submitted a revised bill to support the online media content industry, including OTT businesses, jointly with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. “With the prolonged COVID- 19 situation, the demand for OTT service has increased,” Rep. Lee said in a statement on Tuesday. “The bill is aiming to foster the content industry that will lead the untact era.” The Framework Act on the Video Industry

CultureSept. 8, 2020

Frenzied fans of ‘Emperor of Trot’ Na Hoon-a crash KBS website

K-pop fans from all over the world fawning over young K-pop idols is one thing. Fans flocking to online registration for a chance to see a 73-year-old trot singer’s concert is another. Upon the announcement of “Emperor of Trot” Na Hoon-a’s first online-streamed concert, fans around the globe filled out application forms explaining why they had to be chosen as part of the audience for the special show. Local broadcaster KBS 2TV’s “2020 Chuseok Grand Plan Rep

CultureSept. 8, 2020

Pianist Paik returns with Schumann

  Pianist Paik Kun-woo will hold a recital Oct. 9 at the Lotte Concert Hall in eastern Seoul, following the release of a new album under the Deutsche Grammophon label this month. Paik, a celebrated pianist based in Paris, will look into the life of German Romantic composer Robert Schumann (1810-1856) in a recital that begins with Schumann’s first work and ends with his last. The program will include Schumann’s Abegg Variations, Op. 1; Drei Fantasiestu (Three Fantasy Pieces), O

PerformanceSept. 8, 2020

Second COVID-19 shockwave hits cinemas

Two weeks into stricter social distancing measures that ban gatherings of 50 or more people indoors and 100 or more people outdoors, local cinemas have been hit with the double whammy of low attendance and virtually no new film releases. While the release of most films slated to open this month have been put on hold, film companies said they closely monitoring the virus situation, especially with the Chuseok holiday period -- a peak cinema season – coming up at the end of the month. CJ

FilmSept. 8, 2020

Korea's largest art fair to go online as pandemic continues

Korean International Art Fair(KIAF), the largest international art fair in Korea, will go online as the government’s strengthened social distancing system continues, the KIAF Art Seoul Committee announced Monday. KIAF Art Show 2020 – which was scheduled to be held in late September at Coex in southern Seoul -- will take place online through Online Viewing Room, showcasing around 4,000 works of art from 143 galleries from home and abroad. The number of participating galleries, howe

Arts & DesignSept. 7, 2020

Park So-dam, Park Bo-gum’s ‘Record of Youth’ kicks off

Actress Park So-dam is returning to small screen for the first time in four years with the new tvN series “Record of Youth” set to start airing at 9 p.m. on Monday. Park, who had a breakthrough year in 2019 for her role in the Academy Award-winning film “Parasite,” is partnered with heartthrob Park Bo-gum and up-and-coming actor Byeon Woo-seok in the new series. The drama revolves around three 25-year-olds in the modeling business, each striving towards their dreams i

TelevisionSept. 7, 2020

Bringing Central Asia on screen in Seoul

The Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum Secretariat under the Korea Foundation will host Central Asian Cinema Week 2020 for 10 days, starting Thursday. Five films -- one each from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan -- will be available for viewing via Naver TV. The films to be shown are “The Road to Mother” (Kazakhstan, 2016), “The Song of the Tree” (Kyrgyzstan, 2018), “Mirror without Reflection” (Tajikistan, 2013), “At

FilmSept. 7, 2020

[Newsmaker] Korea to support online concerts

The recent news that K-pop sensation BTS had become the first South Korean act to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart with its new single created economic ripple effects worth around 1.7 trillion won ($1.43 billion), according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Monday. The amount is based on an analysis of data from multiple sources, including sales data for BTS’ agency, Big Hit Entertainment, as well as trade statistics from the Korea Customs Service and search statistics f

PerformanceSept. 7, 2020

Utopia of Asian, Western mythologies comes to Gallery Hyundai

A painter widely known for the Minjung Art sociopolitical movement that flourished in the 1980s, Choi Min-hwa has unveiled his new “Once Upon a Time” painting series that has been 20 years in the making, inviting viewers to enter a utopia he envisions as integrating the mythologies of the West and the East. The exhibition, “Once Upon a Time,” at Gallery Hyundai showcases 60 paintings and 40 sketches by Choi that were inspired by “Samguk Yusa,” a collection o

Arts & DesignSept. 7, 2020

Putting age behind silver screen

The film “An Old Lady,” dealing with the story of a sexually abused 69-year-old woman, has an open ending, as however old they may be, “life goes on for the aged characters,” said Lim Sun-ae, the auteur of the film. “The film’s message is not about telling people to respect or pay attention to the elderly, but more about the two seniors becoming aware of their own dignity and supporting each other,” Lim said during a press event held in August ahead o

FilmSept. 6, 2020

CHA unveils newly excavated set of jewelry

The Cultural Heritage Administration, in conjunction with the Silla Cultural Heritage Research Institute, has unveiled several newly discovered pieces of jewelry to the public for the first time. The relics -- thought to be worn in the early sixth century of the Silla Kingdom -- came from an archaeological excavation of sites of tomb No. 120-2 in Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the same place site where a pair of gilt-bronze shoes, among other relics, were discovered in Ma

CultureSept. 6, 2020

[Eye Plus] A digital seascape for modern Seoulites

In the age of COVID-19 and the prolonged lockdown, getaways to nature and relaxing summer holidays no longer seem available for urban dwellers. A’strict, a multimedia installation showcase by design company d’strict to run from Aug. 13 to Sept. 27 at Seoul’s Kukje Gallery, may be an attractive alternative for those dreaming of seascapes and serenity. Driven by a relentless interest in the interaction between mankind and technology, along with the burgeoning importance of dig

Arts & DesignSept. 5, 2020

Barrel-aged beer at OBC

Amber-hued, redolent of honey and toasted walnuts, Original Beer Company’s barrel-aged Moonlight Scottish ale walks the line between whisky, wine and beer with its potent, full-bodied flavor profile and relatively high alcohol content. Boasting 9.5 percent alcohol by volume, this brew is stronger than an average ale, and that is no accident. The newly minted craft brewery is tapping into the global trend of barrel-aged beer -- where beer is fermented in barrels often previously used to

FoodSept. 5, 2020

[Herald Interview] Hotels adjust to new requirements in COVID-19

COVID-19 has changed many aspects of our daily lives, and one of the industries most heavily affected is the hospitality industry. With government policies changing weekly as the number of coronavirus cases fluctuates, hotels are keeping a close eye on the situation. In the midst of this crisis, Kang Ah-hyun, commercial director of Millennium Hilton Seoul, is attempting to find an opportunity in tough times. As the hotel’s commercial director, Kang is responsible for the hotel’s re

TravelSept. 5, 2020

Your signature enriches workplace, society

“Signature” By Lee Hang-shim (Dasanbooks) Korean society is at a watershed moment to advance further by accepting the growing demand in diversity propelled by the digital revolution and the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic that has brought an unconventional style of life to overall society. “Signature” tells readers that they need to find their own signature -- or a psychological asset -- that is an unreplaceable strength and differentiates them from others a

BooksSept. 5, 2020

English guidebook published for foreigners in Korea

The Korean Culture and Information Service announced on Thursday that it had published an English-language guidebook for foreigners staying in South Korea titled “While in Korea.” “This book contains essential information for those living in Korea so that it may help longterm foreign residents in Korea settle,” a KCIS official said in a statement. The 70-page book contains practical information such as how to get mobile phone service and open bank accounts in Korea. I

CultureSept. 5, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

‘Starry Starry Night’ Package at Seoul Dragon City Hotel-plex Hotel Seoul Dragon City offers the Starry Starry Night package for couples hoping to spend a romantic staycation. The package includes a one-night stay, Fantini Gran Cuvee Bianco Swarovski (Italian sparkling wine) with a crystal embedded on the bottle and dessert as room service. Only 10,000 bottles of this particular wine are produced each year. The package starts at 236,500 won for the Grand Mercure Ambassador Hotel

FoodSept. 4, 2020

Indonesian visual art talks about war, peace in Seoul

Indonesian visual artist Eko Nugroho is holding his second solo exhibition in Korea at Arario Gallery Seoul, showcasing 20 works of embroidered paintings and acrylic paintings anchored in Indonesian traditions. The exhibition, “Lost in Parody,” presents largescale embroidered works measured over 4.5 meters in length which were produced using traditional embroidery techniques and batik, a traditional method of dyeing textiles. Nugroho has been making embroidered paintings since 2

Arts & DesignSept. 3, 2020

Seoul Drama Awards to go without audience, behind closed doors

This year’s Seoul International Drama Awards will go ahead without any audience, including the nominees, award presenters and guests. In accordance with the government’s “Level 2.5” social distancing measure currently placed over the Seoul area, the 15th edition of the television drama awards will be taking a different format, the event’s organizing committee announced Thursday. The organizers will personally be delivering the trophies to both the local and over

TelevisionSept. 3, 2020