Show must go on -- even if it means waiting extra two weeks

Overseas-based artists are continuing to perform onstage in Korea, even if it means going through the two-week self-quarantine periods. Though rules on overseas travel have lately been relaxed -- allowing essential overseas trips -- still, crossing borders at a time like this is not easy. Many performances across the world have been canceled, with artists unable to travel around the way they used to. Here in Korea, some performances with foreign artists are carrying on, as the artists have b

PerformanceJuly 3, 2020

Virus-hit performing arts scene faces grim prospects for H2

The South Korean performing arts sector has gradually returned to life after a monthslong slump, but the lingering novel coronavirus pandemic is casting a dark cloud over the scene for the remainder of 2020. According to the Korea Performing Arts Box Office Information System (KOPIS) on Thursday, aggregate ticket sales of musicals, theatrical plays, classical concerts and other performances reached 95.24 billion won ($79.3 million) in the first six months of the year. The system is managed by

PerformanceJuly 3, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Revitalizing meal at Park Hyatt Seoul Park Hyatt Seoul’s The Lounge presents a set meal inspired by Korea’s seasonal tradition of revitalizing summer “boyangsik” dishes. Comprising five courses, the dinner set features nourishing ingredients, including Korean-grown deodeok root, chicken and abalone. The course meal will be finished off with a unique dessert course, a reinterpretation of traditional snacks from sweet red bean jelly, mugwort mousse to soybean flour crumb

FoodJuly 3, 2020

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Singer (Korea) Opened July 1 Drama, Musical Directed by Cho Jung-lae In 1734 , a talented pansori singer -- sorikkun -- Shim Hak-gyu (Lee Bong-geun) sets on a journey to find his wife Gan-nan (Lee Yu-ri) who was kidnapped by a notorious group of human traffickers. Hak-gyu and his daughter Cheong is joined by drummer Dae-bong (Park Chul-min), an impoverished aristocrat (Kim Dong-wan) and a few more supporters, and the band travels around the country, moving from village to village as Hak-gy

FilmJuly 3, 2020

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Goyang Street Arts Festival Goyang Street Arts Festival allows festivalgoers a chance to see performances ranging from underwater dance, midair performances to fireworks show all in one place. The festival, organized by the Goyang Cultural Foundation, will be held at Lake Park in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, an hour’s drive west of Seoul, from Sept. 24-27. For more information in Korean, visit www.gylaf.kr. Call the travel hotline at 1330 for help in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese.

TravelJuly 3, 2020

Summit takes place on submarine in ‘Steel Rain 2’

The lead actors of 2017 film “Steel Rain,” Jung Woo-sung and Kwak Do-won, flip their roles in the upcoming “complementary sequel” to the first movie, as put by the director of both films Yang Woo-seok. Jung, who previously played a North Korean special agent, takes up the role of the South Korean president, and Kwak, a presidential secretary of the South in the first film, becomes the North Korean regime’s chief of security. With Yoo Yeon-seok playing the North

FilmJuly 2, 2020

Nana throws hat ‘Into the Ring’

Singer-turned-actor takes on her first lead role in a romantic comedy with new KBS drama “Into the Ring.” Im Jin-ah, who goes by the stage name Nana, plays the role of Sera, who decides to give up on looking for a job and finds herself a spot on the local assembly. Park Sung-hoon plays Nana’s counterpart, Seo Gong-myung, an elite public servant at a local district office who goes on to team up with Sera and punish the corrupt politicians around them. The two actors and the T

TelevisionJuly 2, 2020

Catholic archdiocese in Gwangju suspends on-site Masses

The Catholic archdiocese in the southwestern city of Gwangju has decided to put off public masses due to a recent resurgence in novel coronavirus infections in the region. "As part of concerted efforts to prevent further infections and join the government-led precautionary measures, the diocese will suspend Masses and gatherings in parishes and institutions within Gwangju until second-level social distancing ends," the Catholic Archdiocese of Gwangju said in a message posted online o

CultureJuly 2, 2020

[The Arts and COVID-19] Turning adversity into opportunity

Sometimes a crisis turns into an opportunity. When COVID-19 began to spread across the country, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) quickly moved online in March, grabbing global attention for its digital content. More than 3,000 people viewed the museum‘s first live-streamed exhibition, its first calligraphy-only exhibition in its 51-year history, on the museum’s YouTube channel. “The Modern and Contemporary Korean Writing,” a 80-minute cur

Arts & DesignJuly 1, 2020

Gwangju Uprising: 40th anniversary, missing 4 hours

At around 1 p.m. on May 21, 1980, some 200 protestors stood in front of the South Jeolla Provincial Office building in Gwangju, confronting armed soldiers. With the sound of the national anthem as the signal, the military, from both the ground and air, opened fire on the civilians. Only a picture of a wounded protestor being pulled away on the street remains from that afternoon, during which 54 civilians were killed. No one -- not even journalists, local or foreign, who reported about the Gwan

FilmJuly 1, 2020

How do you promote Korean culture post-COVID-19?

The Korean Academic Society for Public Relations on Wednesday held a symposium to discuss promoting Korean culture in the post COVID-19 era. The event was sponsored by the Korean Culture and Information Service. “Next year is the 50th anniversary of the establishment of KOCIS. It is meaningful to have discussions like this at this time,” said Choi Yoon-hee, second vice minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. During the talk, Eulji University’s public rela

CultureJuly 1, 2020

Int’l tour of ‘Cats’ to hit Seoul stage in September

Though the global musical scene has been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the international tour production of “Cats” will go on stage from Sept. 9 to Nov. 8 at the Charlotte Theater in eastern Seoul. 　 “Cats” is a musical created by iconic composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and producer Cameron Mackintosh, inspired by the 1939 poetry collection “Old Possum‘s Book of Practical Cats” by T. S. Eliot. The musical has won numerous awards, including the

PerformanceJuly 1, 2020

Actor Lee Soon-jae’s agency apologizes to former manager but claims exaggeration

Veteran actor Lee Soon-jae’s agency SG Way entertainment released a press statement Wednesday providing details surrounding the firing of his former manager and apologizing to him as the dispute between them continued. The conflict between Lee’s previous road manager and Lee’s agency came to light when SBS aired an interview with the former manager Monday for its evening news segment. According to the report, the manager, who worked for Lee for two months starting March befor

TelevisionJuly 1, 2020

Royal House Cleaning

Staff of the Royal Palaces and Tomb Center’s Gyeongbokgung Palace Management Office clean the interior of Gyeongbokgung’s main hall, Geunjeongjeon, on Monday. The Joseon-period palace is closed to visitors due to the spread of COVID-19. By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com)

CultureJuly 1, 2020

'Parasite' director Bong's interpreter Choi receives prestigious diplomacy award

Choi Sung-jae, known for her eloquent interpretation for director Bong Joon-ho of the Oscar-winning film "Parasite," received an annual diplomacy award in Seoul on Wednesday for her role in enhancing South Korea's national image, foreign ministry officials said. Choi, better known as Sharon Choi, won this year's YoungSan Diplomat Award that the nonprofit Seoul Forum for International Affairs gives to a public official and a civilian each year for their contribution to improving Kore

FilmJuly 1, 2020

'Parasite' cast, crew invited to join academy

The cast and lead crew of director Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning "Parasite" were invited to join the US Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, according to the Hollywood film trade organization on Tuesday (local time). The academy announced on its website that it extended invitations to 819 artists and executives "who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures." Choi Woo-shik, Jang Hye-jin, Jo Yeo-jeong, Lee Jung-eun and Park S

FilmJuly 1, 2020

Dark side of internet broadcasting

Hundreds of people watch as a woman in a livestream takes off her clothes, leaving on nothing but her face mask and underwear. She then tells viewers that in 30 minutes, only those who “donate” 200 kons -- an amount of Popkon TV currency equal to 20,000 won ($16.60) -- will be allowed to join her in the “fan room.” In fan rooms, livestreamers reveal even more of themselves, fulfilling the requests of viewers who pay extra until the platform shuts the room down for viol

CultureJune 30, 2020

Experts talk about Japan breaching promise to honor forced labor victims

Experts on Korea and Japan relations, novelist Han Su-san and political science professor Yuji Hosaka on Monday discussed the issue of Japan breaching its promise to honor forced laborers at historic industrial sites, including Hashima Island. Hosaka is currently a political science professor at Sejong University and Han is a well-known author whose works include “Crow” and “Hashima Island,” novels based on the true stories of forced laborers during the 1910-45 Japanes

CultureJune 30, 2020

Webtoon ‘The Sound of Your Heart’ ends in 14 years

South Korea’s longest running webcomic series “The Sound of Your Heart” by illustrator Cho Seok has come to an end after 14 years. Officially launched on internet portal Naver’s webtoon platform on Sept. 8, 2006, the webcomic -- known as “The Sound of Heart” in Korean -- ended Tuesday with its 1229th episode. “I feel lucky to be able to feel ‘done’ with the comic,” the 37-year-old cartoonist said in the final episode, adding words o

CartoonJune 30, 2020

[Best Brand] Promising designer Ye Myung-ji inspired by Korean traditional ornaments, birth of universe

JEWELRY YEMYUNGJI Jewelry brand Yemyungji is coming to prominence on the global stage with unique design collections that reflect traditional Korean ornaments and the birth of the universe. Founded by designer Ye Myung-ji in 1998, the jewelry brand has established its uniqueness, showcasing signature design collections such as “Line,” “Space,” “Mineral,” and “Tradition” inspired by the nature, tradition and universe. Ye reinterpreted Korea&r

Arts & DesignJune 30, 2020