[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Sip coffee at Grand InterContinental Seoul Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas’ Grand Deli is to present its original coffee selection through its private brand D’Gold. D’Gold coffee bean blends have been carefully selected by the hotel’s chief barista, creating a balance between premium beans from Brazil, Ethiopia and Costa Rica. The medium body coffee is enjoyed best as iced Americano or as iced latte. D’Gold is available at Grand Deli and costs 7,500 won for A

FoodApril 24, 2020

British artist with styles of van Gogh unveils kinetic paintings in Seoul

Billy Childish, a painter who hails from the UK, opened his first solo exhibition in Seoul at Lehman Maupin in Jongno, central Seoul. The works of Childish remind that of Expressionism painters in the early 20th century, chracterized with strong brush strokes and vivid colors, Titled “Wolves, Sunsets and the Self,” the exhibition runs until June 27, featuring seven new paintings by the artist. His paintings, which look as if they are alive, come from the artist’s unique meth

Arts & DesignApril 24, 2020

Pianist Cho Seong-jin’s recital to be streamed on YouTube

Pianist Cho Seong-jin will share his solo recital with the global audiences online from Berlin. According to label Deutsche Grammophon, Cho’s solo recital will be held at the Meistersaal, a historic concert hall in Berlin. The recital, conducted without the actual presence of audiences, will be streamed via DG’s YouTube channel on Saturday.  The exact program has not been revealed yet, but will include works from his upcoming album, and often presented repertoires. The re

PerformanceApril 24, 2020

Royal Tomb of King Sejong welcomes visitors 2 years after restoration

Royal Tomb of King Sejong will partially open in May to the public, two years after restoration, the Cultural Heritage Administration, in charge of the tomb management, said Friday. The tomb, located in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, was built for the Joseon era’s fourth King Sejong and Queen Soheon. Entrance to the historic site was temporarily shut down since November 2017 for restoration.  Although visitors are allowed to tour the royal tomb, other historic sites near the tomb, incl

CultureApril 24, 2020

Looking back on 50 years, Gallery Hyundai ready to leap forward

Gallery Hyundai, one of the representative commercial art galleries in Korea, is holding a special exhibition to commemorate its 50th anniversary, showcasing major works of art once displayed at the gallery over the past half century. The special exhibition runs in two phases for three months at the gallery located in Jongno, central Seoul. The first part, unveiled through an online preview on the gallery’s website, will run until May 31 and features some 70 masterpieces by 40 contempor

Arts & DesignApril 23, 2020

Catholic churches in Seoul resume public Masses

Catholic churches in Seoul on Thursday held their first Masses in about two months as South Korea is preparing to go back to normal, months after the start of the coronavirus outbreak. Some 150 people participated in a Mass held at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul starting at 10 a.m. Wearing face masks, they sat at intervals of one or two meters. It was one of the first Catholic services held since the Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul, the biggest in South Korea with 1.52 million followers,

CultureApril 23, 2020

[Herald Interview] Cho Seong-jin returns as ‘Wanderer’

Pianist Cho Seong-jin, 26, is due to release a new album titled “The Wanderer” on May 8. As the fourth album to be released under the Deutsche Grammophon label, it includes Schubert’s Fantasy in C major, D, 760, known as the Wanderer Fantasy; Berg’s Piano Sonata, Op. 1; and Liszt’s Piano Sonata in B minor, S 178.   The central work in the album -- as is hinted in the title -- is the Wanderer Fantasy written by Franz Schubert in 1822. The piano sonata is known

PerformanceApril 23, 2020

Netflix partners with ‘Train to Busan’ director on new series

Global entertainment giant Netflix is teaming up with star film director Yeon Sang-ho for the serial adaptation of the webtoon “Hellbound” (working title). Netflix on Thursday announced that the upcoming series, based on an eponymous South Korean webcomic, will be helmed by Yeon, who directed the megahit zombie flick “Train to Busan” in 2016 and its sequel “Peninsula,” due out this summer. The webcomic, which currently runs on portal site Naver, is the resu

TelevisionApril 23, 2020

T1 and GenG to play in LCK finals on Saturday

After a 3-1 victory against DragonX on Wednesday, T1 has punched its way to the LCK finals to play against GenG on Saturday, marking the two teams’ first clash in the domestic finals in seven years. While the playoffs were conducted online, the LCK 2020 Spring Finals best-of-five will see T1 and GenG battling for the prize money of 100 million won ($81,000) at LoL Park in Jongno, central Seoul, starting at 5 p.m. Saturday. The teams will be playing to an otherwise empty venue, with no au

CultureApril 23, 2020

Musicals, theatrical plays resume on softened social distancing

Some blockbuster musicals and theatrical plays, which have been on hold for weeks due to the novel coronavirus epidemic, have resumed onstage performances as social distancing guidelines were eased in South Korea. The musical "The Phantom of the Opera," which has been suspended since April 1 as two of its cast members were confirmed with COVID-19, will reopen its Seoul run from Thursday at Blue Square Interpark Hall in central Seoul. "We've checked health conditions of our acto

PerformanceApril 23, 2020

Running crews in Hangang Park and COVID-19

Runners were present on the tracks along the Han River on Tuesday despite the strong wind and the coronavirus pandemic. Since spring arrived last week, hundreds of runners have filled Han River Park. Running crews at the park mostly consist of people in their late 20s to mid-30s who must apply to join, but some crews are open to anyone. Members gather two to three evenings a week to run together, but many running crews took a winter break -- one that was prolonged this year with the spread of

CultureApril 23, 2020

[Herald Interview] ‘The Hill of Wind,’ personal yet inclusive story

What is left to a middle-aged married woman in modern Korean society when her various titles -- mother, wife and a daughter-in-law -- are removed? Perhaps this is where the film “The Hill of Wind” starts from, director Park Suk-young told The Korea Herald during an interview held Tuesday in Seoul. “The Hill of Wind” tells the story of two women, a mother and her daughter, but it’s not a family film. The film starts with Yeong-bun, played by actress Jung Eun-kyung

FilmApril 22, 2020

Cinemas rent out theaters for events

As the number of moviegoers hit a record low number not seen in decades last month, cinemas are hosting events in which they rent out the theaters for a fraction of regular rental fees. On Monday, Megabox announced an event in which individuals can rent movie theaters for private screenings. Each of the 47 Megabox branches will have a screen set aside for the event, with each theater accommodating a maximum of 15 people at a price of 100,000 won ($81) or 10 people for the boutique suite that b

FilmApril 22, 2020

Dr. Lee, pioneer of Korean ‘Techno-trot,’ comes back

Dr. Lee, a pioneer of Korean “Techno-trot,” is making a comeback. Lee Yong-seok, also known as Monkey Magic or Epaksa, was born in 1954 and widely regarded as a leading figure concerning the fusion music genre that was popular in the 1990s and early 2000s.  While some people downplay his trot music with speedy tempo, experts have a different idea. Jeong Jae-hoon, CEO of Big Daddy Entertainment, who has arranged the comeback of Dr. Lee, said the singer added a new page to the h

PerformanceApril 22, 2020

Pengsoo takes No.1 spot on local music charts

Pengsoo, the popular costumed penguin character from educational TV channel EBS, took the top place on local music charts with the recently released song “This is Pengsoo.” The song, released at 9 a.m. Tuesday for local streaming charts such as Melon, Genie and Bugs, is part of Pengsoo’s first digital single album, titled “Billboard Project Vol. 1.” Pengsoo collaborated with rapper Tiger JK for the release. Hip-hop artists Bizzy, Bibi and Tiger JK all participated

TelevisionApril 22, 2020

Korea signs WIPO Beijing Treaty to protect Hallyu artists’ rights

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Wednesday that South Korea has become a signatory to the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performance. Since the treaty deals with performers’ intellectual property rights, the ministry expects it to benefit celebrities leading the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, such as K-pop boy band BTS, show presenter Yoo Jae-suk and actress Jun Ji-hyun. The Beijing Treaty was adopted June 24, 2012, and will

CultureApril 22, 2020

Remakes of S. Korean TV shows gain popularity in US, Europe

In a reality singing competition television series on Fox, celebrities in extravagant costumes and face masks perform a cover of a famous song, while the audience and panelists who don't know the identity of the singers vote for their favorite. This is the basic format of "The Masked Singer," a US adaptation of the Korean show "King of Mask Singer" by MBC. It has gained huge popularity since its first season made its US debut in January last year. Its third season premiere

TelevisionApril 22, 2020

[News Focus] Conservative cable TV channels get renewed licenses – and a warning

Korea’s communications watchdog renewed the licenses for TV Chosun and Channel A, but attached the condition they maintain fairness and objectivity standards in broadcasting. The Korea Communications Commission on Monday renewed the licenses for the two general-programming cable TV channels just a day ahead of their due expiration. With the renewed licenses, Channel A, run by Dong-A Ilbo, a daily newspaper, can operate for four more years, while TV Chosun, run by Chosun Ilbo, can operat

TelevisionApril 21, 2020

Son Heung-min, other athletes provide indoor exercise videos

The English Premier League’s Son Heung-min and a number of national team athletes are working with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to provide exercises that people can do at home. The “Week of Sports,” which falls on the last week of April, will be marked online this year due to the spread of COVID-19. In honor of the Week of Sports, Son Heung-min shared simple exercises to do at home using a soccer ball that can be viewed online at the National fitness Award (nf

CultureApril 21, 2020

Kim Sun-wook’s concerts canceled, Sunwoo Yekwon on track for May shows

Though the performing arts scene has been gearing up to get back into the groove as the number of COVID-19 cases drops, concerts remain canceled in April. Pianist Kim Sun-wook’s concerts with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra in April have been canceled. Kim, a Beethoven specialist, was to perform with the SPO on April 24 at the Lotte Concert Hall in eastern Seoul.   The program was to include Haydn’s Symphony No. 102 in B flat major Hob. I: 102, Beethoven’s Piano Concer

PerformanceApril 21, 2020