Seoul to further boost content, 'hallyu' in 2020 after BTS, 'Parasite' win big

After historic global successes by South Korean movie "Parasite" and K-pop band BTS, South Korea will focus on further nurturing local creativity and the global sales of Korean cultural content in 2020, the culture ministry said Thursday. To meet the policy direction, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will pour a total of 1.69 trillion won ($1.42 billion) into assistance funds to help local content creators better finance their projects, including an 80 billion-won venture

CultureMarch 5, 2020

Coronavirus hits Korea‘s gaming scene

As the number of people infected by the novel coronavirus increases daily, the gaming scene in Korea is suffering -- especially esports. The most popular esports league in Korea, the 2020 League of Legends Champions Korea decided on Tuesday to postpone the start of the second round-robin event for the spring season, following the first, initially held without spectators to prevent the spread of new coronavirus. “2020 Woori Bank LCK Spring has decided to take a temporary break from the fi

CultureMarch 4, 2020

TIMF 2020 canceled over virus outbreak

This year’s Tongyeong International Music Festival, one of Korea’s biggest classical music events, has been canceled amid the rapid spread of COVID-19. This year, the annual music festival that takes place in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, was to be held from March 27 to April 5 under the theme of “Reality,” featuring 26 main performances and 363 artists from 23 countries.  Although the festival had set off to a robust start with five of its programs sold

PerformanceMarch 4, 2020

Culture minister urges churches in Korea to halt gatherings amid coronavirus spread

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Tuesday urged Protestant churches in South Korea to halt gatherings as the novel coronavirus continues to spread. Culture Minister Park Yang-woo on Tuesday visited the central office of the United Christian Churches of Korea in Jongno, central Seoul, to ask the organization’s head, Kim Tae-young, for active cooperation. He emphasized that now was a crucial moment in the effort to stem the spread of COVID-19. Park also expressed gratitude

CultureMarch 4, 2020

Cabin fever sets in for those in isolation for coronavirus

A 32-year-old librarian in Gumi-dong, Gyeonggi Province, who is expecting a baby in May, has not left her house for four days. Her daughter, 4, has been home all day since her day care center shut down due to the COVID-19 outbreak. “I am pregnant so I am very cautious about the ongoing situation, and there is no place for my first child to play these days. ... It is really stressful for me and my daughter,” the woman said. “Over the past four days, a 15-minute walk to the groc

CultureMarch 3, 2020

Luxury hotels hit by ‘Korea phobia’

High-end hotels in Korea are struggling with the COVID-19 outbreak, as guests cancel stays on concerns over possible viral infection. Five-star hotels in Seoul are experiencing a rapid drop in occupancy rate, with locals canceling their staycation plans and foreign business travelers canceling business trips. Various events and meetings held at large-sized hotels are also being canceled or postponed.  Local hotel franchise Lotte Hotels & Resorts -- with properties in Seoul highly po

CultureMarch 3, 2020

Maestro Chung Myung-whun in home quarantine

Maestro Chung Myung-whun has canceled performances in Italy after going into home quarantine in France upon returning from a trip to Tokyo. Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, based in the Italian city of Florence, announced that Daniele Gatti, music director of Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, would conduct the orchestra’s Saturday concert instead of Chung. Chung was to lead the orchestra in a performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor on Saturday. The orchestra exp

PerformanceMarch 3, 2020

'Baby Shark Dance' second most viewed video on YouTube

The English version of the “Baby Shark Dance” video overtook Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” to become the second most viewed video on YouTube on Monday. South Korea’s children’s educational brand Pinkfong’s “Baby Shark Dance” video sits at 4.67 billion views over Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” which has 4.64 billion views as of 10 a.m. on Tuesday. The most viewed video on YouTube remains Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi&rsq

CultureMarch 3, 2020

Korean animation ‘Underdog’ to open in France

South Korea’s hit animation “Underdog” will be screened in France next month under the title “Nous, Les Chiens,” according to the film’s producer-distributor NEW. “The picture’s time-transcending style will bring joy to both adults and children,” The Jokers, which is releasing the film in France, was quoted as saying by NEW. The company also distributed the Korean film “Parasite” in France. The 2018 feature animation “Und

FilmMarch 3, 2020

Entertainment industry braces for spread of coronavirus

The entertainment industry is bracing for a possible spread of the novel coronavirus infection, after two people who attended Milan Fashion Week tested positive for the virus. K-pop singer Chungha went into self-quarantine after two staff members who accompanied her on the Milan trip were confirmed with COVID-19 upon returning from Italy on Feb. 24, the singer’s agency MNH Entertainment said Sunday. One of the staff on the Milan trip was confirmed with COVID-19 after reporting a fever.

Arts & DesignMarch 2, 2020

Hop aboard the DMZ Peace Train

DMZ Peace Train Music Festival 2020 will be held June 12-14, across Seoul and near the Demilitarized Zone that separates the two Koreas. Launched in 2018, the popular music festival takes place at five venues in Seoul and near the Demilitarized Zone in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, promoting peace between South Korea and North Korea.  As in previous editions, the festival will feature Goseokjeong, a pavilion in Cheorwon, as the main venue, and will welcome a diverse selection of musicians

PerformanceMarch 2, 2020

[Newsmaker] Shincheonji founder Lee Man-hee refuses to answer question about eternal life

Shincheonji founder Lee Man-hee, the figure at the center of the spread of COVID-19 in Korea, refused to answer a question about eternal life, concerning a claim he is said to have made to his believers, during a press briefing held in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. As of 4 p.m. on Monday, the number of novel coronavirus patients had jumped to 4,335 in Korea with more than half of the patients either Shincheonji Church of Jesus followers or those who had contact with them. Before the

CultureMarch 2, 2020

[Herald Interview] National Library of Korea expands space for digital content creators

When National Library of Korea Chief Executive Suh Hye-ran, 65, took office in August, one of the first things she did was expand the media center for digital content creators. “We used to have three booths for creating media content. Now we have more than 10,” Suh said during a recent interview with The Korea Herald at the National Library of Korea in Seoul. “We also created a Maker Space at the National Library for Children and Young Adults,” Suh added. Maker Space

CultureMarch 2, 2020

[Graphic News] Coffee market grows 2.2%

　The South Korean market for coffee drinks expanded more than 2 percent in 2019 thanks mainly to strong sales of bottled products, a market tracker said. 　Sales of coffee drinks came to 1.32 trillion won ($1.1 billion) last year, up 2.2 percent from the previous year, according to Nielsen Korea. 　Shipments of bottled coffee drinks shot up 60.1 percent on-year to 185.8 billion won in 2019, leading the overall market growth. 　In contrast, sales of canned products shrank 6.1 percent on-year

FoodMarch 1, 2020

[Feature] Paik Nam-june gets renewed interest at home

In early January, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) announced that it would hold an archival exhibition of Paik Nam-june, a Korean-born avant-garde artist and pioneer of video art. The date of the exhibition, which the museum said would be the largest of its kind, however, has yet to be set. The announcement came as Paik Nam-june, who died in 2006, has come to the spotlight recently with a retrospective exhibition embarking on a tour of renowned museums in the

Arts & DesignMarch 1, 2020

Korean films continue winning streak at international film festivals

Korean films continue making history at the three big prestigious film festivals-- Berlin, Cannes and Venice. South Korean director Hong Sang-soo on Saturday in Berlin won best director at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival for “The Woman Who Ran.” Last year, director Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” won the country’s first Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. It might seem like the country’s films have become the toast of the town in the

FilmMarch 1, 2020

Number of moviegoers hits 16-year low in Feb. over coronavirus fears

The number of moviegoers in South Korea last month dropped to its lowest level for a February in 16 years, as people stayed home over growing fears of the novel coronavirus. According to the Korean Film Council on Sunday, just over 7.34 million people went to the movies in February, the lowest for the month since 3.11 million watched films in February 2004. In February 2019, almost 22.3 million tickets were sold across the nation. The outbreak of the coronavirus in South Korea and the recent

FilmMarch 1, 2020

Hong Sang-soo wins best director at Berlin film fest for 'The Woman Who Ran'

Renowned South Korean director Hong Sang-soo on Saturday (Berlin time) won best director at the Berlin International Film Festival for his latest film, "The Woman Who Ran." At the awards ceremony held at Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin, the director's 24th feature film was awarded the Silver Bear prize for best director at the 70th edition of the Berlin film fest, which kicked off Feb. 20 and closes Sunday. Hong is the second South Korean filmmaker to earn the prize in the category,

FilmMarch 1, 2020

Park Seo-jun talks about ‘Itaewon Class,’ cancellation of pop-up bar plan

Owing to the nationwide COVID-19 outbreak, actor Park Seo-jun said he would have to cancel the pop-up bar he had promised to open if the drama series “Itaewon Class” succeeded to reach a 10 percent viewership rating. “I will try to find some other way to express our gratitude. I had not expected this situation when I had made the promise. Although promises are important, I believe it is more important that the (COVID-19) situation gets better,” Park, who plays the lead

TelevisionFeb. 28, 2020

Green Day pushes back dates for Asian tour

Green Day has postponed its Seoul show originally slated for March due to mounting fears over the coronavirus outbreak. The American rock band is pushing back the dates for the Asian leg of its “Hella Mega” tour, including the March 22 show in Seoul, local organizer Live Nation Korea said in a statement on Friday. The band was to return to Korea in more than a decade, since its last concert here in January 2010. “Unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to pos

PerformanceFeb. 28, 2020