SPO shares plans for 2020

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s new music director Osmo Vanska will work up a wide repertoire next year, with his signature Mahler and Sibelius being prominently featured among the SPO’s 38 presentations in the 2020 season.The expert of Mahler and Sibelius, appointed as the SPO’s music director in May, will lead six presentations next year upon kicking off his three-year tenure in January. At the inaugural concert on Feb. 14-15, the conductor will present Mahler’s Symp

PerformanceNov. 17, 2019

BTS records $116.6m in sales from 'Love Yourself: Speak Yourself' tour

K-pop superstars BTS clinched $116.6 million in sales through its sensational "Love Yourself: Speak Yourself" world tour, Billboard said Friday.Under the globe-trotting concert tour, BTS staged 20 performances in 10 cities in North and South America, Europe, Japan, Saudi Arabia and finally in South Korea through May to October.  Through the tour, BTS sold a total of 976,283 tickets, averaging 48,814 ticket sales worth $5.8 million per concert, according to figures from Billboard B

PerformanceNov. 15, 2019

Namsangol Hanok Village incorporates modern artifacts inspired by Korean traditional themes

The exhibition “Hang in Hanok” at Namsangol Hanok Village shows how the traditional Korean village incorporates contemporary works of art that its artifacts have inspired. The project, co-organized by Namsangol Hanok Village and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, consists of four Korean traditional themes: hanbok (traditional Korean garments), scrolls, lamps and scenery.  The modern artifacts based on these themes were designed by four designers and two art institutes. Installat

Arts & DesignNov. 15, 2019

Indie publishers seek synergy at annual book festival

Unlimited Edition 11, the 2019 Seoul Art Book Fair, kicked off Friday at the Seoul Museum of Art, giving indie publishers and small publishers throughout the country a chance to gain exposure at the largest annual book festival for small and indie publishers in South Korea. Unlimited Edition was launched in 2009 and has grown into the largest book fair of its kind in Korea, attracting more than 2,100 visitors last year. A total of 220 teams of writers, book illustrators and local bookstores are

BooksNov. 15, 2019

Essays from Sahara trekking trails

“Walking Through Sahara”By Ju Hyung-won(Nike Books) Not everyone gets a chance to visit the Sahara Desert. But a writer who has done it in an Antoine de Saint-Exupery-inspired expedition of a lifetime, says we may all be crossing our own desert of life. Writer Ju Hyung-won booked an air ticket to Morocco on the spur of the moment, after reading Saint-Exupery’s philosophical memoir “Terre des Hommes” or “Wind, Sand and Stars.” Her latest book, “Walk

BooksNov. 15, 2019

[Eye Plus] A stroll through Korea’s naval history

Since the early history of the Korean Peninsula, the Han River has served as a strategic waterway and was the center of a power struggle among the Three Kingdoms of Baekje, Silla and Goguryeo.It was also near its banks that Joseon-era kings visited to observe the training of the nation’s Navy.Seoul Battleship Park, located on the river’s northern bank in Mapo-gu, is the first shipbuilding theme park in Seoul, providing an ideal destination for family outings.The 9,952-square-meter ar

TravelNov. 15, 2019

Health-conscious brews at Oga Teahouse

Sequestered on the basement floor of a building near Posco Center in Seoul’s Daechi-dong, Oga Teahouse is a personal haven for manager Oh Ki-hwan. Oh, who runs this Korean teahouse with his mother, turned to herbal remedies when he found himself burned out from work. Herbal medicine was not unfamiliar to Oh, whose grandfather was a doctor of traditional Asian medicine. “We always had licorice root around,” he said.Oh, 44, recalls sucking on the bark-like root and how sweet it t

FoodNov. 15, 2019

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Winter packages at Park Hyatt SeoulPark Hyatt Seoul is offering special promotions for winter vacationers as well as those planning year-end gatherings. The “Winter at Park” package offers a 20 percent discount for all food and beverage in the hotel and those who book suites will receive a bottle of red wine and voucher for the sauna. A separate promotion for year-end gatherings is available for events with eight to 60 guests. Prices vary depending on the options. For inquires and re

FoodNov. 15, 2019

[Weekender] Busan’s delectable fare

SEOUL/BUSAN -- From fresh seafood to street snacks, Busan is a city of many delectable delights. That’s why it was chosen as the top travel destination for foodies in a 2017 survey by the Korea Tourism Organization. Busan’s culinary heritage was shaped by the Korean War, during which the city -- serving as the country’s provincial capital -- saw a massive influx of war refugees. Some of its most iconic delicacies were adaptations of dishes from other regions -- mainly North Kor

FoodNov. 15, 2019

[Weekender] Busan beckons

There are many reasons to love Busan -- the cobalt blue sea, milder weather, delectable food, ultraconvenient mega shopping malls and jaw-dropping oceanfront skyscrapers. The picturesque Gwangan Bridge and the skyline full of luxurious skyscrapers along Haeundae Beach give a stunning first impression, similar to those of other maritime cities such as Hong Kong and Singapore. But if there’s one thing that sets South Korea’s second-largest city of 3.4 million apart from other tourist d

TravelNov. 15, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Divine Move 2: The Wrathful(Korea)Opened Nov. 7Crime, ActionDirected by Lee KhanA boy who is all alone in the world stumbles across a man named Heo Il-do (Kim Sung-kyun), who trains him as a Go player to facilitate his high-stakes gambling scams. The boy, later known as “Gwi-soo” (Kwon Sang-woo), grows up to be a masterful Go player with a vengeful heart and he hunts down those who have wronged him, including the nation’s best professional Go player, whose actions led to th

FilmNov. 15, 2019

[Travel Bits] Festivals and sights across Korea

Chrysanthemum Exhibition of the Garden of Morning Calm Visitors to the Chrysanthemum Exhibition can enjoy the blazing fall foliage of nearby Chungnyeongsan and the golden waves created by the pine trees, as well as the myriad fully bloomed chrysanthemums covering just about every corner of the 330,000-square-meter outdoor garden. The festival runs through Nov. 24 and is open to visitors of all ages.For more information in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese, visit www.morningcalm.co.kr.Seoul La

TravelNov. 15, 2019

Shopping for herring: Marketplaces in Busan

Busan’s vitality is best captured in markets BUSAN -- The port city of Busan has long been a hub for exports and imports. While it relinquished its status as a gateway city to Incheon long ago, it is still a place where one can find a variety of products from in and out of the country. This has given rise to a number of large markets that draw not just merchants and shoppers but tourists too. Here are some of the markets worth visiting in Busan.Jagalchi MarketOne of the most well-known fis

TravelNov. 15, 2019

Mamamoo drops 2nd full-length album, 'reality in BLACK'

Roaring four-piece K-pop girl band Mamamoo dropped its second full-length album, "reality in BLACK," Thursday, returning to smash the music scene.     The 11-track album, the group's first full-length since "Melting" nearly four years ago, is fronted by brassy, girl-crush number, "HIP," but also carries the band's signature soulful vocal works.      With "HIP," the vocals-oriented band threw away their hand-held microphon

PerformanceNov. 14, 2019

[EYE] A treasure house of antique books

On the bustling main street of Insa-dong -- which once symbolized Korean traditional culture, but is now crowded with souvenir shops -- visitors nonchalantly pass by a store that holds centuries-old treasures.Tongmunkwan, the oldest bookstore in South Korea, keeps its door closed most of the time.  Stepping inside, one is instantly overwhelmed by its massive collection of antique books, stacked from floor to ceiling, and the thick smell of old volumes. The oldest here is from the late Gorye

CultureNov. 14, 2019

Directors, producer of ‘Frozen 2’ to visit Korea

The creative minds behind the highly anticipated sequel to hit Disney animation “Frozen” (2013) will visit Korea later this month. Walt Disney Co. Korea on Monday announced that directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, producer Peter Del Vecho and animation supervisor Lee Hyun-min of “Frozen 2” will visit Korea from Nov. 25-26 to meet with fans of the film.  They are expected to take part in a press conference, a showcase and other events to promote the film, though de

FilmNov. 14, 2019

[Herald Review] Cellist-turned-conductor brings Norwegian trolls to Seoul

As Peer Gynt enters the hall of the mountain king, he is scared yet fascinated by the sight of trolls. Peer Gynt stands before the king and the trolls roar in harmony, creating echoes throughout the hall. On Wednesday night, cellist-turned-conductor Chang Han-na and the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra turned the concert hall at the Seoul Arts Center into the mountain king’s hall. They presented the Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, a collection of compositions conceived by Norwegian maestro Edvard Greig

PerformanceNov. 14, 2019

Michelin reveals new starred restaurants in Seoul

Michelin Guide Seoul’s fourth edition was released Thursday at Vista Walkerhill Seoul, despite suspected meddling with the selection process. Highly acclaimed Korean fine-dining restaurants Gaon and La Yeon kept their three Michelin stars, maintaining their stars since the Seoul guide was first published four years ago.  A total of 31 restaurants received at least one star this year.There was no new addition to the three-star list. However, two new restaurants made it to the two-star

FoodNov. 14, 2019

BLACKPINK makes Time magazine's newly launched '100 Next' list

K-pop girl band BLACKPINK has made it to "Time 100 Next," a list of 100 rising stars, launched this year by Time magazine, its website showed Thursday. "BLACKPINK's star may still be rising in the US, but on YouTube, it reigns supreme: the foursome -- a.k.a. Jisoo, Jennie, Rose and Lisa -- has 31 million subscribers, more than any other music group in the world," the website said.  "This year, BLACKPINK also became the first K-pop girl group to perform at Coachella,

PerformanceNov. 14, 2019

[Contribution] ‘Seoul awakens your soul’

Once, someone asked me the reason I fell in love with South Korea. Well, falling in love is not something rational, but I do give it a thought. I came to the conclusion that it is both our differences and similarities that attract me to the country. When I first landed at Incheon International Airport, I had two contrasting feelings. While Korea mirrored my expectations I sensed like I was thrown into an alien world. Instantly, I also realized that I am too loud for Korea -- a mountain girl who

TravelNov. 13, 2019