[Herald Interview] Kisum gets ready to make her ‘Musik’ heard

Hip-hop artist Cho Hye-ryung, better known by her stage name Kisum, released her second EP “Musik” at midnight on Wednesday.　“Musik,” which is Kisum spelled backwards, consists of five tracks – the two lead tracks “No Jam (Boring)” and “Ocktabbang (Rooftop house),” “2 Beer,” “Freedom”  and “Cover Up.” She wrote all the lyrics while collaborating on the music, marking the first time she participated in composing.Rapper Kisum (Mapps Entertainment)　It was not as a musician that she first gained pub

PerformanceJune 23, 2016

With new chairman, Busan Film Fest pushes on in fight for autonomy

The leaders of the Busan International Film Festival, Asia’s largest film festival which has been mired in a turbulent battle for autonomy over the past two years, said they will strive to officially secure the festival’s full independence before its 21st installment set for this October. 　Kim Dong-ho, who was appointed BIFF’s chairman on May 24 after former chairman and Busan Mayor Suh Byung-soo stepped down, expressed a firm resolve to make the festival into one that is “operated by filmmakers

FilmJune 23, 2016

Fantastic Film Festival aims to widen scope

The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, now in its 20th year, is hoping to broaden its international scope, organizers said Wednesday. 　 　This year’s festival will screen a record 302 titles -- up 67 from last year -- from 49 different countries. Two new programmers and three program consultants with expertise in Chinese and Southeast Asian films are included among the festival’s organizers to make it more international.　BIFAN aims to “respect the artistic freedom of its participants,

FilmJune 23, 2016

Christo exhibition falls victim to own success

MILAN (AFP) -- Artist Christo’s floating walkway on a northern Italian lake has been closed at night because of wear-and-tear inflicted by the 270,000 visitors who have flocked to see it in less than five days.The 3-kilometer walkway of 200,000 floating cubes covered in orange fabric has proved a major hit with the public since it opened on Lake Iseo on Saturday.But plans to keep “The Floating Piers” open day and night until July 3 have had to be shelved as it is being worn out faster than expec

PerformanceJune 23, 2016

Prime minister calls for more international cultural cooperation

GWANGJU (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Thursday said that the international community should further cultural cooperation since the power of culture can contribute greatly to world unity.“I think the power of culture can go beyond borders, greatly contributing to making the world into one beautiful community,” Hwang said during a speech at the formal opening ceremony for the seventh Asia-Europe Culture Ministers’ Meeting in Gwangju. “So, in that sense, cultural cooperation of the in

CultureJune 23, 2016

Mastering smoothies this summer

With temperatures sizzling, it’s time to break out the blender and start whipping up some frosty, fruity and flavorful smoothies.The beauty of smoothies is that you can add just about anything to them, from kiwi to carrots. And this time of year, there is no shortage of options.Great things to add are seasonal fruits like blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, figs, apricots, peaches, plums and nectarines. Others like to blend veggies into the mix, such as spinach, kale, squash and carrots.Nut

FoodJune 23, 2016

A rare look at Joseon king's funeral

Preparing a funeral for a Joseon king required many steps. 　It took five to seven months to prepare the body for the funeral. It required that the country’s top pungsu -- or Korean geomancy -- experts choose an ideal burial site. And thousands of workers were recruited to construct the tomb and carry the body to the burial site.　Such lesser-known facts about kings’ deaths and the complex funeral procedures of the Joseon era (1392-1910) are revealed at the new exhibition “Royal Tombs of the Joseo

CultureJune 23, 2016

Top trends from Milan menswear shows

MILAN (AFP) - The future of exclusively menswear catwalk shows is in doubt, but the cult of the “see and be seen party” is alive and well.Highlights from the Milan menswear Spring-Summer 2017 fashion shows, which concluded here Tuesday, included Dsquared2 duo Dean and Dan Caten’s bash in their own Ceresio restaurant, which boasts spectacular views of the Milanese skyline.Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana treated the crowds outside their show to glasses of bubbly before hosting their party at Bi

Arts & DesignJune 23, 2016

Upcoming after-work cultural shows at Seoul Plaza

Free cultural performances will be offered at the grass-covered plaza in front of Seoul City Hall from Saturday to September.The Seoul Metropolitan City said on Wednesday it will create a 13-meter-tall stage at the open space for office workers to enjoy cultural activities daily at 7 p.m. (Seoul Metropolitan City)There are likely to be performances across genres including classical music, Korean traditional music, hip-hop and tango, among others. An 80-minute circus parade will take place on Sat

CultureJune 22, 2016

[Herald Interview] Korean conductor Park June-sung wins big at Aram Khachaturian

Germany-based Korean conductor Park June-sung is celebrating his multiple wins at this year’s 12th Aram Khachaturian International Competition, including a joint first place crown for conducting and three additional special prizes.  　Along with sharing his first place win with Miran Vaupotic of Croatia, Park was also awarded the Orchestra Award, Best Interpretation of Aram Khachaturian and the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra Special Prizes during the international competition, which was held in Y

PerformanceJune 22, 2016

Winners of 2016 Young Architects Award unveiled

The Culture Ministry announced five winners of the 2016 Korean Young Architects Award on Wednesday. 　The winners were Kim Hyun-seok of June Architects and architect duos Shin Min-jae and Ahn Kee-hyun of AnLstudio as well as Lee Seung-taek and Lim Mi-jeong of STPMJ Architecture.  Lim Mi-jeong (left) and Lee Seung-taek of STPMJ Architecture (Korea Architects Institute) Shin Min-jae (left) and Ahn Kee-hyun of AnLstudio (Korea Architects Institute)　The prestigious architect award established in 2008

PeopleJune 22, 2016

[Herald Interview] Poetry in a world with no answers

When Brother Anthony was teaching English literature at Sogang University in the 1980s, he would frequent bookstores on weekends -- bookstores that were filled with students of all ages sitting on the floor, reading poetry.　“They expected to find sincerity in poetry,” he told The Korea Herald last Friday in an interview at his office in Seoul, filled to the brim with books and teapots -- Brother Anthony is a renowned Korean tea enthusiast.　“If you’re searching for some kind of in-depth meaning i

BooksJune 22, 2016

Artday to hold June auction

Herald Artday, a subsidiary of Herald Corp., is holding an online auction from June 24-28, presenting major artworks of modern and contemporary Korean artists. The art auction features some 190 artworks of renowned Korean artists, including Young-woo, Kim Jong-hak, Ha Dong-cheol, Oh Chi-gyun, Ahn Chang-hong and Moon Hyeong-tae. Highlights of the auction include an abstract painting made in the early 1970s by the late Kwon Young-woo, who recently emerged as a Dansaekhwa artist, and the snow lands

PerformanceJune 22, 2016

Rolling Stones bringing 'Exhibitionism' to NYC

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Rolling Stones are bringing an exhibit of more than 500 recording and artifacts from the band’s archive to New York City in November.　 “Exhibitionism” was launched in London in April. November will mark the exhibit’s North American debut at the Industria Superstudio in the West Village, it was announced Tuesday. 　 An image of Mick Jagger forms the backdrop of a re-created music studio as part of “Exhibitionism,” the interactive multimedia exhibition of the Rolling Stones’ ca

PerformanceJune 22, 2016

Mamamoo to hold first solo concert

K-pop quartet Mamamoo is set to hold its first solo concerts from Aug. 13-14, two years after its debut, announced the group’s agency Rainbow Bridge World.　Titled “2016 Mamamoo Concert-moosical,” the concerts will take place at the Olympic Park Olympic Hall in Seoul. The venue is expected to accommodate more than 3,000 concertgoers. Poster for K-pop quartet Mamamoo’s first solo concert “2016 Mamamoo Concert-moosical” (Rainbow Bridge World)　The quartet debuted in June 2014 with “Mr. Ambiguous,” a

PerformanceJune 22, 2016

Wonder Girls gear up for comeback

K-pop girl group Wonder Girls are set to release a new album “Why So Lonely” at midnight on July 4, announced the group’s agency JYP Entertainment.　At midnight on Tuesday, the group unveiled the release plan for the upcoming album via the official website wondergirls.jype.com.  Wonder Girls’ release plan for their upcoming album (JYP Entertainment)　It marks the first lead song written and composed by the band and not singer-songwriter and CEO of the agency Park Jin-young.　All the Wonder Girls ha

PerformanceJune 22, 2016