Korea, Japan reconnect through graphic design

Posters, logos, advertisements and infographic images created by Korean and Japanese designers are on view at an exhibition in Seoul that shows the transition of graphic design trends in both countries over the last 50 years. The exhibition, being held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art brings together 400 works of graphic design of 112 Korean and Japanese designers, ranging from first-generation graphic designers to emerging young designers.Viewers can find early design works

Arts & DesignAug. 19, 2015

‘Veteran’ surpasses 7m-viewer mark

Crime action flick “Veteran” is racing up its viewer record at a pace matching that of “Assassination,” breaking the 7 million milestone in two weeks since release Wednesday.  Poster of 'Veteran' (CJ Entertainment)　The film opened nationwide on Aug. 5, marking 1 million viewers by the third day, 2 million on fourth, 3 million on sixth, 4 million on ninth, 5 million on 10th, 6 million on 12th, and finally surpassing 7 million on the 14th day.　“Assassination” released on July 22 and entered the 10

Aug. 19, 2015

Girls’ Generation tops charts with new LP

K-pop girl group Girls’ Generation topped local music charts with its new LP “Lion Heart.”　On Wednesday, eponymous lead track “Lion Heart,” which was released at noon on Tuesday, ranked No. 1 on five charts -- Genie, Bugs, Soribada, Naver Music and Monkey 3. Another lead track “You Think,” which was released at midnight, ranked No.1 on two other charts -- Mnet and Olleh Music -- while following a close second place on four charts.  Girls` Generation (SM Entertainment)The eight-member group’s fif

Aug. 19, 2015

Workout with professional trainers at JW Marriott Seoul

It’s hot, it’s humid and you find yourself too tired after work to even head out to the gym and run a few laps on a treadmill to refresh your mind and body.When lacking self-motivation and self-esteem in the summer, maybe it is time to try exercising with a professional to guide and push you, and help you regain your confidence.Working out with a personal trainer is obviously more expensive than doing it yourself at a fitness center in your neighborhood. But trainers can not only provide health

CultureAug. 19, 2015

Will Korean dramas break away from ‘live-shoot’ system?

Though making a TV series is considered a laborious endeavor in most parts of the world, the shooting of Korean dramas in particular has gained notoriety for hectic filming schedules, harsh conditions and last-minute script changes.The currently running JTBC series “Last” is an exception, going the preshooting route -- still a rare practice in the production of TV dramas in Korea. Actors from the series have admitted they could not be happier with their new work environment.  “The environment is

TelevisionAug. 18, 2015

Two top MCs set out to discover Korea’s forgotten ‘Sugarmen’

Rediscovering old songs, talking about music, and recreating old songs into new versions -- at first glance, the format of JTBC’s new entertainment program “2U Project -- Searching for Sugarman” seems familiar. But according to the chief producer Yun Hyun-joon, it’s something different.“The idea for the program began with the documentary ‘Searching for Sugar Man,’” he said at a press conference Tuesday, referring to the 2012 film about Rodriguez, a singer who faded into obscurity in the U.S. but

TelevisionAug. 18, 2015

Contemporary art explores meaning of DMZ in Dongsong

CHEORWON, Gangwon Province -- An annual art project exploring the historical and contemporary significance of the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas chose Geumhak Street in the Dongsong neighborhood as its venue for 2015.This year’s “Real DMZ Project,” marking its fourth year with an exhibition titled “Lived Time of Dongsong,” brought together 49 individual and team artists to decorate various locations along the street with pieces reflecting the creators’ thoughts and emotions on the

PerformanceAug. 18, 2015

Korea to establish cultural facilities in central Seoul

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday that it would create multipurpose cultural centers in Seoul in an effort to rediscover Korea’s traditional arts and culture and spur the development of Korean content.In partnership with Hanjin Group, the government will build a high-tech facility called “K-Experience” next to Gyeongbokgung Palace to allow tourists to experience the country’s traditional and modern arts and culture.The center, which will be built by 2017 on the former site

CultureAug. 18, 2015

Herald Design Tech 2015

Herald Corp. launches the Herald Design Tech 2015, a project that aims to merge design and technology to create innovative design for future. The 100-day project, co-organized with Seoul Design Foundation, invites designers and engineers to work together to create collaborative works. The project will kick off on Aug. 27 with a preparation session that gathers designers and engineers together to discuss the importance of collaboration between design and technology and among different fields of e

Arts & DesignAug. 18, 2015

Hong Sang-soo’s new film wins at Locarno

South Korean auteur Hong Sang-soo has won the prestigious Golden Leopard award at the 68th Locarno International Film Festival for his 17th feature-length film “Right Now, Wrong Then,” according to the film’s distributor Finecut on Sunday. Hong Sang-soo at Locarno (Locarno International Film Festival)In addition to the top prize, the film also picked up a Best Actor award for leading man Jung Jae-young. He is the first male Korean actor to win that honor at Locarno; actress Kim Ho-jung took home

FilmAug. 17, 2015

Citadines Haeundae Busan introduces upscale, convenient living

Interior view of one of the Citadines Haeundae Busan‘s one-bedroom premier suites. (Ascott Limited Group)Citadines, a global brand of well-appointed serviced apartments, officially launched its first “apart’hotel” in Korea over the weekend, smack dab in the heart of Haeundae, the country’s most popular beachside hot spot.Now accepting reservations, the 468-room Citadines Haeundae offers safe and comfortable accommodations for both tourists and business travelers, whether it be for a short weeken

TravelAug. 17, 2015

Revisiting 16th-century war with Japan through memoir

An original manuscript of “Jingbirok,” a memoir of the 1592-1598 Imjin War that is also known as the “Book of Corrections,” covering the 16th century Japanese invasion of Joseon era (1392-1910) Korea, is on view at the National Folk Museum of Korea. The museum showcases the book, one of the most popular accounts of war in Korea, written by the “yeonguijeong” -- a Joseon era equivalent to the prime minister -- Ryu Seong-ryong (1542-1607), along with his possessions, including armor, a helmet, a s

CultureAug. 17, 2015

Korea’s ascent on culture map

From the cultural staples of Korean folk music and historical soap operas, to love-triangle-plagued TV dramas and the heavily choreographed, modern hodgepodge of K-pop, the nation’s entertainment industry has seen a paradigm shift in its international prominence over the past few decades. Following a number of game-changing TV dramas and musical acts such as KBS’ “Winter Sonata” and first generation K-pop idols BoA and H.O.T., overseas interest in the nation’s entertainment content has shot up,

Aug. 16, 2015

Korea Herald brings K-pop to world fans

In less than a year, K-pop Herald (www.kpopherald.com) has established itself as the go-to website for people who want to keep up with up-to-date news and information on Korea’s pop culture trends and entertainment scene in English. 　Operated by the nation’s No. 1 English news outlet, The Korea Herald, the K-pop Herald launched on Sept. 24 with two things in mind: creating the most credible K-pop news in Korea and delivering rich Korean cultural contents across the globe. 　“There were many media

CultureAug. 16, 2015

Korean miracle 70 years in the making

South Korea has achieved many great feats over the last seven decades in political and socioeconomic areas since it gained independence.Its economy, with per capita income much smaller than that of African countries such as Ghana and Gabon in the aftermath of the inter-Korean conflict, was able to grow rapidly through policies that promoted technology, manufacturing and exports, in order to develop from farming and fishing.Once a poor country that relied on development aid, Korea emerged from it

CultureAug. 16, 2015

Korea Herald Podcast celebrates second anniversary

The Korea Herald Podcast, designed to help Koreans learn English through the latest news articles, is celebrating its second anniversary.　The Korea Herald launched the podcast in August 2013 with the aim of better interacting with its readers and satisfying the needs of intermediate English learners. 　Hosted each week by two members of the paper’s editorial staff -- one Korean and one foreign -- the show features English vocabulary and listening lessons through a range of news articles. Yoon Min

CultureAug. 16, 2015

[Herald Interview] Korea needs killer content beyond hallyu

Korean content, ranging from films and music to TV drama and fashion, is attracting more attention now globally than ever before, with Hollywood star Emma Stone saying she is “obsessed” with K-pop.But Song Sung-gak, president and CEO of the Korea Creative Content Agency, said the domestic content industry has reached an inflection point, as the popularity of Korean content, referred to as the Korean Wave or hallyu, is showing signs of waning abroad, especially in its biggest market, Japan.He sai

CultureAug. 13, 2015

Exhibit shows history, culture of Gyeonggi

Celebrating the 2015 Gyeonggi Folk Culture Year, a special exhibition sheds light on the history and culture of Gyeonggi Province. The province surrounding Seoul constitutes 10 percent of the Korean Peninsula and its population tops among other provinces at 12 million, 24 percent of the nation’s total. Historically, most of the areas that we now know as belonging to Seoul were part of Gyeonggi Province. Only the districts located within the four gates such as Jongno, Euljiro and Gwanghwamun were

CultureAug. 13, 2015

Lee Seung-gi, Yoona split up: agency

Iconic Hallyu couple, Lee Seung-gi and Yoona of Girls’ Generation, split up recently, largely due to their busy schedules, agencies said Thursday. 　 “The couple recently ended their relationship though they decided to remain good friends,” said SM Entertainment, Yoona’s management agency. 　 Lee Seung-gi (left) and Yoona (Yonhap) Early this year, the two confirmed that they had been dating since Oct

Aug. 13, 2015