Extended getbol, Busan wartime capital sites make UNESCO's tentative list

Additional Korean tidal flats in regions of South Jeolla Province and nine sites of the Busan wartime capital have been incorporated into UNESCO's tentative list of world heritage sites, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Friday. The submission of the two clusters of sites to UNESCO took place in May this year. UNESCO's tentative lists serve as inventories of sites significant in a state party's cultural or natural heritage, possessing strong potential for future

CultureOct. 20, 2023

'Teenage Mercenary’ leads Korean webtoon sensation in Japan

Naver Webtoon’s action series “Teenage Mercenary” has achieved the highest transaction volume in the history of Naver Webtoon Japan. According to the South Korean tech giant’s digital comics platform, the series generated monthly sales of 1.6 billion won ($1.18 million) in September, and garnered more than 300 million accumulated reads from Japanese fans. Helmed by webtoon creators YC and Rakyeon, “Teenage Mercenary” revolves around Yu Ijin, who lost his paren

BooksOct. 20, 2023

Geonwonneung to open for public viewing in fall

Geonwonneung, the royal tomb of King Taejo (1335-1408), the founder of the Joseon Kingdom, will be accessible to the public for a limited period this autumn, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 5, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Friday. Situated in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, the tomb is renowned for having a silver grass-covered mound, a unique feature among royal tombs from the Joseon era. Historical records suggest that this distinction arises from the relocation of silver grass from Hamheung, S

CultureOct. 20, 2023

Lotte Cinema to screen NBA game

Cinema operator Lotte Cinema confirmed Friday that it will livestream an upcoming NBA game between Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings on Oct. 28. A total of 22 screens, including Lotte Cinema World Tower, Gimpo Airport and more, will feature the basketball showdown between last year’s playoff qualifying teams, according to the cinema chain. Rules have been relaxed so that visitors can cheer while watching the game at the cinema during the match. Those watching will be invited to ma

FilmOct. 20, 2023

[Well-curated] Lego art, Picasso ceramics and premium single malts

Korean heritage built with Lego A special Lego exhibition titled "HEstorical Lego" is underway on the second floor of Moryham in Myeong-dong, central Seoul. Themed around Korea's traditional cultural heritage, mostly from the Joseon era (1392-1910), the “HEstorical Lego” exhibition comprises a total of 42 Lego works by Colin Jin. The 49-year-old artist introduces himself as a "Lego Maker" on his Instagram profile. The highlight of the exhibition is “Jon

CultureOct. 20, 2023

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Cheongsong Apple Festival Cheongsong Apple Festival is scheduled to take place at Hyeonbiam riverside swimming pool in Cheongsong, North Gyeongsang Province from Nov. 1 to 5. The upcoming event will entertain with various programs, including an apple-themed food presentation, a “Nanta” experience, an outdoor parade, a golden apple hunt and an apple lottery game. "Nanta" is one of the most popular non-verbal performance shows in Korea, featuring constant striking and drummin

TravelOct. 20, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Hopeless” (South Korea) Opened Oct. 11 Drama/Thriller Directed by Kim Chang-hoon Eighteen-year-old Yeon-kyu (Hong Xa-bin), who lives with his abusive stepfather and exhausted mother, meets Chi-gun (Song Joong-ki), the right-hand man of a gang boss, who takes him in. “30 Days” (South Korea) Opened Oct. 3 Comedy Directed by Nam Dae-joong The idyllic newlywed life of Jung-yeol (Kang Ha-neul), an intelligent lawyer, and his wife Nara (Jung So-min), a passionate film produc

FilmOct. 20, 2023

[Around the hotels] Promotions and packages

The Plaza Seoul welcomes autumn with new menus The Plaza Seoul's restaurants are offering new menus for the fall season. The Plaza Dowon, a Chinese restaurant at the hotel, has prepared a course meal, composed of fried abalone, beef tenderloin steak and dao xiao mien, or Chinese knife-cut noodles. The highlight of the menu is the dim sum filled with shrimp, mushrooms and water chestnut. The hotel’s Korean restaurant Seven Square is offering grilled shad and grilled deodeok, or bellflo

FoodOct. 20, 2023

Haenam shipwreck thought to be from Goryeo era

A shipwreck discovered in Haenam, South Jeolla Province, has been identified as dating from the Goryeo era (918–1392), according to the Cultural Heritage Administration on Thursday. The underwater excavation of the wreck, found around Songho Beach, was conducted by the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage over a four-month period from June to September. A total of 15 artifacts, including pottery, tiles, whetstones and an anchor stone were recovered. Radiocarbon dating

CultureOct. 19, 2023

Lim Yun-chan signs exclusive recording deal with Decca

South Korean piano sensation Lim Yun-chan is expected to release a new album in the first quarter of 2024 under the Decca label. On Thursday, entertainment giant Universal Music Group announced that Lim had signed an exclusive recording deal with Decca, Universal Music Group's London-based affiliate. The British record label has produced albums with leading musicians including Georg Solti, Luciano Pavarotti, Vladimir Ashkenazy and Chung Kyung-wha. “The company worked hard for a long t

PerformanceOct. 19, 2023

Strengthening Vietnam-S.Korea cooperation, exchanges discussed at GBF

Given South Korea and Vietnam's complementary roles, there is more room for bilateral cooperation between the two countries, said Vietnamese Ambassador to South Korea Nguyen Vu Tung on Wednesday. "Vietnam and South Korea can formulate such a good partnership. With Vietnam's abundant labor forces, I bet South Korean companies will be able to enjoy a new wave of business opportunities based on their advanced technologies," said Tung at the Global Biz Forum held at Summit Galler

PeopleOct. 19, 2023

KTO to offer weekend railroad travel packages through February

The Korea Tourism Organization and the Korea Railroad Corporation have prepared a weekend travel package available from October to February. The package is designed for Korail passengers and covers travels on Oct. 29 and the final weekend, Friday to Sunday, in the months of November, December, January and February, the KTO said Tuesday. Each month features different-themed travel packages. "Fall Travels" packages offered on Oct. 29 feature an itinerary that highlights the autumnal ambi

TravelOct. 19, 2023

[Herald Interview] Park Youn-hee thinks fashion is beyond clothes

Park Youn-hee, the founder and head of fashion brand Greedilous, took the steps that most fashion designers take. She majored in fashion design at a university in Busan and entered the fashion industry as a designer at local women’s clothing brands Obzee and Handsome, which is now run by the Korean fashion conglomerate Hyundai Department Store Group. After 15 years working at the company, she is now in her 12th year of running her own fashion brand. “I was a bit tired of company poli

PeopleOct. 19, 2023

Coupang Play seeks turnaround with exclusive content

With plans to release BTS’ Busan concert film -- “BTS: Yet to Come” -- and a survival show titled “University War” (unofficial translation) in November, local video streaming service Coupang Play seeks to cement its position in Korea's streaming market. While the streamer garnered viewers’ interest with the mystery thriller “Anna” (2022) -- starring K-pop star and actor Suzy -- and multiple seasons of comedy variety show “Saturday Night

TelevisionOct. 18, 2023

[Herald Interview] Rising star conductor Klaus Makela to meet Korean audiences

Klaus Makela, a fast-rising Finnish conductor and cellist, will finally meet the Korean audiences after two pandemic-induced cancellations. "I was truly sad and felt sorry. However, because of the sadness I had felt through the pandemic, the expectation for the upcoming performance in Korea doubled," Makela said in an email interview this week. At 27, Makela is chief conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic, which last performed in Korea 27 years ago. The orchestra will perform on Oct. 28

PerformanceOct. 18, 2023

Galleries vexed by outdated ban on taking older artwork out of country

Hakgojae Gallery, which had hoped to present an art piece by Korean avant-garde artist Quac In-sik created 61 years ago at Frieze London, has had to abandon its plans due to the Cultural Properties Protection Law that bans the movement of historical works abroad to sell. The law requires any artifact that is at least 50 years old to be appraised to determine whether the item can leave the country. The Cultural Heritage Administration does allow for exceptions when an item is taken abroad for an

Arts & DesignOct. 18, 2023

Star musicians add own touches to films as music directors

Well-known musicians are joining hands with renowned and rookie filmmakers who want to create a unique atmosphere and maximize the dramatic elements in their films through sound. Rapper-composer Gray recently took part in the production of "Ballerina" as the Netflix original film's music director. It was Gray's first time composing music for a film. Soon after the movie’s release on Oct. 6, the film garnered global attention for protagonist Ok-joo's (Jun Jong-seo)

FilmOct. 18, 2023

Second Blue House Concert to celebrate 70th anniversary of S. Korea-US alliance

The second installment of the Blue House Concert series will take place Nov. 5 in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the South Korea-US alliance at Chunchugwan. Chunchugwan served as the media center for the former presidential house Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul. The free concert will begin at 3 p.m. with American violinist Gil Shaham taking the stage with Korean pianist Shin Chang-yong to perform Mozart's Rondo in C major and Faure’s Violin Sonata No.1. Shin will also perfo

CultureOct. 18, 2023

[Herald Interview] Director Lee Chung-hyeon has many more female narratives to convey

Director Lee Chung-hyeon, who rapidly rose to stardom when his feature film debut “The Call” was released on Netflix in 2020, returned with “Ballerina” on the same platform on Oct. 5. With another female-led story starring his girlfriend and actor Jun Jong-seo, Lee said that women have always been at the center of his storytelling. “I made short films since I was in high school and women have always been at the core, leading the storyline. For me, when I think of a

FilmOct. 18, 2023

'2023 Box Gallery Exhibition' by Youth Impact shows art made of discarded paper

Amid the heightened public interest in up-cycling, several young artists gathered to show works created with waste paper at the exhibition “2023 Box Gallery Exhibition: A Resounding Success in Art and Social Impact” held at the Gangnam Foundation for Arts & Culture Exhibition Hall in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul. The exhibition, which ran from July 27 to Aug. 10, was joined by 13 artists -- Kim Gyu-rin, Kim Su-hyun, Kim Si-yeon, Kim hye-jeong, Catherine Ryu, Park Bo-min, Park Ji-

Arts & DesignOct. 17, 2023