[Herald Interview] Zo In-sung says getting older has set him free to pick coveted projects, roles

In director Ryoo Seung-wan’s new crime action flick, “Smugglers,” Zo In-sung stars as a veteran smuggler known nationwide, Kwon Pil-sam. Contrary to newbie Jangdori (Park Jung-min) who is timid and anxious all the time, Kwon is a calm and coldhearted character who wants to get things done with his own hands. It is undeniable that the energy and vibe that a character exudes at least partly come from the actor who plays the role. In that context, many have said that Kwon Pil-sam

FilmJuly 25, 2023

Seoul Summer Beach 2023 water festival kicks off in Gwanghwamun Square

Seoul Summer Beach 2023, part of government-planned water festivals installed throughout Seoul, kicked off Friday in Gwanghwamun Square and run through Aug. 13. The festival features various attractions, including Korea-themed splash pads, a 20-meter-long waterslide, and an air bounce house surrounded by 600 years of history. All attractions are available free of charge. Splash pads will run for 50-minute sessions from 10 a.m. to 9:50 p.m., with 10-minute breaks between each session. The watersl

TravelJuly 25, 2023

[Life in Korea] Max Not Beer on becoming a full-time influencer in Korea

  From performing at Yonsei University’s Akaraka festival and teaching English on Jeju Island, to making content as a full-time creator, TikTok influencer Max Not Beer has been enjoying a variety of experiences in South Korea. Max -- whose real name is Max Abrams -- moved to Korea last February from the US to pursue his career as a full-time content creator, having garnered a significant following of over 1.2 million followers on TikTok. His content mainly consists of personal storie

PeopleJuly 25, 2023

Seoul book fair organizer withholding details on earnings, Culture Ministry charges

The organizer of the Seoul International Book Fair allegedly did not disclose breakdowns of its earnings from the fair since 2018, the culture minister said Monday. Minister Park Bo-gyoon also accused the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea, a public institution under the ministry that oversees distribution and use of government subsidies to the fair organizer, of lax supervision. The Korean Publishers Association, the organizer of the annual book fair, failed to provide detailed info

BooksJuly 24, 2023

Jung Woo-sung seeks ‘newness in familiarity’ with directorial debut ‘A Man of Reason’

Renowned South Korean actor Jung Woo-sung is making his directoral debut with the action drama film “A Man of Reason,” in which he challenged himself to put a twist on a familiar storyline to express “newness in familiarity.” “At first, people suggested that I just act in the film as the protagonist Soo-hyuk. But after hearing the plot, which has a simple structure and a familiar story ... I thought it could be a good challenge for me to add my own color through dir

FilmJuly 24, 2023

‘Lore Olympus’ wins Eisner Awards for 2nd consecutive year

Naver Webtoon’s "Lore Olympus" notched its second win at the Eisner Awards on Sunday. At the award's 35th edition held at San Diego Comic-Con International, “Lore Olympus” was selected as the winner of the Best Webcomic prize, according to Naver Webtoon, the tech giant’s digital comics platform. Named after Will Eisner, a pioneer in the American comic book industry, the Eisner Awards are regarded as the Oscars for comic books in North America. “Lore O

BooksJuly 24, 2023

Global meeting on intangible cultural heritage to explore sustainable livelihoods in digital era

A global meeting dedicated to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage will be held at the Westin Josun Seoul in central Seoul, from Tuesday. The two-day event titled, "Unleashing the Power of Living Heritage for Sustainable Development and Peace," jointly organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Culture Heritage Administration, commemorates the 20-year anniversary of the implementation of the UNESCO "Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultur

CultureJuly 24, 2023

National Theater of Korea to present 60 works, including 24 new pieces, next season

The National Theater of Korea is in full-swing preparations to showcase captivating works that blend novelty with tradition for the upcoming season, including a grand-scale musical cantata featuring 300 artists and a traditional concert accompanied by liquor. The artistic directors of three national troupes affiliated with the theater -- the National Changgeuk Company, National Dance Company and National Orchestra -- unveiled the lineup for the 2023-24 program scheduled for Sept. 1 to June 30, 2

PerformanceJuly 23, 2023

Webtoon creator, screenwriter Kang Full takes on epic K-superhero project

Making his debut as a screenwriter in upcoming Disney+ action drama series “Moving,” webtoon creator Kang Full exudes confidence in delighting both his devoted webtoon readers and those new to his fictional world with Korean-style superheroes. In 2015, “Moving” started out as an action webtoon series on Daum Webtoon, garnering Kang more than 200 million accumulated reads in Korea. The story revolves around high school students endowed with supernatural powers and their pa

TelevisionJuly 23, 2023

Revamped musical presents challenges faced by Joseon firefighters

"Myeolhwagun," a musical which initially premiered in 2021 about Joseon's first-ever fire service department during King Sejo's reign, has returned with vibrant enhancements. The original 90-minute musical has been transformed into a 135-minute piece. The revamped musical's director Woo Jin-ha emphasized how he delved deeper into detailed depictions of how Joseon firefighters bravely fought to extinguish mass fires at a press conference held at the Uniplex Theater in Jon

CultureJuly 23, 2023

[New in Korean] Emerging SF writer enchants with cosmic fairytales in award-winning 'haenyeo' story

"The Tidal Future" By Seo Yoon-bin Hubble Seo Yoon-bin, who won the grand prize at the Fifth Korean Science Literature Award for medium-length and short stories last year, has published his first collection of short stories, "The Tidal Future." As an emerging and promising young sci-fi writer, Seo has captured considerable attention after securing the prize previously won by notable figures in the genre like Kim Cho-yeop and Cheon Seon-ran. In his award-winning short story, &

BooksJuly 23, 2023

Try these irresistible, flavorful gelatos in Seoul

The dense, rich taste of Italian gelato offers a slightly different kind of frozen dessert experience than regular ice cream. Gelato, the Italian word for "frozen," has a higher proportion of milk and lower proportions of cream and eggs than regular ice cream. Some kinds do not include eggs at all. Although it shares a similar custard base to ice cream, gelato is normally churned at a much slower rate, incorporating less air and becoming denser than ice cream. It has lower fat content

FoodJuly 22, 2023

[New in Korean] Jang Ryu-jin offers hyperrealistic portrayal of joys, sorrows of office workers

"The Training" (working title) By Jang Ryu-jin Changbi Publishers Jang Ryu-jin's latest compilation of six short stories titled “The Training” makes for a delightful reading experience with its fast-paced plot and witty dialogue. Jang’s second collection follows in the footsteps of her first work, “The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work” (2018), offering a lighthearted consolation to young individuals worn out by the daily grind. As one of the leading youn

BooksJuly 22, 2023

[New in Korean] True story of former drug dealer chronicles tale of redemption, remorse

"The Weight of 1 Gram" By Yim Jae-hun Book Recipe The novel “The Weight of 1 Gram” is based on the true story of a former drug dealer. Having served four years in prison for drug dealing in Cambodia in 2018, Yim Jae-hun reflects on his past as he shares his penitential journey. The book also serves as a warning call to address the grave dangers of drugs that plague our society. Seduced by the promise of a quick fortune, the narrator nicknamed “Baksa” (meaning &l

BooksJuly 22, 2023

[Eye Interview] Pulitzer-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen on HBO's upcoming 'Sympathizer' with Park Chan-wook

The decision to make a television adaptation of his 2016 Pulitzer-winning novel "The Sympathizer” was a double joy for Vietnamese American writer Viet Thanh Nguyen. “It's a thrill for any writer to have their book adapted to the screen, and in my case, a particular thrill because I'm very excited to be working with Park Chan-wook, whose work I've greatly admired even before I wrote the novel,” Nguyen said in an interview with The Korea Herald in June. Powere

BooksJuly 22, 2023

[Photo News] Artworks on view for travelers at Gimpo International Airport

Artworks are on view at Gimpo International Airport, offering an opportunity to appreciate Korea’s contemporary art during a layover at the airport. The exhibition “Be Free” kicked off on Friday joined by five artists – Paik Nam-june, Sheen Yi-chul, Jang Seung-hyo, Lee Lee-nam and Oh Dong-hoon, featuring sculptures and media art. Running through Oct.22, the exhibition shows a total of nine works across the third floor of the airport. The exhibition is supported by Ministr

Arts & DesignJuly 22, 2023

Controversy over Chun Kyung-ja's painting reignites after court rules against painter's family

The bereaved family of Korea’s pioneering female artist, Chun Kyung-ja, lost a legal battle against prosecutors Friday, after the Seoul Central District Court ruled against Chun's daughter's claims that prosecutors damaged Chun's honor by spreading false information about the painting “Beautiful Woman.” The Seoul Central District Court disagreed with Kim Jeong-hee, who made the claim four years ago that the artist and her family should be compensated 100 million

Arts & DesignJuly 21, 2023

Tadao Ando's exhibition extended until October at Museum SAN

Museum SAN, nestled in the mountains of Wonju, Gangwon Province, unveiled its new meditation space Tuesday, designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando. “The Space of Light” is the second meditation space at the museum that presents the architect’s philosophy. The 22,000-square-meter museum was founded in 2013 by the Hansol Cultural Foundation. The museum was designed by Ando at the request of the late Lee In-hee, who was then advisor to Hansol Group and sister of late Samsung

Arts & DesignJuly 21, 2023

Series of music, theater festivals to fill the summer

This summer the stage is set for a series of thrilling arts festivals, starting with the Miryang Summer Performing Arts Festival on Friday. As the season unfolds, various other festivals will return every week through the end of August. The 23rd edition of the Miryang Summer Performing Arts Festival will run until July 29 at Miryang Aria and other venues in the small city located in South Gyeongsang Province. The city has a population of about 100,000, but it will temporarily become the nation

CultureJuly 21, 2023

Hit animation film ‘Blue Giant’ to close 19th Jecheon International Music & Film Festival

Jazz-themed hit Japanese animation “Blue Giant” will close this year’s Jecheon International Music & Film Festival, which kicks off on Aug. 10. Written and illustrated by Shinichi Ishizuka, with music by Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist Hiromi Uehara, the film will be shown in Korea for the first time through the JIMFF. “Blue Giant” follows the story of a student band called Jass, comprised of tenor saxophonist Dai, pianist Sawabe and drummer Tamada, as they pl

FilmJuly 21, 2023