[Well-curated] Scented cocktails, Seoul Philharmonic and B-boy fest

Unique scent-themed cocktail bar There are various perspectives on what defines a good drink, but before captivating one's palate, a beverage initially captures the eyes and the nose with its visual and olfactory appeal. Bar Geranium, situated in the posh Rodeo Street neighborhood of Apgujeong, is an exceptional cocktail bar that draws inspiration from the world of perfumes. Opened in late 2021, this unique bar skillfully incorporates a wide array of flowers and perfume elements to craft it

CultureJune 2, 2023

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Westin Josun Seoul launches ‘Viva Summer, Edition 2’ package Westin Josun Seoul presents a summer package that offers guests a blend of cultural experiences and a comfortable stay. As part of this package, the hotel will host the Summer Art Festival on Aug. 11 at 8 p.m., featuring Singer Ailee and Tei, at the Grand Ballroom. Guests will receive two concert tickets along with drinks and snacks. For guests staying in Executive Deluxe rooms, additional benefits include the club lounge a

FoodJune 2, 2023

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Hueree Hydrangea Festival The Hueree Hydrangea Festival, which started April 7, runs through Saturday at Hueree Natural Park on Jeju Island. Visitors can stroll around the park near South Korea’s highest peak of Hallasan and enjoy the flower field. The annual festival highlights Jeju Island’s splendid scenery and colorful hydrangeas with photo zones. For children, there will be horseback riding and a small parade of Jeju black pigs. Admission fees vary by age and program. Updated inf

TravelJune 2, 2023

National Museum of Korea presents artworks from Britain's National Gallery

The National Gallery, London has arrived in Seoul at the National Museum of Korea with its collection of 52 paintings encompassing the Renaissance, Baroque and post-impressionism from the early 20th century. The British museum’s works, which are currently touring across Asia, were unveiled Thursday in Seoul, curated by the NMK, and focus on how the perspective of western art shifted from God to humans with the advent of the Renaissance, after passing through the medieval period. The exhibi

Arts & DesignJune 1, 2023

Saudi Arabia seeks to attract 53,000 Korean travelers in 2023

Saudi Arabia is gearing up to welcome 53,000 Korean visitors in 2023, almost five times the 11,000 visitors recorded last year, aided by direct flight routes, stopover visas and diversified travel packages, according to the Saudi Tourism Authority on Monday. During a tourism roadshow at the Westin Josun Seoul on Monday, the STA introduced a wide range of experiences available to Korean holidaymakers in the kingdom, centered around the Golden Triangle. The Golden Triangle refers to three major ci

CultureJune 1, 2023

Ex-BIFF staff member alleges sexual abuse by former executive director

A former staff member of the Busan International Film Festival has alleged sexual abuse by ex-BIFF Executive Director Huh Mun-young, who offered to resign on May 11. According to a local news report, the former staff member reported Huh to the Center for Gender Equality in Korean Film for sexual abuse. The staff member reportedly received counseling from the center until recently. Huh is alleged to have ordered the staff member to perform unfair tasks at work, as well as using inappropriate lang

FilmJune 1, 2023

Michelin Guide to cover Busan restaurants in 2024

BUSAN -- South Korea’s second-largest city, will be covered in the Michelin Guide from next year, the publisher said Thursday during a press conference held at Park Hyatt Busan. Michelin Guide Seoul and Busan 2024 will be released as a single volume in February. "Since 2016, we have been writing amazing culinary stories with Seoul, and I'm happy to announce that this story will now extend to Busan," Gwendal Poullennec, Michelin Guide’s international director said. Th

FoodJune 1, 2023

Hakgojae Gallery shows works by Thomas Scheibitz, Park Young-ha

Hakgojae Gallery in Seoul has brought together two artists from Germany and South Korea, Thomas Scheibitz and Park Young-ha. While the two artists' works may feel different in style, visitors may find one thing in common: They both reveal their inner thoughts through visual language and make people think outside the box. It is the second solo show for Scheibitz at the gallery following his last in 2019. The newly opened exhibition titled “Thomas Scheibitz: Jennifer in Paradise,"

Arts & DesignJune 1, 2023

[Herald Interview] National Chorus of Korea's artistic director hopes to revive harmony

During the 1970s and 1980s, South Korea experienced a flourishing chorus culture with numerous small and large chorus groups. Prior to the start of the 9 o'clock TV news program, art songs would be broadcast, and amateur competitions and festivals were abundant. It was around that time the National Chorus of Korea was founded in 1973, followed by chorus groups established by regional governments. This period marked a golden era for chorus culture in Korea, according to Yoon Eui-joong, t

PerformanceMay 31, 2023

People turn to broadcaster alerts

Text alerts have become a dominant channel of communication for emergencies in South Korea. Though some might have become tired of messages about someone going missing or the latest COVID-19 figures, the system has led many people to pay more attention to public safety issues. But, when internet servers temporarily crash due to a sudden surge of traffic in a crisis situation, paralyzing data and other internet-related services when they are most needed, people turn to the emergency broadcasts on

TelevisionMay 31, 2023

BIDF 2023 promotes dance, Busan Expo bid

The Busan International Dance Festival 2023 will be held in Busan from Friday through Sunday, aiming to promote dance and to support Busan's bid to host the 2030 World Expo. Orchestrated by the BIDF organizing committee and the Busan city government, the 19th BIDF will feature performances by some 40 dance troupes from around the world at various venues around Busan, including Haeundae Beach, Busan Cinema Center and Busan Citizens Park. BIDF 2023 is an international event that partners with

CultureMay 31, 2023

Bluebell Korea chairman awarded French Order of Arts and Letters

Daniel Mayran, the chairman of Bluebell Korea, received the "Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) from the French Ministry of Culture in a ceremony held in Paris on Friday, according to Bluebell Korea on Tuesday. Mayran is also the director of group business development retail and travel retail of Bluebell Group, and founder and president of Luxury Business Group. Thierry Dana, former ambassador of France to Japan, presented h

PeopleMay 31, 2023

Quarterly Changbi remains committed to print publication

Changbi Publishers, a leading publisher, marked a milestone with the release of the 200th issue of the Quarterly Changbi, its highly regarded quarterly magazine of literature, critique and discourse. Lee Nam-ju, the editor-in-chief, summarized the magazine’s motto as “beopgochangsin” which can be translated as “to create something new by taking inspiration from the old.” “We will continue to adhere to our original direction while adapting to the changes in the

BooksMay 30, 2023

Poet Kim Hye-soon's 'Phantom Pain Wings' published in English

The English edition of acclaimed poet Kim Hye-soon's 2019 collection of poems, "Phantom Pain Wings," translated by Don Mee Choi, was published in the US in May. The book of 72 poems “depicts the memory or war trauma and the collective grief of parting through what (Kim) calls an ‘I-do-bird-sequence,’ where ‘Bird-human is the ‘I,’” said New Directions Publishing about its latest release by Kim. The publishing company also published Kim&rsqu

BooksMay 30, 2023

[Herald Interview] Song Zio says ‘reckless imagination’ behind brand’s growth

As a first-generation Korean fashion designer, Songzio founder and Chairman Song Zio still does sketches and designs patterns – work he has been doing already for 30 years. Despite the pandemic that had kept people at home and led them to spend less on fashion, Songzio saw better-than-expected sales, recording 70 billion won ($53 million) in 2022. Song said creativity is behind the brand’s growth. “No matter what, a fashion brand should prioritize fashion design, although the

Arts & DesignMay 30, 2023

Paramount+, Tving to air new Star Trek prequel season 2

Paramount+ has unveiled the official poster and trailer for the second season of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," scheduled to be released in June. For fans in Korea, the new season will premiere on Korean streaming platform Tving. "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" is a prequel to the iconic "Star Trek: The Original Series," revolving around beloved characters like Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), Commander Una Chin-Riley, commonly known as Number One (Rebecca

TelevisionMay 30, 2023

[Reporter’s Notebook] Why is 'XO, Kitty' struggling to win Korean viewers over?

After looking up to the West for a long time, many Koreans are perceptive to what Westerners think about the country and its people and yearn for their acknowledgement. Stories about Korean culture being featured in overseas projects -- mostly produced in the US -- regularly make local headlines. Back in 2017, people in Busan shared their excitement about how their port city would be shown in Marvel’s 2018-action flick “Black Panther” as soon as the news about the production te

TelevisionMay 30, 2023

[Herald Review] 'One Dance' embodies grandeur through contemporary mis-en-scene

The Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre wrapped up its four-day performance of “One Dance,” or “Ilmu” in Korean, at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts from Thursday to Sunday. Directed by Jung Ku-ho, the iconic performance presents a modern reinterpretation of a traditional dance from Jongmyo Jeryeak, a royal ceremonial performance encompassing singing, music and dance that took place during the royal ancestral rites at Jongmyo Shrine. Jung, a fashion designer-turned-

PerformanceMay 29, 2023

[Reporter's Notebok] Herculean task of watching Haman's fireworks

Haman, South Gyeongsang Province, is a little-known county located some 350 kilometers southeast of Seoul. The small, quiet village was overflowing with people from around the country who had come to see this year's Nakhwa Festival on Saturday. Though the event was originally a regional festival enjoyed by only those who knew about it, the local fireworks display went viral during the COVID-19 pandemic when public broadcaster KBS featured the cultural event in its variety show “1 Nigh

TravelMay 29, 2023

[Stories of Artifacts] How Joseon strove to make exams fair: Gangseosigwon

Throughout Korean history, there has been a deeply ingrained cultural belief that pursuing a career as a public servant is a prestigious endeavor. This cultural ethos can be traced back to the establishment of the "gwageo" system, or public service examinations. Gwageo was first introduced during the reign of Goryeo's King Gwangjong (925-975) and persisted until 1894 of the late Joseon era. Despite the retirement of gwageo, which was held every three years, the country still adm

CultureMay 29, 2023