Scholar urges restoring Cheong Wa Dae's historicity

Marking the first year of the full public opening of Cheong Wa Dae, the former presidential office and residence, on May 10, the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History hosted an academic seminar on Thursday, where scholars and field experts discussed the historical meaning and significance of the space. The four-hour seminar “History of Cheong Wa Dae Space” provided a platform for presenting diverse perspectives on Cheong Wa Dae, spanning different periods in Korean history

CultureMay 25, 2023

Song Joong-ki attends Cannes after pro bono performance in ‘Hopeless’

Actor Song Joong-ki attended the 76th Cannes Film Festival for the first time in his 15 year acting career with his action thriller flick “Hopeless.” Invited as part of the Out of Competition category, the low-budget “Hopeless” is director Kim Chang-hoon's long feature debut film. Rookie actors Hong Sa-bin and Kim Hyeong-seo, also known as singer Bibi, were next to Song during the film's world premiere and the red carpet event prior to the screening on Wednesday

FilmMay 25, 2023

Robert Indiana’s iconic ‘LOVE’ sculpture in Seoul vandalized

American artist Robert Indiana’s iconic sculpture “LOVE” was recently found vandalized in central Seoul with “Zombra” graffitied with spray paint on the letter “V.” The sculpture, installed outside the headquarters of Daishin Securities in Jungu-gu, Seoul, is known as the one of a few such sculptures in South Korea. The sculpture was found with the graffiti on Tuesday, according to the securities firm. “We are assuming the work was damaged on Monda

Arts & DesignMay 24, 2023

Monthlong ballet fest of dance spectacles from classics to hit drama series

A series of ballet performances from classics to new creative works inspired by Korean literature and hit Spanish TV drama series “Money Heist” are set to be staged next month. Under the theme of “Face the Times in Ballet,” the 13th edition of Ballet Festival Korea will showcase 11 productions by both established and emerging dancers at the Seoul Arts Center from June 8-25, the organizing committee announced during a press conference on Tuesday. The Universal Ballet is sc

PerformanceMay 24, 2023

CHA insists buildings around World Heritage Site follow UNESCO standards

The Cultural Heritage Administration said Tuesday that future discussions on the lifting of height restrictions near UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Jongmyo Shrine, Changdeokgung and the Joseon royal tombs, should take UNESCO's Heritage Impact Assessments into consideration. UNESCO recommends the use of a structured process called HIA to evaluate any proposed changes in the vicinity of designated heritage sites. The CHA statement was made after a local media report Monday said that S

CultureMay 24, 2023

[Reporter’s Note] What ‘0 Korean films’ in competition at Cannes really means

Global attention for Korean cinema reached a peak when director Bong Joon-ho won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his darkly comic thriller “Parasite” in 2019. He was the first Korean director to win the top award at Cannes, after last appearing in competition with “Okja” (2017). He was also the second Asian winner in consecutive years, following Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s triumph with “Shoplifters” (2018). After skipping a

FilmMay 24, 2023

Korean dramas’ popularity still strong in Southeast Asia

Though no Korean drama so far this year has created an international sensation to the extent of “Squid Game” (2021), or even “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” (2022) or “Reborn Rich” (2022), there are many series that are enjoying popularity overseas, especially in the Southeast Asian market. Cable channel tvN’s fantasy series “Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938” has landed on Amazon Prime Video's top 10 charts in 19 countries as of Tuesday, accord

TelevisionMay 24, 2023

[Herald Interview] 'Cheonmachong excavation started as practice run for larger tomb'

This year commemorates the 50th anniversary of the excavation of Cheonmachong, an ancient royal tomb from the Silla Kingdom located at the Daereungwon Tomb Complex in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The tomb, from which more than 11,000 artifacts, including numerous treasures, were unearthed, tells a story of the ancient burial customs of the Silla Kingdom. One of the seven field researchers behind the Cheonmachong excavation in 1973 was Choi Byung-hyun, a professor emeritus of history at

CultureMay 24, 2023

Artist Kim Bo-seong cherishes each Korean consonant

Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, has been a huge inspiration for the artist Kim Bo-seong, who has also published seven poetry collections. He has created a variety of artworks from paintings to installations inspired by the consonant and vowel characters of Korean. The artist showcased his new works at the Maru Art Center in Insadong, Jongno-gu, central Seoul. There are 14 basic consonants or ‘jaeum’ in Korean, some of which were turned into paintings by Kim. Korean letters are not ju

Arts & DesignMay 24, 2023

[Reporter’s Note] Gwangju Biennale Foundation's Cowardice

In early 2022, the Gwangju Biennale Foundation announced the launch of an art award named after 91-year-old artist Park Seo-bo. The purpose of the award was to “contribute to creating a healthy art environment” and "elevate the status of the Biennale,” according to the foundation's press release. The award was made possible thanks to $1 million of prize money donated by Park, South Korea’s leading contemporary artist who pioneered Korea’s famous art genre,

Arts & DesignMay 24, 2023

Mt. Palgong designated as 23rd national park in Korea

Mount Palgong, a 1,193 meter-high mountain lying between the southeastern city of Daegu and nearby North Gyeongsang Province, was granted national park status Tuesday, becoming Korea's 23rd national park. The Ministry of Environment approved the designation in a meeting of its national park committee, two years after the city of Daegu, 237 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and North Gyeongsang Province, made the recommendation, ministry officials said. It marks the first designation of a natio

TravelMay 23, 2023

'Merchants of Venice' meets Korean traditional opera

William Shakespeare’s famous play "The Merchant of Venice," will be reborn as "changgeuk," a traditional Korean opera, next month, with a contemporary twist. From June 8 to 11, the National Changgeuk Company of Korea will present the first changgeuk adaption of “The Merchant of Venice,” a highly anticipated production that has brought together renowned theater creators and talented "pansori" performers. “The Changgeuk Company has made numerou

CultureMay 23, 2023

[Herald Interview] Actor Lee Soon-jae celebrates 68-year acting career as King Lear

Actor Lee Soon-jae, celebrating the 68th year of his acting career this year, is set to make his return as King Lear in William Shakespeare’s tragic play “King Lear.” The production, which sold out during its premiere in 2021, is scheduled for performances at the LG Arts Center in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, from June 1-18. Lee will play the role of King Lear, an aged king whose plan to step down from the throne and divide his kingdom equally among his three daughters ends tragically. &

PerformanceMay 23, 2023

Stolen Buddhist statues, paintings to return home

Thirty-two Buddhist relics that were once stolen from temples across the country will finally return to their rightful homes, after some of which had been gone for more than three decades. The 21 Buddhist statues and 11 Buddhist paintings were put on display at the Korean Buddhism History and Culture Memorial Hall in Jongno, central Seoul, Tuesday, and a ceremony was held to celebrate their homecoming. The relics, which were taken from 14 different temples between 1988 and 2004, will go to the

CultureMay 23, 2023

[Herald Review] ‘The Roundup: No Way Out’ sticks to tried-and-true action comedy formula

Don Lee is undoubtedly top dog when it comes to the crime action genre in Korea, and does little to disappoint fans with the third film starring combative detective Ma Seok-do. Just like its smash-hit predecessors “The Outlaws” (2017) and “The Roundup” (2022), threequel “The Roundup: No Way Out” diligently adheres to the action comedy formula -- action-packed scenes and a simple but satisfying plot line of a lead character knocking down villains -- of course i

FilmMay 23, 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

CultureMay 22, 2023

‘Sleep,’ ‘Project Silence’ premiere at 76th Cannes Film Festival

Two Korean films invited to noncompetition categories at the 76th Cannes Film Festival each held screenings with the directors and main actors receiving the spotlight on the red carpet and at the theater after their world premieres. Director Kim Tae-gon’s “Project Silence” was scheduled for 12:30 a.m. Monday in Cannes, as it was invited to the Midnight Screening, an out-of-competition section dedicated to films with popular appeal and artistic value. Main actors Lee Sun-kyun, J

FilmMay 22, 2023

[Photo News] The art of spacing out

The annual Hangang Space-out Competition returned Sunday, with a total of 70 teams showing off their art of zoning out. On Jamsoo Bridge over Seoul's Han River, the participants – some of them dressed in costumes -- turned off their phones and sat with blank expressions, while their heart rates were checked every 15 minutes. Anyone who laughs, talks or dozes off was eliminated. A player dressed in a tuxedo took the first prize after successfully spacing out for 90 minutes. The winner

Social AffairsMay 22, 2023

Kim Seon-ho makes film debut with ‘The Childe’

Actor Kim Seon-ho, who had been keeping a low profile after being embroiled in a scandal in 2021, is making his silver screen debut with director Park Hoon-jung’s new noir action film “The Childe.” Before starting the press conference to promote his new film on Monday, Kim apologized for the inconvenience caused due to earlier rumors surrounding his personal life. His ex-girlfriend in 2021 claimed he coerced her into getting an abortion. He admitted to pressuring her. “I&

FilmMay 22, 2023

Naver Webtoon to make English version of Toon Filter

Naver Webtoon, South Korean tech giant Naver’s digital comics platform, announced that the company is scheduled to launch an English version of its recent artificial intelligence art generator Toon Filter on Monday. Toon Filter is Naver Webtoon’s AI image maker, which recreates the users’ selected photos in an art style from one of the company’s 10 beloved webtoon artists, including Lee Dong-geon of “Yumi’s Cells,” 232 of “Love Revolution,” P

CultureMay 22, 2023